So, how did I wind up in this rabbit hole of the Thirty Years War? From what I can remember in my previous life, I was browsing Audible.com for new audio book to listen to when I came across
I don't really remember why I chose this book, other than maybe it was the only pike and shot era book on Audible. Anyway, I loved the book and it sparked a real and sudden interest in the Thirty Years War, and obviously an interest in games depicting that conflict.
If you've never heard of Won by the Sword by GMT games, one of the first things you'll come across looking at this game on the web is the negative feedback the game has received since it's release in Summer 2014. Not so much negative feedback of the game itself, but the numerous issues with the rules and components. This entry is not the place to list these, I'm just stating the obvious. While I'm stating the obvious, I'll say the game is great.
"The Lion Goes South" is the first campaign scenario listed in the playbook. It depicts Gustavus Adolphus's invasion of Bavaria in 1632. At this point the war has already been raging for close to a decade and a half, and has outlasted many of the prominent figures from its early years (Mansfeld, Matthias, Christian of Brunswick, Gabriel Bethlen). Historically the campaign culminated in the Battle of Lutzen, a major Protestant victory that cost Gustavus his life. What will happen in my game?
