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The Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D.
1978
Rules assistance for The Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D.
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–8 players
- 240 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D.
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D. is a board game released in 1978 for 2–8 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Richard H. Berg and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
A strategic level hex-wargame treatment of the 1st and 3rd Crusades, 1096-1099 and 1190-1192 respectively. The rules for each Crusade share the same basic mechanics however the 3rd Crusade scenario is designed as a two-player only game, while the 1st Crusade scenario is intended for multi-player play, and has additional rules covering diplomatic and economic elements. Distinguishing features: Combat occurs within hexes. Sieges play a significant part in the game. The 1st Crusade scenario creates a co-operative yet competitive game in that the crusader players must co-operate for the Crusade to succeed yet still need to pursue their own objectives (the same applies to the Muslim players). Lots of atmospheric 'chrome', individual Crusader and Muslim leader are present as units, random events (plague, visions, treachery etc), Armenian and Byzantine intervention. All orders for a turn are pre-written - makes for a long game (particularly the 1st Crusade scenario). The map covers South-East Asia minor down through the Holy Land and Northern Egypt. Constantinople and the early part of the rout of the 1st Crusade is therefore not covered. One of the few strategic level treatments of the Crusades. GMT have subsequently published 'Onward Christian Soldiers' (also by R.Berg); Columbia have published 'Crusader Rex', and Multi-man publishing have published Kingdom of Heaven. This was published as both a boxed set by SPI and in their Strategy & Tactics magazine #70.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.)
Questions and answers
The Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D. supports 2–8 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 Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D. 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 The Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D. 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.
The Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D. has a complexity rating of 2.9 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.
The Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D. belongs to these categories: Wargame and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid 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 The Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D. are: Richard H. Berg. 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 Crusades: Western Invasions of the Holy Land 1097-1191 A.D. 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.