Our Royal Bones: The Battle of the Bouvines (2015)

Our Royal Bones recreates the 1214 Battle of the Bouvines using the simple and playable Shields & Swords system. France's King Phillip II Augustus was up against a coalition of German, English, Flemish, and more. Phillip nimbly avoided battle until he could find ideal ground for his cavalry. The result was a humiliating defeat for the coalition that led to the overthrow of Otto IV, and the signing of the Magna Carta by John of England.

This battle isn't just important historically, but makes for an exciting gaming situation. The French have a weak left flank that must be protected at all costs to avoid automatic defeat. The Coalition's center wing has a clear superiority in Infantry, both in terms of quantity and quality, that might just prove decisive.

There are plenty of tactical decisions to be made, and one crucial strategic one: when the French Player declares initiative for the first time, it brings his powerful cavalry reserve-- and that of his opponent-- into play. Do it too soon and the German horse might help turn that vital flank. Wait too long, and they won't turn the tide. Timely deployment is key, and the "right" timing is highly contextual, based on what the players did before and what they do after-- resulting in an engaging and replayable game.

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