GAMES UNGLUGGED REVIEW
Reviewed by Colin D. Speirs
This goal of this strategic level simulation of the Scots Wars of Independence,
best known through the historically illiterate film Braveheart, is to control
the majority of Scots nobles by the end of the game. The map is divided into the
home fiefdoms of the nobles, each with a differing ability to raise and sustain
troops and nobles will change sides either through defeat in battle or because
their fiefdom winters under enemy occupation so be wary of sacrificing units and
land.
The mechanics of the game are simple and elegant. Command and control is handled
by movement cards that limit how many army groups can be moved in any turn, fog
of war by not allowing your opponents to see the value of your troops until combat
is joined, and end of year bookkeeping is handled in a simple winter turn. Combat
means rolling a die for a chance to reduce the enemy's strength, differing speeds
of troops allow faster but numerically inferior troops to defeat a superior enemy.
This game is fun and easy to play with intriguing strategy. The level of historical
accuracy is good, though some geographic liberties have been taken with the fiefdoms
for the sake of game balance and the field of the arms of the Bruce family is
incorrect [Ed: The arms given those of the Earldom of Carrick]. The components
are colourful and well made with wooden block playing pieces, a card mounted mapboard,
dice, and a mixture of movement and event cards, although no year marker. The
rules are mostly clear and the website has clarifications and errata.
RATING A-