Empires in America (pré-joué) (EN)

The games in the L'As des jeux Bazar are pre-played games. They have been inspected by one of our game experts and are certified "Complete." You may find some minor imperfections, such as light wear on the box or on certain game components.

Step back into the winter of 1754, as the French and Indian War sets North America ablaze. In Empires in America, you alone command the besieged colony of New France, pressed on all sides by British troops and their native allies. This solo wargame puts you in charge of the Troupes de la Marine, the Montreal militia and Algonquin warriors, as the net tightens from Halifax all the way to the Ohio Valley.

Built on the States of Siege system, the game turns enemy pressure into a living, linear map: every turn, British forces push toward Quebec, and it is up to you to slow their advance with Historique cards, dice rolls and sharp maneuvering. Historical leaders come to life at your fingertips: Montcalm and Wolfe clash over the fate of the continent, while a young George Washington cuts his teeth on the front lines. Can you stop the siege of Quebec before the Royal Navy sails up the St. Lawrence?

Each game runs about 50 minutes and delivers the kind of constant tension you expect from a true historical wargame: the path to victory is narrow, and a single misjudgment can bring down the colony. The card deck reshuffles the story from one game to the next, delivering surprising replayability in such a compact format.

Empires in America is for you if you are looking for a fast, historically grounded solo challenge, if the idea of defending a besieged territory against overwhelming odds excites you, and if you love games that faithfully recreate a pivotal era of North American history. Wargamers will appreciate the constant tension of a game where every card can decide Quebec's fate.

On BoardGameGeek, this 2016 second edition holds an average rating of 7.5 out of 10 across more than 190 ratings, placing it among the site's top-rated wargames. It combines the original 2009 content with its expansion in a single box, featuring an enlarged two-piece map and reworked counters. Fun historical fact: the future first president of the United States, George Washington, was only 22 years old during his first campaigns in this war, which he would later recall living through with a mix of fear and fascination.

The game is designed by Joseph Miranda, editor-in-chief of Strategy and Tactics magazine and the author of more than a hundred published wargames over his career. Also in the States of Siege series, he designed Zulus and, more recently, Siege of Jerusalem AD70, two solo games that share the same all-or-nothing defensive tension.

As with most wargames of this format, you will also need a few six-sided dice, which you likely already have at home, to resolve combat in the field.

BOX CONTENTS
One 24-page, full-color rulebook
One 17 x 22 in game map in two sections
40 die-cut, two-sided mounted pieces, 5/8 in
12 die-cut, two-sided mounted pieces, 3/4 in
75 Historique cards

Number of players: 1 (solo game)
Playing time: about 50 minutes
Age: 13 and up