Purgatorio: Men of Iron Volume VI

About this board game

Purgatorio: Men of Iron Volume VI is a two-player historical wargame playable in approximately 240 minutes, covering seven battles from Italy’s medieval conflicts between supporters of the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire.

Known as Guelphs and Ghibellines, these rival factions were divided by the Investiture Controversy and by competing loyalties among Italian cities and their inhabitants. Across more than a century, battles repeatedly shifted the balance of power between monarchs, emperors, popes, and city states.

The game begins in 1176, as Frederick Barbarossa confronts the Lombard League at Legnano while attempting to regain control of rebelling provinces in northern Italy. It then moves through the 13th century, including conflicts that marked the end of direct Hohenstaufen rule in Italy.

• Legnano (1176): Frederick Barbarossa against the Lombard League.
• Cortenuova (1237): Frederick II clashes with the second Lombard League.
• Montaperti (1260): Florence and Siena fight one of medieval Italy’s bloodiest battles.
• Benevento (1266) and Tagliacozzo (1268): decisive southern Italian battles involving Manfred, Charles I, and Conradin III.
• Campaldino (1289): Florence and Arezzo meet, with Dante Alighieri among the participants.
• Zappolino (1325): Modena and Bologna wage war after a long feud of raids and reprisals.

From imperial campaigns to rival city states and the legendary dispute associated with a stolen bucket, Purgatorio presents a varied journey through medieval Italian warfare. The game uses 9/16-inch counters and is designed for 1–2 players.