Bretwalda – published from PHALANX and designed by Leo Soloviey – is a dynamic area-control game featuring distinctive miniatures and richly thematic components (I simply love the production quality!). Players lead one of the four asymmetric kingdoms, striving for dominance by securing key territories, fulfilling secret objectives, and constructing special buildings. Success depends on balancing taxation, development, diplomacy, and military strength as you raise armies and lead them into battle.
The game unfolds over a maximum of 12 seasons, with each season allowing only two of four possible actions – making every choice matter and planning key element of the game. The question is whether to focus on strengthening the economy, knowledge, and alliances, or acting swiftly by raising an army to seize territory and wealth from the outset.
I already had chance to play this title twice and enjoyed it. Thus I decided to create series of materials about all parts of Bretwalda which will help you to familiarize to the full extent with that title and its expansions. I am presenting them below with short description what the particular video covers.
I hope you will find them useful and enjoy this beautiful game!
We begin with an overview of the base game – key components like map, special developments, player aids, units; then we talk about basic game rules, sequence of play and of course – victory conditions. All of this with proper historical background & context.
Next, we will talk about first and – from my perspective – best expansion to Bretwalda. Danelag is an expansion for the Bretwalda base game, taking it to 5 players. The fifth player takes charge of the Viking raiders and a new Danish kingdom established on the shores of England. They are mobile, brutal and play completely differently than Anglo-Saxons.
Here we talk about second expansion – Vanished Kingdoms which bringing new life to neutral units and expanding the game to include more historical kingdoms. The expansion adds four minor neutral kingdoms (Kent, Alt Clut, Dumnonia, and Gwynedd) with their own units, capitals, and automa cards governing their actions.
Last and smallest expansion – which you probably should use always – is Artefacts. As the name stipulates, it introduces 20 unique Artefact cards and their matching markers, inspired by Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse myths. Each Artefact grants the controlling Ruler special abilities or bonuses, dramatically shifting the balance of power on the board
The above set will give you solid overview of Bretwalda and what you can expect from it. Also, I hope I sparked a bit of interest in you guys to try this title!
The Boardgames Chronicle 