The Anarchy

England, late 1135. King Henry I dies suddenly, without a male heir. Who should rule now? His daughter Matilda believes the throne is hers by right, but his nephew Stephen is quicker and has himself crowned king. Not everyone accepts that. For eighteen years chaos breaks loose, with looting, sieges and civil war. This turbulent period became known as The Anarchy. In this game you are an English nobleman loyal to King Stephen. Over five rounds you build up your estate, defend your castle against the advancing armies and storm enemy strongholds with your own siege engines. Gather courage, loyalty, influence and power, but make sure discontent among your people does not rise too high. Whoever convinces the king the most is rewarded with his largest county. The Anarchy is full of actions that connect to one another and combinations that keep pushing you further. You puzzle, plan and build your way to victory. Prefer to play on your own? Then you can dive into the campaign of no fewer than twenty chapters, with its own cards and rules. Do you already know the game Hadrian's Wall? Then this will feel familiar, but bigger and with more depth.