In the wake of a great storm, in May 1798, Bonaparte leaves France, heading for Egypt. By August 1801, the remnants of his exhausted army surrender to the British. Face his challenge and re-write history.
Luck, luck, luck! Bonaparte was lucky to reach Egypt without being intercepted by Nelson, lucky to not catch the plague when visiting the French hospital in Jaffa, lucky to get back to France without being caught by the British: or was it all skill? This game examines the influence of luck and skill on the timing of events during Bonaparte’s adventures in the East.
Bonaparte started off lucky; a storm blew strong Mistral winds from the 12th May to 19th May 1798, delaying his departure. However, luckily, the very same winds drove Nelson and the British blockading squadrons from their stations, allowing him to slip away unnoticed.
In Bonaparte's Eastern Empire you take the role of either the French, who must sail their fleets to Egypt and fight to conquer the Egyptian lands, or the Allies, who must prevent the French incursion by expelling or destroying them.
The Limits of Glory series examines the effect of 'skill and luck' on the commanders present in a campaign. A Glory rating is attributed to all the significant participants in the campaign, made up from the skill they exhibited and the luck from which they benefited. Players must make difficult decisions as to when to use their commanders Glory to mitigate the situation on the board to their advantage by attempting to change unfavourable events as the campaign unfolds.
—description from the designer