The Realpolitik Expansion is a standalone game that brings all the great features and mechanics of Coalitions to a lower player count. It’s based on the Austro-Prussian (1866) and Franco-Prussian wars (1871), conflicts that made the unification of German a reality. Players take on the roles of leaders of France, Prussia, Austria and Italy to try to reshape the map of Central Europe to their advantage one more time. The scale of the game may not be as epic as in other expansions or the base Coalitions, but the stakes are high nonetheless! The Realpolitik Expansion is designed for 1-4 players, with a new solo mode and an emphasis on the competitive 2-player mode in which both players control two nations. The Activator system is modified to fit this mode and the overall theme of the expansion is a bit different – let’s just say, we’re not forgetting to take into account the massive impact of mid-19the century railways. Realpolitik also introduces more asymmetry between the nations than in the Coalitions base game, from highly militant Prussia and economically strong France, to newly but not fully united Italy, and multi-ethnic Austria. As with the other standalone expansions, Realpolitik comes with its own set of components, including a new Wheel of War and a new game board. —description from the publisher