/pic5291148.jpg)
In 1697 the Sun King, Louis XIV, emerged from a decade of war with his Continental ambitions still unsatisfied. Meanwhile, King William III of England sat easier on his new throne than he ever had before. With the Spanish succession crisis unresolved and looming, there were no illusions that the new century would be a quiet one. But neither France nor England could have anticipated the tumult of the years to come: a Second Hundred Years' War, during which these two tenacious adversaries would compete fiercely and proudly along every axis of human achievement. On battlefields from India to Canada to the Caribbean Sea their armies and fleets would clash; in the salons of Paris and the coffee-houses of London the modern world’s politics and economics would be born; and finally a revolution would rock the foundations of society – a revolution that could have ended not in blood and terror but in a triumph of democracy and liberty that might have transformed the world beyond imagining.
Imperial Struggle is a two-player game depicting the 18th-century rivalry between France and Britain. It begins in 1697, as the two realms wait warily for the King of Spain to name an heir, and ends in 1789, when a new order brought down the Bastille. The game is not merely about war: both France and Britain must build the foundations of colonial wealth, deal with the other nations of Europe, and compete for glory across the span of human endeavor.
Imperial Struggle covers almost 100 years of history and four major wars. Yet it remains a low-complexity game, playable in a short evening. It aims to honor its spiritual ancestor, Twilight Struggle, by pushing further in the direction of simple rules and playable systems, while maintaining global scope and historical sweep in the scope of a single evening. In peace turns, players build their economic interests and alliances, and take advantage of historical events represented by Event cards. They must choose their investments wisely, but also with an eye to denying these opportunities to their opponent. In war turns, each theater can bring great rewards of conquest and prestige, but territorial gains can disappear at the treaty table. At the end of the century, will the British rule an empire on which the sun never sets? Or will France light the way for the world, as the superpower of the Sun King's dreams or the republic of Lafayette's?
—description from the publisher
- Great game
- Very fun game with a very big scope
- Appreciated the history and trivia
- No longer in collection
- Some find it superior to other games by the designer, a statement the host finds controversial
- Global conflict and competition
- 18th century, wars between Britain and France
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area influence — Competing over resources and different parts of the world.
- Card Driven — Implied by Jason Matthews' design style and the era.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Don't teach your dog how to sit while using a Sean Conry accent.
- I played so many GMT games over the years, I thought I'd finally rank my top 50.
- It's a heavier game, and that's probably why it's not higher up on this list.
- Although the invasion of Italy remains controversial for a number of reasons.
- I know it's a controversial statement because a lot of people will say this is probably the best that he's come up with.
- Why don't scientists trust atoms? They make up everything.
References (from this video)
- deep, sandbox-like exploration of historical conflict
- innovative combat progression and will-to-fight mechanics
- relatively long duration and complexity for a two-player game (2-4 hours)
- British Empire vs French Empire across the globe; diplomacy, economics, and military
- global (18th century) geopolitical conflict
- grand strategy with asymmetry and will-to-fight mechanics
- Twilight Struggle
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- combat with a will-to-fight track — will-to-fight determines willingness to continue conflict; brinksmanship and peace resolution
- four suits with asymmetry — recruit, move, battle, and a special suit; colonial vs British differences
- global regional influence — managing influence and presence across multiple regions
- multi-century scope (global scale) — economic, diplomatic, and military actions across the globe
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I've designed close to a hundred. They are all asymmetrical.
- I've been working on that game for 10 years.
- Twilight Struggle... it's so good. It's like chess to me.
- it's like full space 4X cosmic encounter
- This is what I'm hoping will be the first game in the will to fight system.
- Common Sense is the name of the game
References (from this video)
- deep historical scope and elegance
- tight, strategic multiplayer negotiation
- heavy rules, long play time
- steep learning curve for newcomers
- grand strategy with colonial dynamics
- 18th-century geopolitical rivalry between Britain and France
- historical, with multi-national influence and diplomacy
- Twilight Struggle
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — players vie for influence across global theaters
- area control / influence — players vie for influence across global theaters
- decision-making / political maneuvering — players navigate diplomacy and domestic policy
- economic engine building — manage resources and wealth to gain leverage
- Engine Building — manage resources and wealth to gain leverage
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I've been Chaz Marlar from Pair of Dice Paradise.
- This expansion funded in 20 minutes and raised 23 times the amount of its funding goal.
- the King's dilemma by a horrible guilt in this interactive narrative and legacy experience
- gaining a hundred and thirty-six spots to crown this month's biggest climber
References (from this video)
- Well-constructed tension and historical scope
- Deep strategic planning with alternate paths to victory
- Complex rules and long playtime
- Steep learning curve for newcomers
- colonial-era geopolitical struggle
- global 18th–19th century power competition (Britain vs France)
- historical simulation
- Twilight Struggle
- Twilight Imperium
- Pax Premier
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — players vie for global influence and resources across theatres
- area control and economic influence — players vie for global influence and resources across theatres
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- colonialism is the opportunity denied; it is the history that was instead of the history that could have been; it is a dream crushed.
- depiction is not endorsement.
- if you don't show yourself in your work then why are you doing it.
- games are growing they are telling more stories and in turn those stories become more complicated.
References (from this video)
- very satisfying experience
- rich historical theme
- long playtime (~3 hours)
- rules can be heavy and easy to misread
- control of areas and markets across the globe
- global colonial era
- historical simulation
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- two-player euro with area control and resource management — Long, detailed strategic game with historical themes and small rule details.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's simple, it's fast and it looks gorgeous
- one of the biggest surprises of the year
- the most unique and original game of the year
- it's really good
- a big surprise and a great game on all fronts
- game of the year for board game hangover