The Great Turkish War: The Balkans 1683-1699 2023

The Great Turkish War: the Balkans, 1683-1699 is a low- to intermediate-complexity, two-player, strategic-level wargame simulating the fight for the Balkans and the Eastern reaches of the Holy Roman Empire in the late 17th century. In 1683, the Ottomans launched their last major offensive on Vienna. The siege failed thanks to the timely arrival of reinforcements from Poland and the Empire. During the next decades the Holy Roman Empire, Russia, Poland, and Venice engaged the still-powerful Ottomans in the Balkans and in the Aegean. Better leadership and military advances allowed the Austrians to inflict several decisive defeats on the Ottomans and conquer most of Ottoman Hungary. For the first time in centuries, the Turks were in strategic retreat in Europe.

Each game turn represents 1 year. Each hex on the map is approximately 60 km (36 miles) from side to side. Each combat unit represents 3,000 to 6,000 combatants depending on unit type.

—description from the publisher

Published November 2023 in S&T magazine #344 (Jan-Feb 2024)

Note: Players will need to provide two six-sided die to play.