
- BGG rank
- BGG #17,175
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Nagashino 1575 & Shizugatake 1583
- 2 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2022

2014
Rules assistance for Par le Feu, le Fer et la Foi
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Par le Feu, le Fer et la Foi is a board game released in 2014 for 2 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Philippe Hardy and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Variable Set-up.
Par le Feu, le Fer et la Foi (By Shot, Shock and Faith) is a Grand-Tactical level board-wargame which, for the first time, allows the simulation of five battles of the Late Renaissance era : SAINT-DENIS (November 10th, 1567) JARNAC (March 13th, 1569) LA ROCHE L'ABEILLE (June 25th, 1569) COUTRAS (October 20th, 1587) ARQUES (September 21st, 1589) Par le Feu, le Fer et la Foi (By Shot, Shock and Faith) allows the simulation of Religious Wars that occurred in France from 1562 to 1598. This civil war opposes, in a first conflict phase, Protestants - otherwise known as Huguenots - to Catholics, then Royalists to League members after the accession of Henri IV to the throne in 1589. The art of war during this period of the Renaissance is rapidly changing. The great feudal landlords, steeped in morals, fight alongside mercenaries motivated by sole cupidity. The diversity of the weapons that are used offers great tactical possibilities, based on impact and fire. Gendarmes, cuirassiers, reiters, harquebusiers, lansquenets and Swiss mercenaries confront each other in a merciless fight. This is a classic wargame system ; « I go, You go », of average complexity, including, during the active player's phase, a sequence of reaction from the passive player, such as fire, counter-charge or tactical backstep. The maps are whith areas from 300 to 500 meters by side. A color code allows to easily determine the costs of movements and the line of sight. The scale of the game is one unit for 100 to 500 soldiers or one or two guns. One game turn represents a duration of 20 to 30 minutes. A corps represents either a vanguard or a rearguard, or the main body called battle. The combats allow to simulate charges « in wall », the merciless shocks between pikemen, the artillery fire and highlight, by a support system, the combination of iron -shock- and fire -shooting. The optional rules - caracoles, orders, lost children, looting - add even more realism to the era's battles. The rules and the five battles offered are based on a thorough bibliography and researches made into books written by (non???) contemporary authors, specifically François de la Noue for the Protestants and Blaise de Montluc for the Catholics, and also on precise topographical plans of each battlefield that is still accessible, except for Saint-Denis... Are you ready to put on the Prince of Condé's, the admiral of Coligny's, the constable of Montmorency's, Anne de Joyeuse's or Henri of Navarre's armours and to fight your enemies «By Shot, Shock and Faith» ? P3F, the new HEXASIM opus offers you this option with an innovating and elegant wargame. Components three A2 maps (597x420 mm) (two printed out on both sides, one on one side only) 540 die-cut counters of 15mm (2 sheets in A4 size, 1 in A5 size) A rules booklet printed in full-color (16 pages) An examples booklet printed in full-color (16 pages) Play aids 2 dice (source: Hexasim website)
Par le Feu, le Fer et la Foi 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 Par le Feu, le Fer et la Foi is 120 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 Par le Feu, le Fer et la Foi for ages 14 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.
Par le Feu, le Fer et la Foi 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.
Par le Feu, le Fer et la Foi belongs to these categories: Wargame, Renaissance, and Pike and Shot. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Variable Set-up. 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 Par le Feu, le Fer et la Foi are: Philippe Hardy. 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 Par le Feu, le Fer et la Foi 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.