Iliad: The Siege of Troy

Iliad: The Siege of Troy is a 1978 wargame published by Conflict Games.

Gameplay

Iliad: The Siege of Troy is a game in which the Trojan War is simulated with a focus on heroic battles, following the style of Homer's epic. ^[1]

• Hero-Based Combat: Over 50 heroes, each with attack, defense, movement, and saving throw stats.
• Map and Setting: Represents the plains of Troy and its topless towers.
• Hero Arrival: Each side starts with three core heroes (e.g., Achilles, Paris, Aeneas) and gains more through playing cards.
• Greek Camp and Achilles: Greeks arrive by ship, forming a camp. Achilles remains there until triggered by events like Patroclus' death.
• Paris and Aphrodite: Paris can be healed but must be forced back into battle by a major Trojan hero.
• Combat Mechanics: Involves retreats and wounds, with limited actions per turn.
• Divine Intervention: Each side has four gods to appeal to. Sacrifice Points enhance combat, saving throws, and hero engagement.
• God Cards: Players draw a god card each turn, which can alter battles unless blocked by an opposing god.
• Victory Conditions: Players must earn 10 Victory Points (VPs) and hold them for four turns to win.

Reception

Charles H. Vasey reviewed Iliad: The Siege of Troy in Perfidious Albion #39 (May 1979) and stated that "Apart from the uninspired graphics on the counters I felt this was a most enjoyable game. It's much more than a simple biff-biff battle. Player interaction is considerable and the system contains all sorts of neat tricks. The super-buff might wish to increase the number of special rules - and I think he would find this comparitively easy to do so. A nice, evocative, understated game. I noted that Steve List appears to consider it a beer and pretzels game - poppycock my dear sir, the loss of armies has increased the simulation aspect." ^[1]

Reviews

• The Complete Book of Wargames

References

1. Vasey, Charles H. (May 1979). "Iliad (The Siege of Troy)". Perfidious Albion . No. 39. p. 4.