
- BGG rank
- BGG #17,685
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Champs de bataille: Soissons 486 et Poitiers 732
- 2 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 1996

1997
Rules assistance for Les Croisades
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Les Croisades is a board game released in 1997 for 2 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Nicolas Stratigos and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid.
Vae Victis issue 17. This game presents two scenarios set during the "heyday" of the Crusades: Saladin's reconquests and the Third Crusade. The scale is at one turn equals one month, one hexagon is about fifty kilometers, and counters represent about 4-800 men. This is roughly the same system used in "Belisarius" (issue 5), and rules are provided for siege warfare, naval transport and combat, and "strategem chits" such as "Assassination," "Treason," and "Reconnaissance." Army lists and counters are also provided for Crusaders and Ayyubid Egyptians for use in "Champs de Bataille." As with all Vae Victis games, the counters need to be cut out and mounted. The rules are entirely in French, although translations are available online.
Les Croisades supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Les Croisades is 90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Les Croisades for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Les Croisades has a complexity rating of 2.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Les Croisades belongs to these categories: Wargame and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Les Croisades are: Nicolas Stratigos. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Les Croisades as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.