A Long Confinement 2025

'The people of Massilia were worn out by all their misfortunes. They had been reduced to a catastrophic lack of food supplies, defeated in two naval battles, routed in frequent sorties, and even afflicted by a terrible epidemic caused by their long confinement and change of diet' Caesar, Civil War, book 2, 10.22.1 (translated by Kurt A. Raaflaub)

A Long Confinement is a postcard game about the siege of Massilia in 49 B.C. The design is intended to demonstrate the Roman Republic practice of siegecraft (land blockade, construction of siege ramps) alongside with certain features that make the siege of Massilia noteworthy (unusual siege works, Gallic allied tribe of Albicii helping out besieged Massilians). At the same time, it is meant to be an accessible and relatively fast playing game.

The postcard game uses multiple six sided dice (in three different colours), a single, reduced deck of regular playing cards (Aces and 2's to 6's of all suits = 24 cards total). Dice are used to represent troops on the map, cards are used to pay for actions and resolve combat.

The game can be played by one player - who controls the besiegers, the Caesarian army - or by two players, when the second player controls the besieged Massilian defenders. The goal is to force the city to capitulate before Julius Caesar comes back from Spain (after his victory in Ilerda campaign) - in short, to do as well as the historical commander or better. Any other result besmirches the good name of Julius Caesar and his military reputation.

—description from the publisher