Toussaint L’Ouverture and the slave insurrections in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), the richest trading colony in the new world, shocked and terrified Western Nations. Not since Spartacus had slave rebellions succeeded on such a grand scale. However, this story cannot be confined to a single leader like Toussaint. It is far more complicated, riddled with intrigue and rife with defections. There is no shortage of villains, and heroes are often conflicted. On the surface, the topic is obscure but the ramifications for this conflict were incredibly far-reaching.
Black Eagles is a card assisted, multi-player, area movement cube game that covers the period 1792-1804. Black Eagles is broken into four distinct scenarios: the "Rights of Man," or the introduction of republican ideals to the island; "Imperial Designs," or the invasion of English and Spanish forces; "Civil War," internal conflict between the Mulattos and the rebel leaders; and finally "Leclerc Invades," featuring Napoleon's attempt to restore slavery to the island.
Black Eagles allows one (yes, there is a solitaire version) to four players to command one of five historical rebel leaders, Toussaint L'Ouverture included, as well as Napoleon's veteran general Charles Victoire Emmanuel Leclerc. Those not commanded by players become factions available for alliance, along with the Gros Blancs, the Petits Blancs, the Spanish, the French, and the English, each provides the controlling player with a special ability. Alliances are fluid, as is the allegiance of the very units under your command. The more of the island's economy a player controls the more havoc he can cause with the funds he collects. On the other hand, the player who carries the least influence automatically controls the Petits Blancs and no matter how weak a player is, he can always attack a stronger player's economic base.
Black Eagles is no longer in its infancy. Play testing has proven it to be well worthwhile. Scenario play ranges from 90 minutes to four hours. Components include a 22" by 34" map, 45 card events that affect play in various turn phases --cards also provide resolution for the devastating Yellow Fever. THe game will include Player aids, hundreds of 6mm colored cubes (factional combat units), and several sheets of miscellaneous markers.
Napoleonic, Wargame
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