- BGG rank
- BGG #17,128
- BGG rating
- 6.3
The Campaigns of King David: The Biblical Struggle for the Near East
2007
Rules assistance for The Campaigns of King David: The Biblical Struggle for the Near East
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 180–360 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Campaigns of King David: The Biblical Struggle for the Near East
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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Campaigns of King David: The Biblical Struggle for the Near East is a board game released in 2007 for 2–5 players and 180–360 minutes per game. It was designed by Robert G. Markham and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Simulation.
About the game
The Campaigns of King David cover the 35 years struggle for supremacy of the fertile crescent during the Old Testament reign of Judah's King David. Using a unique system that incorporates economics, diplomacy and military operations, players maneuver combat units and leaders over a full color map of the Near East and have a limited number of turns to determine victory! With 15 Action Phase Chits to choose from, each turn is unique as players deal with the twists and turns of fate - ensuring no two games are ever the same. Players must husband their resources to maintain their field armies, build and re-equip units, fortify cities and wage war through leaders who command chariots, phalanxes and militia. Two to five players attempt to achieve their victory conditions (control of cities). The game is 7 turns, each with 5 separate sections. Four of the sections play very quickly (Initiative Determination, Diplomacy, Drawing Phase Chits, and determining if victory conditions have been met. The fifth section, Phases, has 12 Actions. Each Action consists of one specific type, movement/combat, obtaining resources, obtaining food, army maintenance and building, etc. The 12 Actions are chosen randomly with the first six shown face up, allowing the players to know the order. The remaining six are displayed face down, providing some uncertainty as to the next Action to occur. As there are 15 Action chits from which to choose, players never know exactly what will occur the second half of the Phase sections. Players must husband their resources and food to maintain their field armies, build and re-equip units, improve fortified cities, and wage battle. Play is balanced, with each nation's victory conditions tailored to its historical situation. Game duration ranges from 3 hours for a two-player game up to 5-6 hours for a five-player game. Will Judeah expand its territory under the direction of a great king? Or will it collapse beneath the might of Philistia, Aramea and Egypt? Condemned to the drifting sands of obscurity? You decide... Components: Rules booklet; One 22" x 34" full color, period-style maps; 500 5/8" counters, on three sheets; Cardstock charts &Player aids; Dice necessary for game play Game play is 3 to 6 hours; For 2 to 5 players. (from Clash of Arms website and user's description)
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Clash of Arms Games
Questions and answers
The Campaigns of King David: The Biblical Struggle for the Near East supports 2–5 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 The Campaigns of King David: The Biblical Struggle for the Near East is 180–360 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 Campaigns of King David: The Biblical Struggle for the Near East has a complexity rating of 3.2 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.
The Campaigns of King David: The Biblical Struggle for the Near East belongs to these categories: Wargame and Ancient. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Simulation. 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 The Campaigns of King David: The Biblical Struggle for the Near East are: Robert G. Markham. 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 The Campaigns of King David: The Biblical Struggle for the Near East 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.