1999 · Medieval

Justinian

A strategic wargame set in the early 6th century, during the Byzantine attempt to reconquer the former Western Roman Empire. One player manages the Byzantine Empire, while the other directs the Barbarian factions; the game also supports solitaire play. The Byzantine player collects taxes from controlled provinces and spends the income to raise and maintain armies. Both sides alternate actions to recruit forces, move armies, and conquer territory. Byzantine orders are predictable, while Barbarian reinforcements and movements are affected by dice rolls. Battles use dice and combat tables, with naval actions, mutinies, revolts, removed generals, and plagues adding further uncertainty. The game lasts up to ten turns or until a second plague occurs. The Byzantine player wins by controlling a required majority of the empire, or by completing the reconquest earlier.

groupPlayers

2

schedulePlaying time

240 min

cakeAge

12+

psychologyComplexity

2.5 / 5