Anyhow, we're working on a playtest Vassal module and will soon have files available for anybody who wants to assemble a physical playtest module; let me know if you're interested!

Very curious about this game.

Medieval liege structures remained virgin in gaming circles until this time.

When I was a kid, I was mad about Lords of Midnight.

Looking forward to this game (and to the series in general).

Any particular reason this subject is the first game in what will be a series?

Bernie, I'll have to ask Volko - but I know he has a general interest in the history of that part of the world.

Mustafa, thanks for your interest! That's one of the things that interested Volko - the political structure, so different from the modern age of nation-states.

Any particular reason this subject is the first game in what will be a series?

Hi Bernie, thanks for asking!

Each of the first four volumes of Levy&Campaign that I intend is set somewhere on the periphery of Medieval Europe, because these frontiers offer the most interesting cultural asymmetries to explore that affected military operations.

Here on the Baltic frontier, for example, we get to see not just the general feudal system in action but the organization attributes of a crusading order of warrior monks pitted against the Eastern-influenced Russian city states. We get Western castle-building and trebuchets against Asiatic horse archers.

I started with this particular corner of the medieval world in part because my ancestry is from nearby (East Prussia), and in part because of Prokofiev and Eisenstein. The more I read into it, the more fascinating its military activities became. For example, there was a great deal of campaigning during winter in this part of the world, owing to the paucity of roadways and, I suspect, prevalence of marsh land--once everything froze, military movement became easier, even if provisioning became tougher. So sleds a key military asset. I wanted to explore how that played out....

Regarding politics, the game system includes the role of higher authorities that might levy the most powerful lords but not themselves do the fighting. In most settings, that might be a king or emperor. But here we have a Papal Legate on the Teutonic side, and Novgorod's city council, the veche (image shows Veche of Pskov by Vasnetsov), for the Russians: each serves an ultimately similar function in mobilizing the campaign, but in very different ways that the players will explore.

The upshot is that Levy&Campaign Volume II is guaranteed to offer strikingly different problems, along with the perennial campaign challenges like how to feed your army.

Cheers! Volko

Excellent concept that will add to an era that is little known! I love Volko designs and am looking forward to experiencing this new series. I'm interested in playtesting. I have limited playtesting experience having only playtested for LBW and his Wing Leader series. I use Vassal extensively but haven't ever tried to print/make my own components yet.

Thanks for the great work Volko!!!

Pete

Peter (or anybody else) interested in playtesting Nevsky, please shoot me a message (via CSW is fine) with your email address!

As Volko points out, this game comes with a ready-made soundtrack.

An example of play would be nice to see for this.

Each of the first four volumes of Levy&Campaign that I intend is set somewhere on the periphery of Medieval Europe, because these frontiers offer the most interesting cultural asymmetries to explore that affected military operations.

The upshot is that Levy&Campaign Volume II is guaranteed to offer strikingly different problems, along with the perennial campaign challenges like how to feed your army.

OK....from North-East Europe I go straight diagonal to South-West Europe and I find...

...Iberian Peninsula during Reconquista!

Did I hit anything? :ooh:

I would say it's on the list, if not for Vol II for III or IV. Volko commented something on twitter that it would be interesting doing with the series something with "El Cid".

But lets focus on Nevsky first, which its also a very interesting historical situation.

Oh yes, that's is the track that I am on ... NE, NW, SW, SE. Volume III El Cid--Prelude to Reconquista. But Roi is right, we have plenty before us before that.

Much more about that and why Nevsky in this podcast from Harold on Games: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=1365240235&i=1000407704064

And thanks Pete for stepping up for testing!

vfr

Another link for that podcast:

https://soundcloud.com/harold-buchanan/harold-on-games-podcast-1-with-volko-ruhnke

An example of play would be nice to see for this.

That's a great idea. I'll get one done (probably on InsideGMT) and linked from here as soon as I'm able and will link it from here. Still finishing up COINfest proofing and other projects, so probably will take me a few weeks to be able to turn full-on to Nevsky...

vfr

Another link for Volko's conversation with Harold about Nevsky and COIN:

https://conflictsimulations.com/2018/03/28/harold-on-games-podcast-1-with-volko-ruhnke-notes/

Once I get Nevsky and have a good look at the system, I'll be going to the Hook-Cod civil war in Holland and the Frisian wars.

Just finished listening to Volko's interview with Harold. Very interesting!

I went to check GMT's P500 page and was momentarily nonplussed that I could not find Nevsky. But that's because they have moved it up to the "Made the Cut" section! Thanks to all who have preordered.

That was fast :smile:

Yeah - just about a month!