The Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D.

About this board game

The Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D. is a strategic-level hex-wargame for 2–8 players, with a play time of about 240 minutes. Published in 1978, it presents scenarios for the 1st Crusade and the 3rd Crusade using closely related core mechanics.

Combat takes place within hexes, while sieges play a major role in the struggle. Every order for a turn is written in advance, creating a deliberate style of play and contributing to the game’s substantial length, particularly in the 1st Crusade scenario.

The 1st Crusade scenario is designed for multiplayer play and combines cooperation with competition. Crusader players must work together for the Crusade to succeed while pursuing their own objectives; the same tension applies among the Muslim players. Additional rules introduce diplomatic and economic elements.

• Scenarios covering the 1st Crusade, 1096–1099, and the 3rd Crusade, 1190–1192
• Individual Crusader and Muslim leaders represented as units
• Random events including plague, visions, and treachery
• Armenian and Byzantine intervention
• A map spanning southeastern Asia Minor, the Holy Land, and northern Egypt

The 3rd Crusade scenario is intended for two players, while the 1st Crusade scenario supports a wider multiplayer experience. The map does not include Constantinople or the early part of the 1st Crusade’s route.

With its strategic scale, atmospheric details, written orders, and emphasis on sieges, The Crusades offers one of the few strategic-level game treatments of the Crusades. It was published both as a boxed set by SPI and in Strategy & Tactics magazine #70.