The Anarchy

They filled the whole land with castles [...] when the castles were built they filled them with devils and wicked men. [...] When the wretched people had no more to give, they plundered and burnt all the villages [...] the land was ruined by such doings; and men said openly that Christ and his saints slept. -The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Two players take on the role of King Stephen and Empress Matilda in a capricious and prolonged struggle for the rule of 12th century England. Players control a shifting set of loyal Leaders – Knights and Bishops – who act on behalf of the Ruler to increase their Authority over the kingdom of England. The game progresses through Years, Phases and Turns. Years are broken into 3 Phases: 2 of alternating card selection and play (Turns) and 1 of reset. Playing cards allows Leaders and Special Agents to perform actions, such as exploit, battle, and siege. Leaders can be captured and forced to switch sides, impacting a Ruler’s overall Authority. Additionally, Popular Support (compared annually for lower exploitation and fewer casualties, or for imprisoning an opponent’s Ruler) awards Authority. A player wins the game in one of two ways: immediately (through accumulating a 20 Authority advantage) or at endgame (by earning a higher composite score based on Authority, Castles, and wealth).