GMT: Clash of Sovereigns (English)

December 1740: The young King Frederick II leads the rising Prussian army in a surprising invasion of Austrian Silesia. He hopes for an easy conquest of the wealthy province at a time when the Austrian empire seems vulnerable after the death of Charles VI, King of Austria and Holy Roman Emperor. But despite internal resistance to the 'Pragmatic Sanction', which allowed a woman to inherit the throne, Austria's new queen, Maria Theresa, is not intimidated either by Frederick or by France's plans to place a Bavarian puppet candidate on the throne of the Holy Roman Empire, or by Spain's designs on Austria's possessions in Italy. Amid these conflicting dynastic ambitions, Frederick's local territorial coup proves only to be the opening act in a great European war that none of the major powers had anticipated - but which all wished to take advantage of. It would eventually stretch over eight years and half the globe.

Clash of Sovereigns (COS), GMT's card-driven game for 2-4 players about the Austrian Succession War, has been nine years in the making. It is a loose, faster game, a streamlined "nephew" of the highly respected Clash of Monarchs (COM).

FEATURES A 12-hour campaign game and three shorter scenarios covering 2-3 years each, which can be completed in as little as three hours! 2-4 players. The French, Prussian/Spanish ("Pr/Span"), Austrian, and British/Piedmontese ("Br/Pied") each have their separate decks divided into early, mid, and late war periods. A half dozen minor powers add their own blood and diplomatic twists to the table - and can sometimes completely reshape it by switching sides. Leaders are rated based on initiative, offensive and defensive adjustments, and actions. Distinct national tactics and troop quality factors are 'captured' by army battle ratings (which evolve over time) as well as event and combat tactic cards. A simple yet significant naval sub-game simulates naval operations in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, including the annual Bourbon treasure fleet's risky return journey. Colonial conflicts in Canada and India are simulated by event cards. Design-for-Effect economic factors are "built-in" to the event and reinforcement cards and can therefore be resolved in only a fraction of the time required by COM's more complex economic model. Bourbon (French, Spanish, Prussian) and Pragmatic (Austrian, British) alliances clash across Central Europe from Paris to Konigsberg and Naples to London. Each year is divided into five 'seasons' (late winter, spring, summer, autumn, and early winter). The game moves quickly as major campaigns are limited to summer and autumn, and each power typically activates only 1-3 forces per season. Certain event cards allow limited campaigning also in winter and early winter. Each card has a campaign point (CP) value that can be used to activate leaders and the armies they command to perform administrative marches and to conduct raids with irregular Croatian/hussar troops (only for the Austrian player). Each leader has an activation point (AP) rating that allows him to move, fight battles, and conduct sieges. This system produces historically valid outcomes and a rich narrative while keeping the game at a fast pace.

COS features asymmetric armies with distinct national characteristics and abilities that have banded together in alliances that often fight with conflicting goals. Both Bourbons and Pragmatists will benefit from - or suffer under - interactions between the various nations in their respective alliances.

The French player controls the largest and best-led army on the continent, but is limited by his restricted logistical reach, King Louis XV's eccentricities and illnesses, court intrigues, and periodic pressure from his Spanish allies. The French will welcome the powerful Prussian army of the Pr/Span player launching itself into the Austrian heart in the early/mid-game, but will rue the Spanish demands for cooperation and campaigns in Italy - the only place where the Spaniards can hope to achieve the victory points necessary for victory.

The Pr/Span player is both blessed and cursed. In Prussia, he has a powerful army, Frederick's excellent generalship, and clear objectives. But the politically naive Frederick can be "played" to neutrality - or out of the war entirely - by the cunning Austrian diplomacy. Spain itself has an excellent but undersized army that relies so much on French support that the French decide when Spanish forces will be activated, allowing the Pr/Span player to campaign with them! To win, the Pr/Span player must either achieve a decisive Prussian victory (rare) or both Prussia and Spain must achieve lesser levels of victory. Thus, Prussia's "brothers" from 1740-1745 can become a great nuisance in 1745-1748!

The Pragmatic allies must survive the early war storms from 1740-1742, gain a foothold, and somehow secure a base to push their powerful French and Prussian enemies back. They are equal to the task. The Austrian army has solid leaders and its unique Croatian/hussar troops that ravaged enemy supply lines throughout the war, leaving French and Prussian commanders confused and their armies hungry. Maria Theresa's army can defeat the French and Prussians - if it is well-funded to achieve maximum strength. For this, the Austrian player must rely on the goodwill and enormous economic resources of the Br/Pied player.

The Br/Pied player has the most subtle, difficult - and crucial - role in the game. He has a high-quality British/allied army, but it is small, led by indifferent leaders, and can generally only be reinforced by low-quality Dutch troops, as Austria will have its hands full fighting elsewhere. Yet this mediocre, multilingual army is often the main protector of the VP-rich Austrian Netherlands against the mighty French Marshal De Saxe! The British player must also selflessly support his allies by playing support (reinforcement) cards that are crucial for Austria's survival and ability to launch counterattacks in the mid and late war periods. But the British player has a strong navy and can, if he (literally) plays his cards right, use it to cut off France from its overseas resources and starve it of reinforcements in the critical late war years.

The British player also controls the Kingdom of Piedmont and can only win the game if it also achieves some form of victory. Piedmont is centrally located in northern Italy and lies on the route to the VP-rich areas of Naples and southern France and is itself the key region where the Pr/Span player can harvest VPs. The Austrians can achieve little in Italy without help from Piedmont, and vice versa - even though they both covet the same victory objectives! So if the Austrian player wants all these support cards played, he may need to help Piedmont achieve its VP goals, send more Austrian troops to defend the Netherlands, and share late war opportunities to seize VP areas along the Franco-German border with the British.

COS's replay value is high because the diversity of warring and operational forces ensures that the game will never play the same way twice. Vienna may fall to the Prussians or the French; Paris and Naples may see Austrian white uniforms on their streets; and London may be attacked by Bonnie Prince Charlie - or invaded by French troops. Will the French get Bavarian Charles VII on the throne of the Holy Roman Empire? Will Marshal Traun and the Austrian Croats take it back? Will Louis XV and George II clash in Flanders? And will anyone be able to stop De Saxe? - Find out!