Seljuk: Byzantium Besieged, 1068-1071

Anatolia, 1068. Romanos Diogenes has assumed the imperial throne of the Eastern Roman Empire. Ferocious armies of Seljuk Turks are on the doorstep, ravaging the border cities of the East and sending yearly raids and campaigns into Roman lands. Beset by political intrigue in Constantinople and assuming command of a fragile military, Romanos has only a short time to assemble the largest Roman army in over a century to drive off the forces of the Sultan Alp Arslan before the Empire collapses.

Seljuk—Volume V in Volko Ruhnke’s Levy & Campaign series—brings players into the challenges of medieval logistics and maneuver across Asia Minor during the clash between Orthodox Christian and Muslim power in the lead-up to the climactic Battle of Manzikert. Players will assume the role of either the Eastern Romans or Seljuk Turks as they seek to make their mark on this historic land. Asymmetric victory objectives and new and unique additions to the Levy & Campaign system mean a dynamic game of cat and mouse between these two great powers.

• The Seljuks are on the offensive with vast numbers of Turkic horse, speedy mounted units adept at ranged combat with composite bows. A loose alliance of local vassal states loyal to the Sultan’s cause and steppe tribes from central Asia unite under one banner to ravage the Roman state and carry off bounties of loot back to their homelands.

• The Romans field a much more heavily armored contingent of infantry and mounted Tagmata, but their frontier garrisons, the Themata, are few and not easily replaced. The Romans will have to use these stationary units judiciously to either defend against Seljuk ravaging or protect the walled towns and cities of the Empire from Turkic siege.

And both sides have to confront the very real possibility that some of their allied Lords might switch sides…

Can one final, epic clash make the Seljuks think twice about conquering Anatolia, or can the Muslim armies of the East win one of their greatest victories and capture the Emperor of the Romans on the field of battle?

Components:

• One 25.5" x 22" mounted map
• 169 wooden pieces
• 132 playing cards
• Three full-color countersheets
• 17 cardboard Lord and Battle mats
• One Lords sticker sheet
• Four player aid sheets
• Two screens
• Rules booklet
• Background booklet
• Six 6-sided dice

Players: 1-2

Time: 90 days per turn

Units: 1500-2000 horse or 2000-3000 foot

Age: 14+

Map: Point-to-point, 400 miles across