Opis
Virgin Queen: Wars of Religion 1559-1598 is a game of grand strategy for two to six players based on the military, political and religious conflicts within Europe during the reigns of Elizabeth I of England and Philip II of Spain. Each player controls one or more of the major powers that presided over European politics in that day. Spain is the juggernaut, able to draw upon the vast riches of their global empire. But such a dominant power is sure to have many enemies. The Ottoman expansion towards Spain’s Mediterranean outposts remains unchecked. Elizabeth’s English sea dogs are poised to raid Spain’s overseas empire. And the forces of Protestant reform will soon drag Spain into eighty years of rebellion in the Netherlands. Will Spain find aid from its Catholic allies? Perhaps not from France, where the Catholic Valois dynasty is soon to engage another group of Protestant believers in the bloody French Wars of Religion. And even Philip’s relatives in Vienna who rule the Holy Roman Empire may dabble in the Protestant faith instead of remaining loyal to their Catholic heritage and Spanish brethren.
Virgin Queen is the sequel to Here I Stand, another card-driven game of grand strategy that covered the previous forty years (from Martin Luther’s posting of his 95 Theses in 1517 through the abdication of Charles V in 1556). Players familiar with Here I Stand will find much that is familiar in Virgin Queen: over half of the rulebook remains unchanged. New game systems have been put in place to emphasize the changing nature of the conflicts here in the late 16th Century:
- Religion: Streamlined from Here I Stand, the new rules for religious conversion and rebellion allow actions to be resolved quickly, reflecting the already entrenched presence of both Catholic and Protestant factions across the key areas of religious struggle.
- World Map: Oceanic expeditions are now under direct player control as they sail to the Caribbean and beyond to seize plunder, found colonies, and attempt to circumnavigate the globe.
- Diplomatic Influence: Alliances with minor powers (and major powers that can be activated in games with less than 6 players) are now made through a unified system where players buy influence at each of these foreign courts.
- Weddings: Here I Stand’s secret negotiation phase is still present here in Virgin Queen, but with a new twist. Now you will want to arrange marriages for each of the princes and princesses of your family dynasty with a suitable foreign royal. Will even the Virgin Queen succumb to love and take a husband, or will she jilt that suitor at the last minute once again?
- Patronage: Your royal court will be visited by artists, writers, scientists, and architects, who all want you to invest in their endeavors for the glory and advancement of the realm. Will you sponsor Galileo, Cervantes, or Shakespeare or instead spend your treasury on a fruitless quest for the Philosopher’s Stone?
- Espionage: Beware, there is also a dark side to this period -- a time of espionage and spymasters. In Virgin Queen you can ask your ambassadors to spy on foreign courts, send out handgun-armed assassins, invest in cryptology, and even recruit Jesuit priests for undercover missions of conversion.
- 2-Player Tutorial: Great for new players just learning the series, this 90-minute game pits the Ottomans against Spain during the time of the Siege of Malta and Battle of Lepanto. Uses a subset of the full rules so you can dive in quickly.
- Campaign Scenario: The full Virgin Queen experience, this 8-hour game can last up to 7 turns and is normally played with from 4 to 6 players. Variant rules allow you to play with just 2 or 3 players if desired.
- Armada Scenario: A quicker game focused on Turns 3 to 6 of the full campaign, this 4 to 5-hour game is ideal for tournament play. Once again supports from 4 to 6 players.
Contents:
· Game Map: one 22” x 34”
· Counter Sheets: 4 full and 1 half
· 112 Strategy Cards
· 22 Royal Cards
· 44-Page Rulebook
· 32-Page Scenario Book
· Six 8.5” x 5.5” Power Cards
· Four Off-Map Displays (Diplomacy, Patronage, Victory, World Map)
· Two Player Aid Cards (2-sides)
· Ten 6-sided dice
Jeżeli ktoś grał w "Here I stand" to nie trzeba dużo mówić o "Virgin Queen". To po prostu udoskonalona wersja pierwszego tytułu z 4 razy więcej opcjami. Gra jest potężna. 44 stronicowa instrukcja jest po brzegi wypełnina zasadami, pewnie po usunięciu grafik oraz przypisów pewnie skórczyła by się do ok 34 ale to i tak sporo.
Mam poważne wątpliwości czy to jeszcze jest gra, czy to przypadkiem nie symulacja wydarzeń z XVIw. Gra ma bardzo mocny wydzwięk historyczny, jeżeli ktoś tego nie czuje to prawdopodobnie nie będzie się zbyt dobrze bawił.
Drobna uwaga, aby pomieścić wszystkie żetony w względnym porządku proponuje od razu zaopatrzyć sie w organizer albo pojemnik z przegródkami. Ilość znaczników jest wielka, woreczni strunowe nie zdają egzaminu. Robi się po prostu bałagan!
Jakość wykonana na najwyższym poziomie, plansza twarda z grubego papieru, karty lakierowane a znaczniki z dobrej jakości papieru. Dobrze wychodzą z wyprasek.
Udało mi się rozegrać 2 partie każda z nich trwała ok 10h (efektywnego grania; przerw nie licze). I przyznam że było to za każdym razem dość męczące. Jest wiele gier które są bardziej satysfakcjonujace i krótsze.
Tak więc, jeżeli nie jesteś wielkim fanem walki dynastii o dominację w XVI w Europie to nie kupuj "Virgin Queen" w innym przpadku brać i grać!