Historically, Albrecht von Wallenstein, duke of Friedland and Mecklenburg, was one of the most important mercenary commanders of the Imperial army during the Thirty Years' War (1618-48). His overweening ambition was to head a large central European empire, which got him dismissed in 1630. Such was his power, however, that the empire was forced to reinstate him when Sweden came into the fray. He recovered Bohemia, but was defeated by Gustavus Adolphus at Lützen, and was again dismissed. His subsequent intrigues with Protestant forces alarmed the Catholic princes who were probably complicit in his assassination in 1634 by Irish mercenaries at Eger, Bohemia.
The game begins with the start of the war, each player controlling several countries. Player actions include the conquest of new countries, tax collection, erection of buildings (i.e. development of the economy), feeding the populace, victualing the army, etc. Some actions increase the chance for unrest, and expensive rebellions can occur. The strongest power at the end wins.
Employs the cube tower included in the publisher's previous game, Im Zeichen des Kreuzes.
Re-implemented by:
Shogun
Wallenstein (Second Edition)
- classic design with robust map and strategic depth
- famously works well at five
- can be intimidating to new players
- older components may feel dated
- territory control and troop deployment
- Thirty Years' War era, Central Europe
- tactical, map-work with territorial expansion
- Coliseum
- Wallenstein (itself)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — choose actions each round to develop territories and armies
- Cube tower — physical tower for resolving combat and sequences
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- five is perfect because you've got that bluffing negotiation.
- This is a sandbox game. One of my favorite games.
- The clacking of dice on the table. It's pretty neat.
References (from this video)
- ambitious, room-filling design with dynamic timing shifts
- cinematic feel and scope that make every session tense and memorable
- large-format production and presence in the box
- high complexity and potentially brutal early swings
- very large footprint may deter some players
- war, conquest, resource management
- Thirty Years' War era in central Europe
- cinematic, large-scale strategic warfare with shifting fortunes
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action_programming — sequencing or planning actions in advance to drive troop movements and economy
- area_control — control of regions on a map to gain resources and scoring opportunities
- resource_management — taxing regions and managing food and money to sustain actions and troops
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this is going to be one of the coolest examples of a programming game that you will see out there
- Wallenstein has become one of my favorite games of all time
- it's beyond genius
- Tower Up is fantastic
- it's pure system
- this is one of the most overlooked games from the Oink brand
References (from this video)
- Clever programming and combat resolution using cubes
- Tight, tense negotiation and area-control gameplay
- Distinctive and memorable theme integration
- Complex rules and heavy to teach
- Can run very long with multiple players
- area control with administrative cabling and warfare
- Holy Roman Empire-era political and military conflict
- war/empire-building with strategic deployment
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Control provinces to generate points and resources.
- area control via regional influence — Control provinces to generate points and resources.
- multi-layered action economy — Strategic decision making with layered choices and potential for delayed gratification.
- programmable combat and resource management — Plan and execute battles using a cube/tower-like resolution and track management.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I love the sense of urgency when it comes to rushing to these islands and getting them populated as quickly as you can.
- This game is the absolute best of the best. You know, the top 1% of the top 1% of the games that I've played.
- I could not speak more highly of this design.
- The dice-driven twist, the engine-building, the tension—this is why I play board games.
References (from this video)
- rich strategic depth
- clever card action economy
- chaotic at times; high time investment
- empire-building with historical flavor
- medieval wars and territorial control
- granular and strategic military-economic tension
- Gloomhaven (for scale)
- Ticket to Ride
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — control regions to score points and gain cards
- Card-driven actions — cards dictate when and where you can act on the board
- tile-placement/building — place buildings to extend influence and scoring reach
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this game is poo
- it does as i said just take that edge off the randomness
- one of the best card games i've ever played
- it's almost like a eurofied Ticket to Ride
- the ambition of this game is absolutely mind-blowing
- a game that rewards repeated plays
- the board is always flux and alive
References (from this video)
- Longstanding favorite
- Deep and rewarding strategy
- El Grande
- Marrakesh
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players build estates to generate income and influence territory.
- Area control / economic engine — Players build estates to generate income and influence territory.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- these are all like nines or 10 out of ten for me
- I'm going to stand up now because I'm in a very uncomfortable position but um yeah you can see that I have cut down on the heavier style games
- museum is fine I think it's a gorgeous looking game probably one of the most attractive games I have actually
- you can lie about what's in your bag the last one there which is where I keep all of my sleeves
- I have a nice library that I can always pick and choose from
References (from this video)
- Very tight economy of action and space
- Satisfying empire-building feel
- Rule complexity can be intimidating
- empire expansion and resource management
- Thirty Years' War era
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — players vie for influence across territories with overlapping political dynamics.
- tile placement — tiles represent resources and fortifications shaping regional power.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm trying to only keep the games that I really love because of course I have so many games coming through on the channel.
- Theme isn't really important to me. It's all about the mechanisms.
- I do share a collection with my brother.
- Beige euros.