Friedrich (named after Frederick the Great of Prussia) is an elegant strategy boardgame (wargame) for 3 or 4 players. The version referred to throughout is the Anniversary edition.
Its elegance stems from having a great theme (the 7 years war of 1756-1763), quality playing pieces (including a wonderful board), relatively brief and simple rules but a myriad of tactical and strategic possibilities, and an innovative and exciting combat system.
A masterpiece doesn’t reveal itself or resolve quickly! It is a long game. Reckon on a minimum of 3 hours, up to 5 hours for a close fought game that goes for the maximum number of turns and add an hour to those figures if any of the players are beginners or like to take their time.
The players take the roles of (nations in brackets, in playing order [with their starting & maximum permanent troops allocation]):
- Friedrich (Prussia & Hannover [32 & 12])
- Elisabeth (Russia & Sweden [16 & 4])
- Maria Theresa (Austria & Imperial army [30 & 6])
- Madame Pompadour (France [20])
Friedrich is playing against the other allied players. The allies cannot fight each other but (except in the case of a multiple victory) only one of them can win. Friedrich wins if no allied nation has won before the end of the game, so his objective is merely to survive! An allied player wins if one of her nations has conquered all of its objective cities. The game ends as soon as Russia, Sweden & France have been forced out of the game by historical cards of fate. The first card of fate is drawn at the end of turn 6 and there are 18 cards of fate, giving a maximum of 23 turns. 6 are major cards of fate - two hurt Prussia, two hurt and then eliminate France, and one each eliminate Russia and Sweden. Whichever of Elisabeth or Madame Pompadour lose their nations first inherit the Imperial Army.
Nations have what I would describe as permanent troops & temporary troops. The numbers of permanent troops (which can be reduced by defeats and increased back to the maximum by purchasing new recruits) are recorded on playing sheets. Temporary troops, which once used in a battle are spent, are represented by cards from four packs of cards very similar to playing cards. At the start of each round, nations receive differing allocations of these tactical cards (from 7 for Prussia to 1 each for Sweden & the Imperial army). The board shows a map of mid-18th century central Europe, overlaid by grid rectangles in alternating suits (hearts, clubs, diamonds & spades). The crucial limitation of temporary troops is that they can only be used for a general located in a grid square of the same suit.
From this stems several mathematical and tactical consequences - can you work them out?
Friedrich - disregard minnows Sweden & the Imperial army at your peril! You will only win with Prussian discipline and a chunk of luck similar to that enjoyed by Friedrich in real life.
Elisabeth & Madame Pompadour - beware destruction of your supply trains! Pray for clubs & hearts respectively. As a last resort, hope you inherit the Imperial army on the brink of victory.
Maria Theresa - you have the power, use it!
More Information available from:
BoardGameGeek - http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12891/friedrich
Histogame - http://www.histogame.de/e_friedrich.html
Its elegance stems from having a great theme (the 7 years war of 1756-1763), quality playing pieces (including a wonderful board), relatively brief and simple rules but a myriad of tactical and strategic possibilities, and an innovative and exciting combat system.
A masterpiece doesn’t reveal itself or resolve quickly! It is a long game. Reckon on a minimum of 3 hours, up to 5 hours for a close fought game that goes for the maximum number of turns and add an hour to those figures if any of the players are beginners or like to take their time.
The players take the roles of (nations in brackets, in playing order [with their starting & maximum permanent troops allocation]):
- Friedrich (Prussia & Hannover [32 & 12])
- Elisabeth (Russia & Sweden [16 & 4])
- Maria Theresa (Austria & Imperial army [30 & 6])
- Madame Pompadour (France [20])
Friedrich is playing against the other allied players. The allies cannot fight each other but (except in the case of a multiple victory) only one of them can win. Friedrich wins if no allied nation has won before the end of the game, so his objective is merely to survive! An allied player wins if one of her nations has conquered all of its objective cities. The game ends as soon as Russia, Sweden & France have been forced out of the game by historical cards of fate. The first card of fate is drawn at the end of turn 6 and there are 18 cards of fate, giving a maximum of 23 turns. 6 are major cards of fate - two hurt Prussia, two hurt and then eliminate France, and one each eliminate Russia and Sweden. Whichever of Elisabeth or Madame Pompadour lose their nations first inherit the Imperial Army.
Nations have what I would describe as permanent troops & temporary troops. The numbers of permanent troops (which can be reduced by defeats and increased back to the maximum by purchasing new recruits) are recorded on playing sheets. Temporary troops, which once used in a battle are spent, are represented by cards from four packs of cards very similar to playing cards. At the start of each round, nations receive differing allocations of these tactical cards (from 7 for Prussia to 1 each for Sweden & the Imperial army). The board shows a map of mid-18th century central Europe, overlaid by grid rectangles in alternating suits (hearts, clubs, diamonds & spades). The crucial limitation of temporary troops is that they can only be used for a general located in a grid square of the same suit.
From this stems several mathematical and tactical consequences - can you work them out?
Friedrich - disregard minnows Sweden & the Imperial army at your peril! You will only win with Prussian discipline and a chunk of luck similar to that enjoyed by Friedrich in real life.
Elisabeth & Madame Pompadour - beware destruction of your supply trains! Pray for clubs & hearts respectively. As a last resort, hope you inherit the Imperial army on the brink of victory.
Maria Theresa - you have the power, use it!
More Information available from:
BoardGameGeek - http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12891/friedrich
Histogame - http://www.histogame.de/e_friedrich.html