Princes of the Renaissance

Get ready to dive headfirst into Renaissance Italy, a turbulent and fascinating period where power, intrigue, and war went hand in hand! In "Princes of the Renaissance," you take on the role of one of the Condottieri family leaders, like the famous Gonzagas or d'Estes, competing to become the dominant force on the peninsula. The game is set between 1470 and 1500, an era when Italy was a mosaic of powerful city-states like Venice, Milan, Florence, Rome, and Naples, each with its own influential characters and secrets.

Your goal is to accumulate Victory Points (VP) by controlling interests in these major cities. Each city has tiles representing iconic historical figures, such as Lucrezia Borgia or Lorenzo de' Medici. Each of these characters grants unique abilities: one helps you become more treacherous, another increases your income. These tiles also award VP at the end of the game, depending on the city's status. And a city's status changes, primarily through war!

When cities go to war, they need Condottieri to fight for them. That's where the action heats up! You'll use your influence points to bid in auctions, deciding who will represent each side in the battle. The outcome of the war depends on a touch of luck with dice rolls and the size of your army, but don't worry, you get paid gold for fighting, regardless of the result. That gold can be reinvested in more city tiles, strengthening your position.

But wait, treachery is part of the game! You can buy "Treachery" tiles to perform sneaky actions like stealing influence or sabotaging auctions. Or you can be subtle: rig a war so the city you want to lose has a terrible army, or use treachery to make your own troops not fight. And when the Pope enters the scene, forming the "Holy League," you might even try to bribe him to ensure he's on your side. The game doesn't force you to negotiate, but the opportunities for bargaining and making deals are plentiful, making each game a complex web of alliances and betrayals. "Princes of the Renaissance" is a rich experience for those who enjoy strategy, negotiation, and good historical drama!