Battles for Prydain: Heroic Combat in Dark Age Britain 450-650 AD

Battles for Prydain has captured my gaming attention more than I expected. It has an appealing mix of familiarity, novelty, and playability, and that mix keeps pulling me to try the next scenario. The familiar, in part, comes from a traditional hex-and-counter base and a focus on unit asymmetry. The novelty, in part, comes from committing to game play where echoes of heroism ring out, much like those that made their way into period battle poems, which form a sizeable chunk of the game's source material. The playability, in part, comes from many design flourishes that limit where the game injects complexity. There is very little stacking. Overall unit count is low. The game's phases are quickly internalized. Further, while the different unit types contribute the majority of the game's complexity, each unit type is shaped such that its role on the battlefield is quickly apparent.

The game's focus on heroism--heroic combat, heroic units, heroes that are generated during play--is one of its strongest assets. The ever-present chance of leader death and the rewards of heroic combat (e.g., hero generation and straight up elimination of units that fail a defense roll) make for many dramatic moments within a session and pull the players to make risky moves. And, as evidenced by the design notes and scenario notes, the game is intentionally trying to evoke these themes of emergent heroism: we know of someone's presence at a battle because their actions caused their names to be written. Indeed, the specific location of the battle might be lost, but the names of some combatants still remain. For the argument the game is intending to make about the dark ages of Britain, it succeeds.

The game's commitment to its intended experience does create some trade-offs. The game play is not high in tension. Instead, the game is focused on creating dramatic moments. The in-game tactics aren't particularly deep. Instead, each battle presents mild puzzles to how a battle may be approached and replays are where different approaches can be explored. Once armies are fully engaged, the battle often becomes a shield wall scrum. But even when weathering the scrum, the punctuation added by the hero generation and other dice-based outcomes keeps the game engaging. The scenarios are a bit loose in how players are incentivized to act. But the game plays best when approached with less than total competitiveness. Notably, many of these trade-offs are made clear by the design and scenario notes. In fact, I've enjoyed reading this game's material more than many other wargames.

The quality of the materials rose above any of my expectations. The graphic design is smart and, in combination with the laser cut counters, make for an attractive table presence. If there's anything to quibble with it is that the counters are a touch too large for the hexes and can make manipulation a bit more difficult. At the risk of repetition, I'll say again that the design notes and the scenario notes are very good and help elevate the product. I've played it solo and opposed, and while I enjoy the solo experience more, I was impressed at how pacey the opposed play was (e.g., 90 minutes to teach and play the second scenario). Overall, Battles for Prydain has impressed me and I look forward to playing it further.

San Joaquin Valley Press #WG

Great-looking game which the designer says was initially inspired by the classic SPI PRESTAGS system but then incorporated more depth. A decimating "sudden death" combat phase, called heroic combat, fuels the action. Clear rules and an interesting scenario book, both of which are posted as files on this entry. --Note that I would call the weight level 2.5, but the system allows only whole numbers.

[center][b][u]Battles for Prydain[/u]

Snuggling in the Shieldwall[/b][/center]

To be added...

[b]Initial impressions:[/b]

• Production quality is very high
• Laser-cut counters are a pain to clean
• Laser-cut counters, once cleaned, are a pleasure to handle
• Overall clear counter-design, although the shaken backside could have been made more prominent for better clarity
• Clean rulebook for the most part...
• ...except a somewhat confusing sequencing in heroic combat
• Good content in terms of quantity with 11 different battles/variations (quality has to be proven over time)
• Good and enthusiastic designer support
• Very good historical and designer notes
• Interesting interplay between open formation and early versions of the shieldwall in a playable fashion
• Refreshing concept of field battle (e.g. the gradual push-and-shove combat enforced through shieldwall doctrine) and heroic combat (e.g. decisive hand-to-hand melee)
• Clever panic point mechanism encourages and rewards venturesome play
• Initimate scale with small engagements and focus on quality of units/heroes/leaders
• Short playing-time and free setup encourages multiple plays of each scenario
• System design seems to offer adaptability to later periods, such as the age of Alfred the Great

[b]Scenario Notes:[/b] b Aylesford 455:[/b] Interesting first scenario with two very different armies that highlight the dominance of cavalry in combination with a strong shieldwall. Furious brawl in the ford has a motivating narrative. Good introduction to the system.

bBadon c. 516:[/b] Race against the clock for the Anglo-Saxons. When the British mounted relief force charges into combat, the game is pretty much over. The British bait force can put up a strong defensive position on the ridge, but can easily be overwhelmed by repeated concentrated attacks by the barbarian units. As always, the course of action can swing dramatically with a few courageous heroic combats, which is highly motivating and makes even a catastrophic beginning worthwile to explore. The force composition is roughly similar to Aylesford, albeit larger in scope and with the added twists of the relief force. Interesting situation for the Anglo-Saxons to resolve.

bCamlaan c. 537 v1:[/b] The first big highlight in the game. Lots of units, two long shieldwalls facing down each other, and a ford through which Arthur and his men have to struggle in order to put down the numerically slightly inferior rebellion led by Medraut. When the rebel wall finally breaks all hell breaks loose in the ford and on the banks. Epic!

bCamlaan c. 537 v2:[/b] First scenario that basically takes place on open ground with no terrain to fight over. Even more numbers than version 1, and a lot more space to manoeuvre on. Separate break levels for the Coalition forces turns this into the most tactical scenario so far. Arthur can either attempt to fight on all fronts, or focus on defeating the Saxons first to put Medraut into an awkward position.

Loving this. It's evocative of the age and seems a plausible model for Dark Age heroic combat, to the degree we understand it. Tweezer(y) in a pleasant way, and particularly fun as a solo game, with each turn offering a new or an evolving tactical puzzle. Nice subtleties baked in to spear unit dispositions as you weigh the danger of giving up your wall of spears formation in favor or going over the an unformed charge. Cavalry punishes you for using it improperly. Named leaders and the chance of heroes emerging from close combat add spice. There will be a lot of flipping through the rules for your first game or two but once it sinks in it plays quick. Plus the game looks great and is an obvious labor of love.