Inferno: Guelphs and Ghibellines Vie for Tuscany, 1259-1261

About this board game

Inferno: Guelphs and Ghibellines Vie for Tuscany, 1259-1261 is a two-player historical wargame of 13th-century Tuscan warfare, with games lasting about 360 minutes. Released in 2023, it is the third volume in Volko Ruhnke’s Levy & Campaign Series.

Set during the escalating struggle between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, the game brings the rival comuni of Firenze and Siena to the center of a conflict that spread across Tuscany and beyond. Pisa, Lucca, Lombardia, and Umbria were drawn into the struggle, while political exiles, local rebellions, and reprisals continually reshaped the contest.

Firenze’s Guelphs and Ghibelline Siena eventually faced one another at Montaperti in September 1260, where the Florentine army suffered a bloody defeat. In Inferno, the wider conflict continues as exiles return to Firenze and its Guelphs rally to Lucca and Arezzo.

Built on an accessible medieval-operational system, the game emphasizes the distinctive challenges of campaigning in a turbulent region. Gathering transport and provender may be manageable, but rebel towns and castles can suddenly obstruct important roads. The armies also reflect the character of the age, including Tuscany’s unruly berrovieri horsemen, famed elite crossbowmen, and distinctive palvesari shield bearers.

• One 17×22-inch mounted map
• 175 wooden pieces and 106 playing cards
• Three full-color countersheets and 15 Lord and Battle mats
• Rules and background booklets, player aids, screens, and six six-sided dice

With its factional politics, regional alliances, rebellious strongholds, and memorable forces, Inferno presents a richly focused battle for Tuscany during one of medieval Italy’s most violent struggles.