1812

1812 is a simple, card-driven game of the Anglo-American conflict that was fought from 1812 to 1815. It is a two-player game in which one player plays the military forces of the United States, and the other plays the forces of Great Britain. The U.S. player attempts to conquer Canadian territory and to compel Britain to sue for peace, while the British player attempts to do exactly the same against the United States, perhaps with the aid of some Native American allies. The fledgling United States are making a huge gamble. Can they drive the British from Canada and unify North America, or will the Empire strike back and put the upstarts in their place and end their dreams of "manifest destiny"?
Prominent military leaders, army strength points, Native American forces, and political concerns and conditions are all represented. Historically, British and U.S. forces, though sorely mismatched in terms of professionalism and leadership, fought each other to a stalemate. This game allows players not only to explore what conditions contributed to this outcome, but also whether the either might have been able to achieve a decisive victory that would have changed the shape of the North American continent.

Played on an authentic early-19th-century map of the United States and Canada, 1812 includes both introductory and standard rules. Based on the rules system of the popular introductory game We The People, it is ideal for introducing youngsters and new players to the hobby, yet substantial enough to attract the veteran gamer. Complexity is low for the Basic Rules to moderate for the Standard Rules (about 2/10 to 3.5/10 respectively).