Cruel Necessity (Deluxe Edition): The English Civil Wars 1640-1653

About this board game

Cruel Necessity (Deluxe Edition): The English Civil Wars 1640-1653 is a solitaire game for one player, designed for approximately 60 minutes of play. It simulates the military, political, and religious struggles of the English Civil Wars as you attempt to preserve Parliament and Puritanism.

Four armies are bent on destroying Parliament and Puritanism, and your challenge is about more than simply holding London. You must also suppress the enemies of Puritanism, Parliamentary Government, and English domination.

The conflict extends beyond England. Civil wars are also taking place in Scotland and Ireland, with each region having a varying impact on the game at different times. The title refers to Oliver Cromwell’s purported description of the regicide of King Charles as a “Cruel necessity.”

This Deluxe Edition presents the classic solo game with high-quality physical components. The box, board, and counters are thick and mounted, while the player aids use the largest possible font on quality card stock. Achievement card values have been changed, and errata from the classic VPG edition has been included.

• One full-color rulebook with designer’s notes
• One large mounted game board
• One player aid
• 75 cards
• One sheet of thick, two-sided, multi-shaped game pieces
• One blue Parliamentary six-sided die and one red Royalist six-sided die

With its focused one-player format and layered military, political, and religious setting, Cruel Necessity offers a compact portrayal of a defining period of English history.