Cover of "Ares" science fiction gaming magazine, number 16, featuring a knight in armor riding a black horse, holding a sword up high, with a futuristic battle involving spaceships in the background. The cover promotes Poul Anderson fiction, Galactic Empires, and Traveller supplements, and is labeled "The High Crusade," a science-fantasy board game.
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High Crusade (1994)

The High Crusade

The High Crusade is a science fiction novel by American writer Poul Anderson, about the consequences of an extraterrestrial scoutship landing in Medieval England. The novel was originally serialized in the July–August–September 1960 issues of Astounding Science Fiction magazine. The High Crusade was adapted as a motion picture in 1994. It was directed by Klaus Knoesel and Holger Neuhäuser and produced by Roland Emmerich, Ute Emmerich, and Thomas Wöbke. The High Crusade was also adapted into a war game in issue #16 of Ares Magazine.

Why is The High Crusade Popular?

The High Crusade is a popular game because of its unique and interesting premise. The game is set in 1345 AD, where aliens land a starship on earth, but the local knights defeat the aliens and steal the starship. Thus starts the crusade against the aliens. The game is significant because it combines science fiction and medieval themes, which is a unique combination that is not often seen in board games.

Game Components of The High Crusade

– Game board
– Rulebook
– 1 six-sided die
– 1 deck of cards
– 1 sheet of counters

Game Setup of The High Crusade

– Place the game board in the center of the table.
– Shuffle the deck of cards and place it face down on the table.
– Each player chooses a color and takes the corresponding counters.
– Each player places their counters on the starting space on the board.
– The player who rolls the highest number on the die goes first.

Gameplay Mechanics of The High Crusade

The game is played in turns, with each player taking a turn to move their counters on the board. Players move their counters by rolling the die and moving their counters the corresponding number of spaces. The game also includes cards that can be played to affect gameplay. For example, some cards allow players to move extra spaces or to steal another player’s counter.

Game Objective of The High Crusade

The objective of the game is to be the first player to reach the end of the board and capture the alien starship.

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