Disclosure: Meeple Mountain received a free copy of this product in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. This review is not intended to be an endorsement. Nor was it because of the opportunity to explore an entry-level war game for two. I was excited by the opportunity to burn Vienna to the ground. This was the second attempted siege of the city by Turkish forces in years. One cannot help but feel that the world would be better off had they succeeded.
While in reality the siege lasted for months and culminated in the Battle of Vienna, when swarms of Polish and Imperial troops joined the Viennese to rout the invaders, the game compresses things down a bit.
There is no culminating battle, regardless of the outcome. The Viennese troops start in a promising position. Their batteries of cannons look out over the entirety of the board, and they only have to hold off the Turks for five rounds. The Ottomans start out at the bottom of the board, their comparatively paltry cannons during their best.
They win by taking control of particular locations within the city. Turns are straightforward to execute. Both sides can Mine, which removes enemy fortifications, and Fortify, which adds them.
The Habsburgs can Barrage, which thins out the Ottoman troops, and Sortie, which triggers combat. Each player has a troop deck, made up of troops with strengths between one and three.
