Proch i Stal 2011

"Proch i Stal" (Gunpowder and Steel) is a cooperative board game based on events that took place in 1771-1772 in and around a benedictine monastery located near Cracow (Tyniec). A group of confederates (rebelling against Russian influence in Poland) gained control of the monastery and turned it into fortress. Attacked both by Russian armies they managed to hold Tyniec and to organize numerous attacks on nearby areas. Probably the most amazing of those is conquest of Wawel castle (confederates managed to enter it via old sewer tunnel and took its Russian garrison by surprise).

In the game players take on the roles of officers of confederate forces. Their task is to hold the fortress for specified number of turns (based on difficulty level). They need to organize food for soldiers, support the garrison of Wawel castle, try to keep decent morale among the confederates and most of all prevent casualties among their units. If at any point during the game Tyniec will be left without units to defend it the fortress falls and players loose. Cooperation, planing and a bit of luck is what it takes to win the game.

Player's turn consist of two things. First you draw an event card that will have two effects - one it will control the movement of the Russian forces (reinforcements, advance or press attack on Wawel), second will be actual positive or negative event (that often will give a players choice whether to accept consequences like loosing units, food, morale or discard action cards as a group). Next the player will have a chance to act by playing action card - actions include organizing reinforcement for Wawel, bringing food to the fortress, fighting with Russian units etc. After 4 players turns an upkeep phase occurs - food is needed for soldiers, moral is checked and Russians forces strom the Tyniec.