Men Of Iron, Infidel, Blood and Roses

The first three games in the Series: Men of Iron (GMT): Men of Iron, Infidel, and Blood & Roses, plus the Battle of Agincourt from C3i #22.

The game that started it all, Men of Iron, covers the re-emergence of infantry in the early 14th century, along with a more perceptive understanding of the value of combined-arms warfare and the effective use of defensive terrain. The scenarios highlight the key elements that made these battles so fascinating: the defensive power of the longbow, especially when used in coordination with dismounted, or even mounted, men-at-arms. Agincourt covers Henry V’s famous victory during the Hundred Years War.

The second volume in the Men of Iron series, Infidel, focuses on the major battles of the early Crusades era between Christians and the Muslims. This is a period that saw cavalry reign supreme and pitted the European mounted, armored men-at-arms - which relied on furious and direct charges with sword and lance - against the Eastern European/Turkish light cavalry tactics - focusing on the efficiency of its mounted archers.

Blood & Roses focuses on the battles of the Wars of the Roses in England, between 1455 and 1487. This was warfare in which most men were truly "of iron", heavily and totally armored to such a point that their mobility was suspect. It also featured the introduction of gunpowder – mostly field artillery – in noticeable numbers. And while many English men-at-arms were mounted, they did so almost entirely for transport. Most fighting was on foot … and it was quite vicious.

There will be a series rulebook, with a few rules still applying only to a specific game, and the games will have all errata applied to their battle book. The color setups a la Blood & Roses and Arquebus: Men of Iron Volume IV – The Battles for Northern Italy 1495-1544 will show up in all battle books. Men of Iron will see some battle changes, a few of which will involve new/changed counters.

The series is designed for quick learning and easy play. Game rules are short, there are no turns - play is continual, with opportunities to steal play from your opponent - and combat resolution is a single dieroll. Playing time is about 1-to-3 hours per battle.