Alt text: The cover of "We the People" board game by The Avalon Hill Game Company, featuring an illustration of Revolutionary War soldiers on horseback and on foot in a snowy forested landscape with the game's title at the top in stylized red font, and a description at the bottom reading "Discover the challenge of military strategy in this entry level game based on history!"
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We the People (2008)

We the People

“We the People” is a board wargame about the American Revolution, published by Avalon Hill in 1993 and designed by Mark Herman. It was the first wargame to use cards as the primary way to control the pace and tempo of play, with a strong element of fog of war through hidden card information. This game started a new genre of wargames that have emphasized competitive play and a strong historical narrative.

Why is We the People Popular?

“We the People” is popular and significant because it:Introduced a new approach to wargaming by using cards for control and pacing.Combines historical accuracy with strategic gameplay, making it an engaging and educational experience.Has influenced the design of numerous other wargames, such as “For the People,” “The Napoleonic Wars,” “Here I Stand,” “Virgin Queen,” “Twilight Struggle,” and “Tanto Manta”.

Game Components of We the People

Game board: A large 23 x 23 inch map of the 13 American colonies and Canada, showing cities, towns, and lines along which armies can move.Cards: Nearly 700 full-color 2.5 x 3.5 inch cards, including historical photos and political control markers.Score sheets: 50 score sheets for keeping track of players’ objectives and scores.

Game Setup of We the People

Prepare the game board by laying it out on a flat surface.Shuffle the cards and place them face down in a draw pile.Each player chooses a side (British or Continental/American) and places their political control markers on the board.

Gameplay Mechanics of We the People

“We the People” is a turn-based, point-scoring game. Each turn represents one year of the American Revolutionary War. Players take turns playing cards from their hands to move their armies, attack enemy positions, and gain political control over colonies. The game ends when one player controls a majority of colonies or when the last card is drawn.

Game Objective of We the People

The objective of “We the People” is to control a majority of colonies by occupying city and town spaces with political control markers.

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