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Risorgimento 1859: the Second Italian War of Independence
2000
Rules assistance for Risorgimento 1859: the Second Italian War of Independence
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 240 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.3/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Risorgimento 1859: the Second Italian War of Independence
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Risorgimento 1859: the Second Italian War of Independence is a board game released in 2000 for 1–4 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Richard H. Berg and Peter Perla and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Point to Point Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
Risorgimento 1859, the Second Italian War of Independence, covers the second such war, the first, in 1848, having resulted in heavy defeats at the hands of the Austrian/Hapsburg armies. But the 1859 war was different. The Piedmontese, the Italian province pressing the issue, had gotten Napoleon III and the French Army to help them. Garibaldi and his partisans were most effective in creating havoc. And the Austrians were woefully weak in high command ability and unit morale. Risorgimento 1859 is a big game, yet easy to play. The battle games are very enjoyable with lots of maneuver and combat. The Campaign game uses a point-to-point map system. The focus is on coordination and concentration, the ability to guard avenues of approach, and the capability of units to engage in combat. Battles and Campaigns Players fight the two major battles of the campaign, Magenta and Solferino (one of the largest battles in European history). The rules are relatively short and very accessible, as the battle system is designed for ease of play. For example, combat units do not have any numerical Strength! However, they do differ in Morale. Magenta A wild battle fought in the vineyards, where no one could see anything. Reinforcements coming from all corners of the map, as the French have to cross a major river to take the important rail center. Solferino The Austrians and the French literally stumble into each other in teh difficult and hilly country south of the Lombardian lakes. The battle that followed, pitting 4 French corps against 7 Austrian corps, was one of the most brutal in modern history. So brutal that it led directly to the founding of the Red Cross. The French, having started first, get to attack an Austrian-held position that takes advantage of every hill and valley. The Campaign Play out the entire Campaign and see if you can avoid the mistakes the Austrians made. This version uses a point-to-point system and some very unusual mechanics to model one of the first military campaigns that used railroads. TIME SCALE: 1 hour per turn MAP SCALE: 325 yards per hex UNIT SCALE: Battalion & Regimental (battle); Division & Corps (campaign) NUMBER OF PLAYERS: One to four DESIGNERS Richard Berg (Battle game) and Peter Perla (Campaign game) DEVELOPERS David Fox, John Alsen, and Richard Berg ART DIRECTOR Rodger B. MacGowan MAP ART Mark Simonitch COUNTER ART Mark Simonitch and Rodger B. MacGowan (source: GMT website)
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- GMT Games
Questions and answers
Risorgimento 1859: the Second Italian War of Independence supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Risorgimento 1859: the Second Italian War of Independence is 240 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 Risorgimento 1859: the Second Italian War of Independence 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.
Risorgimento 1859: the Second Italian War of Independence has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Risorgimento 1859: the Second Italian War of Independence belongs to these categories: Wargame and Post-Napoleonic. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Point to Point Movement, and 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 Risorgimento 1859: the Second Italian War of Independence are: Richard H. Berg and Peter Perla. 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 Risorgimento 1859: the Second Italian War of Independence 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.