Khartoum: Sudan, 1883 to 1885

About this board game

Khartoum: Sudan, 1883 to 1885 is a two-player board game with an approximately 120-minute play time, set during the Mahdist rebellion in Sudan. One player commands the Mahdist forces, while the other controls the Anglo-Egyptian forces attempting to relieve Khartoum.

In 1883, the rebellion swept across the Sudan, destroying an Egyptian army under the British General Hicks and placing Khartoum on the Nile in danger. The British government sent General Charles “Chinese” Gordon to hold the city, creating the central crisis portrayed in the game.

The Mahdist player leads forces ranging from tribal levies to well-armed regulars, seeking to take Khartoum. Opposing them, the Anglo-Egyptian player directs British regulars, Egyptian army units, and mercenaries, with the objective of relieving the forces under Gordon who are trying to hold the city.

• Mahdist forces: Capture Khartoum using tribal levies and well-armed regulars.
• Anglo-Egyptian forces: Use British regulars, Egyptian army units, and mercenaries to relieve Khartoum.
• Card play: Each player has cards that provide additional units and special actions.

Using the rules of the Hand of Destiny series, the game places important choices in each player’s hands. Careful use of the cards can provide fresh forces or enable special actions at key moments, making the timing of those cards an important part of the contest.

Khartoum offers a focused historical conflict for exactly two players. Released in 2019, it brings the struggle for the Nile city, Gordon’s defense, and the opposing relief effort together in a compact game of military forces, objectives, and card-driven decisions.