Arcola: The Battle for Italy, 1796

About this board game

Arcola: The Battle for Italy, 1796 is a two-player strategy game with a playing time of approximately 90 minutes, recreating the critical fighting in northern Italy during November 1796.

Napoleon Bonaparte’s French forces are attempting to protect the southern flank of the French Republic while maintaining the siege of Mantua. Two Austrian forces, led by Marshal Alvinczy and Lieutenant General Davidovitch, threaten to converge near Verona before marching south to raise the siege.

Players maneuver brigades across a colorful map of northern Italy around Verona. The French must use their interior lines to unite scattered and outnumbered troops, while the Austrians seek to defeat French forces and move units off the map to break the siege.

• Players: 2
• Playing time: 90 minutes
• Release year: 1979
• Components: A map, 100 playing pieces, and a rules booklet

During a typical turn, both sides attempt normal and forced marches. Combat occurs when opposing forces move adjacent to one another, with results determined by a die roll on the Combat Results Table.

Important leaders are represented in the game, and their individual attributes are critical to each player’s success. Victory depends on how effectively the French coordinate their defense and how successfully the Austrians can defeat French units and exit forces from the map. With a listed complexity rating of 4 out of 10, Arcola: The Battle for Italy, 1796 presents a focused historical contest of movement, timing, leadership, and battlefield pressure.