Power & Weakness

About this board game

Power & Weakness is a two-player board game that plays in about 45 minutes, set in 5th-century England, where Saxons and Celts struggle for control of the country.

Each side sends knights and magicians into the provinces to conquer opposing forces. These two forces operate in very different ways, creating two contests that unfold at the same time.

• Military control: Knights rely on their swords and move overland from province to province.
• Magical control: Magicians use secret magical places to appear by surprise in areas their opponents believe are already secured.

The result is a struggle that can surge back and forth across England. Players must decide whether to focus on military control, concentrate on magic, or try to remain equally strong in both fields while seeking power and exposing the opponent’s weakness.

Power & Weakness is played in cycles, with each cycle presenting a slightly different set of rules. The Sword cycle emphasizes one side of the conflict, while the Magic cycle governs the other.

During a cycle, the players take alternate turns until the cycle ends. One player then receives a victory point. The length of a cycle can vary, so the contest develops through an unpredictable sequence of military and magical phases.

After every cycle, the players check whether one side has won. If neither player has achieved victory, the next cycle begins, continuing the fight for control of England. Released in 2007, this focused two-player game centers on the tension between direct military movement and sudden magical intervention.