The Fall of the King

I had a chance to test it on Tabletop Simulator, linked in kickstarter campaign. The game immediately showed itself as a quick and smart version of a classic wargame. The Ventura is a system with few rules that avoids the spasmodic search for tables, during playtime, and summarizes in a few rolls and a limited number of statistics, reported on the cards of the units. All the necessary information is therefore quickly accessible, facilitating the "pure play" and allowing you to conduct the game quickly and easily.

The first scenario introduces the rules in an excellent way, but without giving up the challenge. Also beautiful are the illustrations in the mediaeval miniaturism style.

Certainly a great way to introduce players to wargaming, but not only. It is a great product in itself with a good degree of challenge and strategy. The setting is the political and social contest between Guelphs and Ghibellines, but the system lends itself to be freely adapted by players who want to engage in home-made scenarios.

maybe good for miniatures

Probably the most unknown game in my collection.

Is a pity, because this is a beautiful game, a perfect example of hidden gem.

I think The Fall of the King is a worthy successor to the much loved classic, Cry Havoc. The colour and design are evocative of the period being represented which adds to the overall immersion in the game.

Whilst essentially a board game, it translates easily to playing on the tabletop with miniatures. I’ve run The Fall of the King three times using the free downloadable draft PDF with my Norman miniatures as proxies. There’s a welcome synergy between the mechanisms rather than just being components bolted together with lists of arms and armour. I found the rules colourful, fun, yet challenging, with what felt to me to be the right balance of complexity and speed of play.

The scope of the game is limited by it’s chosen sandbox but it works better for that, whilst being easily adaptable to encompass other factions or periods of Medieval & Dark Age history. I love the fact The Fall of the King is not anglo-centric and the protagonists Instead represent the Condottieri and their minions of the Communes and burgeoning City States of Northern Italy in 1249.

It’s no lie that I’ve been inspired by The Fall of the King. It’s reinvigorated my medieval gaming. Here is a medieval game that makes you believe that it’s 1249, you are a great Condottieri and your men await your command.....