Thirty Years War: Europe in Agony is a strategic game of this convoluted, yet important military conflict. The game covers the entire war dealing with the key events and people of this very destructive conflict. This is a card driven game where each turn players(one controlling the Catholic forces, the other the Protestant ones) use their strategy cards to execute moves, trigger events, recruit forces, and seek out foreign sources of payment for their armies. The campaign game lasts fourteen turns, although there are shorter scenarios for those pressed for time. Victory is calculated by controlling the various regions of the Holy Roman Empire as well as the independent cities that dotted the area. Victory can come either automatically by reaching a certain level of victory points at the end of the turn or is calculated after turn fourteen.
Playing Time: This is quite long with the campaign game and can last up to six hours, although with two experienced players I have completed it in about four. The campaign scenarios are much shorter(the longest scenario is only five turns) and can be played in about two hours.
Map: The map covers the key area of the fighting from Denmark in the north to the Tyrol and northern Austria in the south and from Eastern France in the east to Silesia and Hungary in the west. The map uses point to point movement with independent cities having a distinct color and fortresses having a distinct shape. The map also contains the turn record chart, loot table, CRT, and general information tracks.
Counters: The counters are very colorful and represent all the major fighting forces of the time from mercenary and militia units of the Protestant and main Catholic armies (Austria and Bavaria) to the armies of Sweden, France, Spain, and Denmark to name a few of the involved states. The counters contain combat and movement factors as well as a loss number. Information markers run the gamut from pillage to siege to control markers. There also individual leader counters as well.
Rules: As mentioned, this is a card driven game (CDG). Each turn players will use their cards to activate leaders, recruit new forces, trigger events, and find foreign aid with which to pay their troops. The whole deck on cards is broken down into the early war, intervention, and apocalypse eras. Activated leaders can conquer cities which can lead to territory control which leads to victory points being added (Catholic) or subtracted (Protestant). Battles are resolved in spaces and can lead to Pyrrhic victories due to leader loss. Each leader has a loss number and if that number or larger is rolled during leader losses, bye-bye leader
Each turn begins with the Wallenstein Phase in which the Catholic player must keep a careful eye on this powerful general and decide what to do with him, followed by pillage recovery and then the dealing of cards. The actions phases follow in which cards are played and then there is the pay and loot segment. Finally, there is the end phase regarding sieges and peasant revolts and then a new turn begins. Things I like about the game:
● Leader loss. This is such a momentum changer (I have managed to get the Cardinal Infante or Gustavus Adolphus killed EVERY time I have played!!!!!!
) Nothing like executing a brilliant move only to have it turn to ashes in your mouth as your leader disappears into the mist, never to return. 
● Too many choices, not enough action phases. Just like real life so, like the Rolling Stones said, “You can’t always get what you want!”
● The historical feel. The rules reflect well the time period and the unique features that made the Thirty Years War.
● Flows nicely with two experience players.
Things that can be annoying!
● Too many removable events! This is especially true in the early war phase. This leaves the players with few cards and it takes either Catholic victory points or a certain turn to arrive before the next set of cards are mixed into the deck. This can be dangerous since allowing the Catholics a big lead can cripple the Protestants.
● Too many Protestant leaders need a three value card to activate them. If you lose some of the good Protestant leaders early, you may find yourself treading water.
● As someone else mentioned before, no campaign cards of any kind! This is tough, especially with regards to the previous item regarding leaders.
● Card stock. Makes them hard to shuffle and a good shuffle of cards is vital to good game play.
● The unique rules regarding each state. This can be annoying, but it does fit the history nicely.
● The map spaces should have been a little bit larger. The first time you lay siege to a city with enemy troops inside, you’ll know what I mean.
Overall Evaluation:
= I’d rather staple my tongue to the wall for a month! 
= wargamer heaven Map=
The map is very nicely done. Lots of info without being too busy. Bigger spaces would have been nice.Counters=
Very colorful. Easy to identify units.Rules=
Some of the rules are tricky and the amount of removable events in the beginning can be annoying. However, be sure to get the living rules since these have some critical changes that make the game a lot smoother when playing. That being said, I do not think the rules are the disaster that others make them out to be.Playing Time=
First rating for the campaign game, second is for the three shorter scenarios.Deployment of Forces=
This will take some time, but it is not outrageous.Overall=
I truly believe this is an underrated game. Yes, the rules do have some problems, but the time and effort required to make adjustments and find the updated rules is well worth the effort in the end. The game plays well, is very tense, and is great fun! The leader loss rule will have you treating your hair out, but it is great fun just the same. I STRONGLY recommend reading C.V. Wedgwood’s book on the war first: having an understanding of the major players and elements involved in the war will make the rules easier to understand. Wedgwood’s book is very readable and will go a long way to enhancing your enjoyment of the game.
Posted Sat Sep 1, 2007 12:07 am
