Condottiere Condottiere is a trick taking card and board game by designed by Dominique Ehrhard (Serenissima and many more); the object of the game is to seize an amount of connected provinces on the board through battles (4 for a 2-3 player game, 3 for a 4-6 player game). At the beginning of every turn players are dealt a hand of cards, the initiating player, or Condottiere, chooses the province over which everyone fights, players must play their cards one at a time player by player, each of the cards are either numbered, or have a special effect. The player with the highest total when such a battle is concluded wins the province. One of the great challenges of the game is due to the fact that the cards a player is dealt each turn must be used to ‘fight’ through many battles. The winner of the battle becomes the new Condottiere and gets to choose the next province that is fought over. When only one player has cards left the turn ends and a new hand is dealt. It is always a challenge deciding whether to try and beat an opponent outright – if it is a battle for an important province – or whether to try and whittle down the cards they are holding and draw out their best without giving away too much of your own hand so you can take provinces easier later on. Condottiere claims to be a game for 2-6 players – although it is by far better when played by 3-5. It is a quick game that offers brilliant game play, sure to impress anyone who enjoys high quality card games; it has been compared to poker and stands up well to such comparisons. The aesthetics of the game are quite pleasing, the cards are long and large, the board is beautifully stylised and mounted on nice thick cardboard, as well as this the card and box art is gorgeous and provoke the theme of the Condottiere commanders of old well. This would have to be one of a few games both designed and illustrated by the same person; Ehrhard displays his skills as an artist and designer well in this great game. Condottiere comes with a deck of large, long cards, a map of Renaissance Italy, a Condottiere marker and six coloured lots of round wooden ownership tokens as well as a clear, colour rule- book. Condottiere is a regular in my gaming group, it is quick, intelligent, and offers a good balance between light enjoyment and tactically rewarding play, this, added to the fact that most games are resolved in around half an hour to forty five minutes makes it a great game to play between heavier sittings.

Condottiere is my favorite boardgame for good reason. It captures the feel of Machiavellian Italy. It is a strategy game with a bit of chance thrown in. What makes it particularly interesting is that it is a completely different experience depending on the number of players. If you have only played a two player game, you havent really played the game at all. With two players, the game is mostly luck with little strategy. But add in a third or more players and the games subtlety shines. The more players, the more Machiavellian it becomes. Players must manage their cards as well as maintaining the balance with other players. You cant allow any one player to get too far ahead... or behind. You have to know when you can afford to play your cards. Play too many and you will not be able to defend your provinces from attack. Play too few and you may end up not being able to play them at all that hand. Use your scarecrows to return army cards into your hand to make your opponent think you arent really interested, then play the same army card again. One of the neatest features is that the player that controls the province being attacked can chose not to participate in the early part of the battle by waiting to see how things develop. However, they risk having an opponent play a 'Surrender' card and loosing the province to the largest force with no chance to defend it. Or they may allow the other players to run out numerous army cards then play the 'Peace' card and send everyones committed armies to the discard pile. And now for the truly brilliant part. A three player game is different than a four player game, which is different than a five player game, which is different than a six player game. The mechanics stay the same, but the strategy changes. You can manipulate the other players into attacking provinces that have no strategic interest for them because they cant allow another player to take it. You can pit player A against B this round only to force them to work together the next. The weaker players will naturally band together to thwart the stronger until one of them becomes a threat. Truly Machiavellian.

Condottiere is rapidly becoming one of my favorite games. I've played it three times now, all were four player games, the the variety and tension produced by the game are great. The competition is high, but conflict is somewhat indirect, so it should have a wide appeal. The map is lovely and the cards and counters are excellent. Some people have complained about the tall cards, but our group has no problem shuffling them and we line they way they look. I highly recommend this game.