from the introduction: Statecraft is a Grand Strategy Roleplaying Game designed to simulate international relations during the early modern period, roughly 1500 to 1900 A.D. The game can also be used to simulate earlier periods of history if you wish, although some of the game concepts (like Casus Belli) may not be entirely appropriate for the time. In Statecraft, the players take on the mantle of a ruler from history, called a Sovereign. The Sovereign is represented using a character design similar to those in traditional roleplaying games. Sovereigns will be good at some things and bad at others, just like rulers in real history. The character design is set up in a way that encourages real life behavior, including recklessness and short- sightedness, to create an experience akin to actually commanding nations from history. Statecraft is about having fun, not accumulating wealth and power. The game is designed so that it is often not in your best interest to take the most conservative and safe path. Your reward for taking risks and being ostentatious is Prestige. This is your barometer of success in the game. If you are accumulating large amounts of Prestige, you have probably been contributing to the fun of everyone in the group. There are also opportunities to spend Prestige to accomplish even more amazing things in the game. user comment: Statecraft is designed with play by forum or play by email gaming in mind.