English Civil War 1978 Ariel

	English Civil War	1978	Ariel
	First produced	1978	Players	2	Age(s)	14+

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1 x playing board size 24" x 19"
1 x rules booklet
1 x standard dice
2 x combat deployment charts, detachable section of rule book
284 x counters;
- 112 blue Royalist

- 126 red Parliamentary

- 28 orange Scottish

- 18 green markers

The game simulates the conflict between Charles I and Oliver Cromwell's Parliament in the 1640s.

Players follow a timeline to October 1645.
Points are awarded for taking control of towns and determine the outcome of the game. The game is lost if a player has no units, or they are besieged for 2 moves or if no towns are controlled for 2 moves.

If October 1645 is reached, points determine the outcome.

>120 points; Parliament wins decisively. The King is executed.

101 to 120 points; moderate Parliament with constitutional Monarchy.

81 to 100 points; no winner. Puritans are arrested and there is an accommodation between Gentry and King.

61 to 80 points; moderate Royalist victory. Puritans flee the country.

<61 points; decisive Royalist victory. Absolute Monarchy.

Blue Royalist

- Infantry 1(12), 2(12), 5(12), 10(12), 20(5), 50(3)

- 15 trained band

- Cavalry 1(5), 2(5), 5(5), 10(5), 20(2)

- 4 Commanders; King Charles I 25%, Earl of Newcastle 25%, Sir Ralph Hopton 33.3%, Prince Rupert 50%

- 15 blank control markers

Red Parliamentary

- Infantry 1(12), 2(12), 5(12), 10(12), 20(5), 50(3)

- trained band 1(8), 2(8), 5(5)

- Cavalry 1(5) ,2(5), 5(5), 10(5), 20(2)

- 5 Commanders; Earl of Manchester 25%, Sir Thomas Fairfax 33.3%, Earl of Essex 25%, Sir William Waller 33.3%, Oliver Cromwell 50%

- 18 blank control markers

Orange Scottish

- Infantry 1(4), 2(4), 5(2), 10(2), 20(2)

- Cavalry 1(4), 4(2), 5(2)

- 2 Commanders; Earl of Leven 33.3%, Marquis of Montrose 100%

- 2 blank control markers

Green markers

- 5 siege indicators

- 11 town indicators; Oxford, Leicester, Bristol, London, Gloucester, Hull, Newcastle, Plymouth, Lincoln and York(2)

- 2 blank control markers

Considerable friction existed between the Crown and Parliament during this time. Gentry and bourgeoisie demanded greater authority as their status and taxes rose. King Charles argued his divine right to rule. Parliament’s main support was the wealthy and populous south east while the King held the more rural north and west. In early 1642 he left for the North to raise an army. Neither side had great military experience as England had enjoyed civil peace since the Wars of the Roses. The rival armies were founded on poorly trained local militia and professional soldiers who had been in the Thirty Years War in Germany.
This sets the scene for the events that follow where you may be able to change history.