Description

In 1871, the Treaty of Versailles was signed between France and the newly established German Empire, badly shaking the balance of power which had kept Europe relatively stable since Napoleon’s defeat in 1815. France longed for revenge against Germany. So did Austria-Hungary; yet the weakening Ottoman Empire seemed a much easier target for recovering the honour which she had so recently lost to the ascendant Germans. But Russia, too, longed to see the subject peoples of the Balkans take refuge under her own wings; and every attempt by a European power to spread her influence into the Sick Man of Europe was watched with grave concern by all. Russia, with its huge army, was also being closely monitored by Britain in central Asia, where the latter wondered what schemes this eastern giant might have planned. Had Russia intentions towards Britain’s treasure of India? And was this new German Empire friend or foe? Would she attempt the herculean task of building a large navy to rival Britain’s? Ultimately, Germany would abandon the less expansionist and more diplomatic realpolitik of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, and chose instead to follow the path of Bernhard von Bülow’s weltpolitik, a policy intended to establish the national honour of the German Empire across the globe. As von Bülow said a quarter-century later, “We wish to throw no one into the shade, but we demand our own place in the sun.” This struggle for a place in the sun would ultimately lead to the catastrophe of World War One, drawing all five powers into its maelstrom and destroying three of them in the process.

Weltpolitik portrays the rising tensions and dwindling war-fuse which burned among the European powers from 1871 until the time of the First World War. However, a world war is not necessarily your objective. Your goal is simple: outrank your rivals in national honour with or without the Great War breaking out. To do so, you must spread your influence into the four areas over which the European powers were quarreling during this time: the declining Ottoman Empire, central Asia, the Far East, and Africa. You must also build sizeable armies and navies in the event that war does break out. If you are leading in national honour, then this might be the right opportunity for you to initiate the catastrophic conflagration. But if your ambitious schemes isolate you diplomatically, you just might find yourself friendless when war begins, and subsequently witness the collapse of your empire. Perhaps you should play the honest broker, and try to prevent the Great War. Have you the wisdom of a Bismarck, or the incompetence of a Kaiser Wilhelm II?

Weltpolitik is a card-driven game inspired by the award-winning two-player game Twilight Struggle, but playable with up to five players. Given the radically different settings of the two games, you will find familiar mechanics considerably transformed, as well as some completely new ones. Naturally, the events portrayed on the cards are very different: the German Fleet Acts, the Boer War, the Boxer Rebellion, the founding of the Indian National Congress and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand are all here, as well as many, many more. Players can even form alliances and host European Congresses to both lessen tensions and deal with matters they’d very much like to avoid.

Weltpolitik can be played in a variety of ways. Given that new players will have no familiarity with the cards, each Decade can be played as a One-Decade mini-game simply to learn about the cards available for that Decade (for novices, such a game might take a little more than an hour). Once players are comfortable with the cards for the first two Decades, they may want to try a two-Decade game consisting of Decades One and Two; and when Decade Three is mastered, a three Decade game, and so on. With experienced players of Weltpolitik, a full five-Decade campaign game can be anticipated to last from potentially three to three and a half hours. The five Decade game will last much longer for players who don’t know the cards! Alternatively, players may play a multi-Decade game beginning in a Decade other than Decade One; and there are two shorter one-region scenarios available as well.