S&T's renaissance continues.  This issue features articles on the 100
Years War by Joe Miranda, Custer and Little Bighorn by David Nicholas
(What is it with this campaign?  An article on the same campaign appears
in the latest Command), the battle of Valmy by George Nafziger and
future trends of the US military by Consim's own Tim Kutta, along with
the usual departments including errata for 30 Years War.

As has been noted previously, 100 Years War (100YW) uses a similar
design to Miranda's 30 Years War. (Third game in this system is to be
Byzantium)  Differences include: only 2 Major Powers (England and
France) -- hence no balance of power dimension; multiplication of
Treasury Points by a Leader's Political Skill (park a decent leader in a high
resource area to bring in the Tps); fleets cost less (being more
impressed merchants than warships); arty is more powerful vs.
fortresses; no "free cities --- forts belong to the province...this game
plays quicker than its predecessor...and is less a grappling between
states like a wrestling match and is more a match-up of two different
systems for waging war.   Like 30YW, this game is eminently playable
solitaire.

Three scenarios: Campaign game; Crecy campaign; Agincourt campaign.
Minor noticable errata has previously been noted in the counters....John
of Gount (nee Gaunt); DuGuesdin (nee DuGuesclin, Jean (Jean de Arc/
Joan of Arc);  Note the Falstof counter is correct (Sir John Falstof was
used as the model for Shakespeare's Falstaff).

Each turn is 1 year.  Map shows France, England, and adjoining regions,
subdivided into areas.  English areas: red; French areas: blue;
Independent areas: yellow.  Units while differientiated by type are
exchangable like money, though counter mix is the limit on type/number.
You get Chivalry (heavy cav); Militia ("cannon fodder); Light cav; Long
Bow; Pikemen; Crossbow; Fleets; Bombards; Great Leaders; and
Marshals (the latter two have numbers denoting military skill / political
skill; other units have just strength number).

Basically, play sequence sees each side collecting Treasury Pts
equalling the Resource Value of the provinces they fully occupy or a
portion of the RV if sharing occupation); expending Tps to purchase
Diplomacy Pts (DIPs); negotiating truces, treaties (if wished); "attacking"
by expending DIPs to influence Independents or espionage.  Then the
"first" player rolls for Hist. Events; applies their results, maintains / builds
his units using Tps; conducts Operations (move, besiege, recon, fight,
pillage) by expending Op Pts (roll d6 + military skill of a leader in force =
Op Pts); followed by the "second" player (noted in the scenario.)  At turn
end, roll for recovery of pillaged areas and move the year marker.

Victory is determined a la 30YW by comparing player endgame VPs ( RV
value of occupied areas + 10 pts if occupy Paris or London) with initial
Rvs (adding up the RV of areas at start).  Ratio of VP:initial RV is
compared: Defeat/Marginal V; National V; Continental V.  The player with
highest level of victory wins.  Both can win.

I like this system as it is simple and plays well.  Other details: Units not
maintained roll for "mutiny." Historical events really can impact play
(add/delete Leader, students riot, conspiracy, peasant uprising, disease,
Black Plague, corruption, nationalism, Independent entry/exit, political
crises, troops demand more pay, and my favorite: papal intervention).

In combat, one determines tac superiority (who goes first -- roll d6 +
military skill of leader --- highest total wins), then conduct rounds; certain
units are active in certain rounds, roll d6 and compare to Battle Chart on
map to see if it hits; then pursuit/retreat.  Hit unit loses 1 strength point.
Victory is determined a la 30YW -- enemy loses 1/3 of starting strength.

The most interesting rule which sets this game apart is an optional one:
Feudal Array/Parliament which shows the evolution from feudal to
centralized national state as simply as possible.  A Feudal state (ie
France at start) can roll for "free" units (from loyal retainers); A
Centralized state (ie England) can roll for extra Tps (get them from
Parliament).  France can move from Feudal to Centralized by expending 3
Tps per area w/ friendly units (yowsa, that's expensive).

In my campaign game thus far, the English have rolled up northern
France, even with the French resolutely trying to avoid (a calamitous --
given their poor leaders) battle.

Doug Murphy