Sa Battalla

About this board game

Sa Battalla is a two-player historical battle game about the Battle of Sanluri, fought in Sardinia on June 30, 1409. Players take the roles of the commanders-in-chief of the opposing armies led by William III of Narbonne, Judge of Arborea, and Martin the Younger, king of Sicily and Sardinia.

After centuries of struggle for control of the island, these forces meet in a battle that would arguably decide Sardinia’s destiny. Each army is organized into several battaglie, and every battaglia is made up of multiple units. Players must choose and issue specific orders to their battaglie as the confrontation develops.

The game system focuses on the gradual deterioration of battaglia efficiency during the battle. It seeks to represent the entropy of the battlefield and its consequences for the chain of command and for each side’s “victory perception.” As conditions change, commanders must contend with the effects of a battle that becomes progressively less orderly and effective.

• Two-player command of opposing armies
• Battaglie composed of individual units
• Specific orders issued to battlefield formations
• Progressive deterioration of battaglia efficiency
• Effects on the chain of command and victory perception

Sa Battalla uses the same game system as Guelphs and Ghibellines, published by Europa Simulazioni. The game includes rules for historical, alternative, and “free” scenarios, allowing the Battle of Sanluri system to be played beyond a single prescribed version of events.