Swords and Bagpipes

About this board game

Swords and Bagpipes is a political strategy game for 2–6 players, with each game taking about 45 minutes.

Set during the First War of Scottish Independence, the game places players in the roles of Scottish clan leaders. England invades Scotland in every round, and victory depends on whether the clans can unite against the advancing army.

Players hire troops and send them into battle before secretly choosing which side to support: England or Scotland. Their Choice tokens are revealed simultaneously, then each side totals its strength, with traitors joining the English army. The stronger side wins the battle.

• Hire troops and commit them to battle.
• Secretly choose between England and Scotland.
• Balance personal wealth against the survival of Scotland.

At the heart of Swords and Bagpipes is the famous Prisoner’s Dilemma. Treachery usually brings more gold, making betrayal tempting even when cooperation is essential. Players must judge their rivals, manage their choices, and decide whether immediate enrichment is worth the danger to the Scottish cause.

Normally, the richest player wins. However, if England conquers Scotland, victory goes instead to the player who has betrayed fewer times. In that desperate outcome, the clans rally around their most loyal leader.

Inspired by the atmosphere of Braveheart, the game combines freedom-loving patriots, corrupt aristocrats, and the ruthless rule of King Edward I, nicknamed the Hammer of the Scotts. Every round brings another struggle between loyalty, profit, and national survival.