Fief: France 1429

About this board game

Fief: France 1429 is a dynastic strategy game for 3–6 players, with games lasting about 240 minutes. Set in the medieval Kingdom of France, it challenges noble families to gain territory, titles, influence, and ultimately control of the realm.

Players command up to four family members, including male and female nobles, who can rise through the ranks by securing Royal and Ecclesiastical Titles. Control every village in a fief to claim titles such as Baron, Earl, or Duke, then use titled lords to participate in elections for the next King. Family members may also enter the Church as Bishops and Cardinals, with the possibility of being elected Pope.

Power grows through negotiation as much as through force. Marriage alliances unite families and can create a shared victory, while diplomacy, treachery, annulments, and the mysterious deaths of spouses can all reshape the political landscape. The first player to reach 3 victory points wins, although an alliance can instead win together with 4 victory points.

• Control fiefs and collect income through taxes and church tithes.
• Improve villages with mills and fortify cities.
• Recruit Men at Arms, Knights, and Siege Engines.
• Risk family members by leading invasions and battles.
• Respond to bounty and disaster events, including good harvests, plague, famine, and peasant uprisings.

When opposing armies meet, their size and strength determine how many Battle Dice they roll. Hits defeat Men at Arms more easily than Knights, making military decisions a careful balance of opportunity and risk.

The 2015 edition of Fief: France 1429 reintroduces the classic French-language game with updated rules, new units, a larger consolidated map, and additional components. It is the most recent edition of a series that began with the original 1981 release.