Phalanx Games has launched Coalitions, a line of games based around diplomacy during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods, which will be available exclusively through GTS Distribution starting in October.
In Coalitions, players compete for domination of Europe through diplomacy and warfare. Each player takes charge of one of six major powers—France, Britain, Austria, Russia, Prussia, or the Ottoman Empire—and seeks to expand their empire from their home territories using famous generals, armies, and battle cards. In Coalitions, there are no individual player turns and minimal down-time. Instead, as the “Wheel of War” rotates, all players take actions to raise funds, mobilize troops, and possibly move them into combat. The power that can accumulate enough influence to claim victory wins the game.
Coalitions includes a double-sided game board, rotating Wheel of War, 20 pawns, 194 tokens, 68 markers, 52 cards, and 6 player aids. It comes with seven playable scenarios, as well as solo and cooperative game modes. It is intended for 1 to 6 players, ages 14 and up. Games take between one and three hours to play.
Alongside the base game, there will be three stand-alone expansions, each exploring a different time period and introducing new playable nations:
Coalitions: Realpolitik focuses on the wars of unification in Italy and Germany, the period when Otto von Bismarck held the reigns in Prussia. This set has its own game board with four playable nations: Prussia, France, Austria, and Italy. It also replaces the Wheel of War with an action card deck. For 3-4 players, games take one to four hours.
Coalitions: Ancien Regime is set during the rise of Prussia’s Frederick the Great while Britain and France were locked in a global struggle. This set introduces a new game board and allows a seventh player representing Spain to join in. For 4-7 players, one to four hours.
Rounding out the expansions is Coalitions: Raison d’Etat, which explores the impact of the Protestant Reformation and the decline of the Holy Roman Empire. Played on its own game board, this set offers seven playable factions: Poland, Sweden, Britain, France, Spain, Austria, and the Ottoman Empire. This version does not require the base game to play, as it includes everything needed for the game. For 3-7 players, games take one to two hours.
Click Gallery below to see the components from each expansion.
Phalanx funded the production of the Coalitions series through a Kickstarter campaign in July 2021 that had 1,526 backers pledge £137,072 (about $189,844).
Phalanx ended its distribution agreement with Ares Games earlier this year, entering into an exclusive partnership with GTS Distribution (see “Ares Games and Phalanx Set to End Distribution Agreement After Five Years”).
October will also see the launch of Phalanx’s Huang (see “Reiner Knizia’s ‘Huang’ Heads to Retail”).
Source: ICv2
