Guelphs and Ghibellines

About this board game

Guelphs and Ghibellines is a two-player simulation of 13th-century battles, with games lasting approximately 480 minutes. Its original system is designed to be both simple and accurate while focusing on progressive combat fatigue and the loss of formation cohesion on the battlefield.

Cavalry is the queen of the battlefield, but Italian communal infantry—described as the best of its period—can have a decisive impact on the outcome. The game includes cavalry with different levels of armour protection, along with infantry, archers, crossbowmen, palvesari, and the communal Carroccio.

The battles included in the game cover three major confrontations:

• Montaperti, 1260: The Arbia colored in red
• Benevento, 1266: The twilight of the Hohenstaufen
• Campaldino, 1289: The Saturday of St. Barnaba

Each scenario brings the principal protagonists and troop types of its battle to the tabletop. The rules and instructions also provide three alternative setups and one “fast-and-furious” scenario, offering ways to approach the system beyond the three historical battles.

Guelphs and Ghibellines includes two 22-by-34-inch battlefield maps, 160 large 5/8-inch die-cut counters, and 120 1/2-inch die-cut counters. Charts and tables support play, with the boxed presentation collecting the components, standard rules, and scenario instructions in one package.