By Fire and Sword

About this board game

By Fire and Sword is a two-player historical wargame with an approximately 60-minute play time, recreating the 17th-century wars fought by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The game focuses on the period from 1640 to 1676, when the Commonwealth faced almost constant warfare on all fronts. Its conflicts involved Turkey, Muscovy, Sweden, the Crimean Khanate, and the Cossacks, with several enemies sometimes fought at the same time.

Developed as a comprehensive battle system by the Wargamer Company, By Fire and Sword aims to provide a realistic, playable, and dynamic wargaming experience. It combines the rules needed for battle with historical information and tools for building forces and scenarios.

• Rules for the historical battle system
• Historical background for the forces of all combatants
• Battle group creation rules
• Scenarios for staging different engagements
• A large collection of wargaming figures representing the military formations of the warring parties

The system offers a way to explore the military forces and conflicts of a turbulent period in Eastern European history. Players can build battle groups representing the armies involved and use scenarios to recreate confrontations from the era.

Released in 2009, the game forms the foundation for a broader series focused on the wars and campaigns of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth throughout the 17th century. Planned supplements are dedicated to specific conflicts and campaigns, extending the historical scope of the system beyond its core period.