Historical Board Games

These board games are based on historical events or different periods in history, from prehistoric times right up to recent times. You assume an identity and attempt to achive your goal, all while trying to maintain as much historical accuracy as possible.

Related categories include Railroad Games, Strategy Games, and War Games.

Age of Napoleon: 1805-1815  BUY NOW  $44.95 $35.95    SAVE $9.00 !   

A colorful boardgame for two players that is based on the rise and fall of one of the greatest military commanders in history: Napolon I, Emperor of the French. One player commands the forces of France and its allies and tries to achieve domination of the European continent. The other player leads a coalition of nations aiming to force Napolon's abdication once and for all. The game not only represents the military units with playing pieces but also elegantly integrates famous events, important personalities and random factors by using playing cards. Age of Napoleon contains three different scenarios, starting in 1805, 1809, and 1813.

Journey forth from the homeland, which produces wood, stone, tools and cloth, from which to build ships used in the acquisition of resources. Resources enable you to increase your population and develop your settlement into a city. Be prepared for pirates as you strive to aquire wealth and power. A game for 2-4 players. This game design is based upon the popular electronic game title, artfully executed by the master of Catan, Klaus Teuber.

In Renaissance Italy, armies of mercenaries fought to conquer fragmented city-states for the highest bidder. Elite mercenary leaders, known as Condottiere, led these armies to victory under such fabled banners as Medici, Sforza and Colleoni. Recreate this era as you, an elite Condottiere, strive to carve out your own Renaissance kingdom! Using a unique deck of cards and a map of Italy, you must exploit the assets in your hand and thwart the traps set by your adversaries. Your task is difficult, your mercenaries are unreliable, the Church may intervene, and you are surrounded by others who envy your position. To win you must be both a clever diplomat and a daring general!

Rediscover a modern American classic that celebrates one of America's greatest loves: railroads. Use your initial investment to build track, pick up commodities where they are grown, mined, or manufactured and deliver them where there's a demand. When you complete a delivery, you make the money you need to buy larger, faster trains and expand your railroad empire. Win the game by building the most effective railroad empire! There are disasters and you can be locked out of a profitable hub if you're not quick. With over a million variations, Empire Builder never grows old.

In the Shadow of the Emperor takes players to Germany in the late middle ages. It is a time of flourishing popes, and a pompous aristocracy. In such a volatile climate, no dynasty can remain in power for long. Several aristocratic families seek to acquire the crown of the emperor, but this decision lies in the hands of the seven elector. Two to four emperor candidates use their knights and cities, marry their barons, and work to influence the electors. But all efforts are useless if the candidate is not elected to be emperor. In the shadows of the properly elected emperor are always those who want to displace him and become the new emperor!

Lead your empires to victory! This game of world conquest traces the history of the world from the dawn of civilization to the threshold of modern time. Through 7 Epochs, you'll lead a different empire, from the ancient Sumerians to the Persians, Romans, and Huns. You may take command of the Vikings, Ming Dynasty, or Germans. You must score as many victory points during your empire's reign, for it is fleeting. A new power will soon rise to glory. This Avalon Hill game has over 700 plastic playing pieces and a large, beautiful board.

Players compete to become Master of the Hanseatic city-states during the 14th Century. They criss-cross the Baltic Sea in a merchant ship, always on the lookout for a chance to acquire valuable wares. They also set up networks of market booths within the cities, which permit the goods to be re-sold at the right time and a player’s power to increase. At the end of the game, the player with the most establishments and the greatest profits, is the winner. Hansa is an addicting, tactical travel and trading game for the whole family.

2500 years ago, Greek traders and adventurers traveled to southern Italy to settle and develop the area. They called the region Magna Grecia. The development of the area led to a era of rapid cultural and economic growth. Before the arrival of the Greeks, the region was populated by only a few small isolated villages. The region's rich soil, navigable rivers, great forests, and bronze and silver mines offered the Greeks enormous development potential. In time, the Greeks built great cities such as Tarantum, Syrakusai, Katane, Locri, and Naxos. With success came strong rivalries among the cities, especially as they competed for the attentions of the oracles for the fame they offered.

Slip on the role of clever court attendant and try your luck in the court of Louis XIV. Influence his next decrees. Relax in his radiance on his countless cushions. Bribe ministers and buy generals. Spin intrigue and spread your net in the empire of the Sun King. Every plan is right -- if it works! A careful plan and provident use of information gained in the court can help you fulfill your mission -- and win the game!

From the cliffs of Pointe-du-Hoc to the hedgerow battles in the Corentin Peninsula and beyond -- Memoir '44 airdrops you into the key battles that turned the tide in Western Europe during the summer of 1944. Omaha Beach, Pegasus Bridge, Operation Cobra... Step in and command your troops on the battlefields that defined History in the 20th century! Memoir '44 is a unique historical game where players command a horde of little plastic Army men facing-off in dozens of WWII battles on an oversize hex game board. Each battle scenario mimics the historical terrain, troop placements and objectives of each army. Deploying forces through a variety of Command cards, the smart commander uses the unique skills of his units -- infantry, paratroopers, tanks, artillery, commandos and resistance fighters -- to its greatest strength.

They called it the Great War. In over four years of titanic struggle, Imperial Europe tore itself to pieces. The bloody battles fought in the trenches of the Western Front, the icy plains of Poland, the mountains of the Balkins, and the deserts of Arabia, shaped the world we know today. Paths of Glory allows players to step into the shoes of the monarchs and marshals who triumphed and blundered from 1914 to 1918. Both players will find their generalship and strategic abilities put to the test as Paths of Glory's innovative game systems let you recreate all the dramatic events of World War I. Paths of Glory has won numerous awards including Games Magazine "Best Historical Simulation" award in 2001, Gamer's Choice Award "Best Historical Simulation" in 2000, and Charles S. Roberts Awards for "Best Pre-WWII Era Board Game" and "Design Elegance Award" in 1999.

It's 1543, and Puerto Rico is beginning to blossom. You have the opportunity to become very wealthy by owning the most fruitful plantation. Carefully decide if you need to play the role of settler, mayor, builder, craftsman, trader, or captain to grow your plantation. Puerto Rico is an exciting game played over several rounds, with players choosing one of the seven roles in the game. Each role allows a player to do a specific action. For example, the settler may take a quarry tile; the mayor may place a colonist; a builder can build a building for less; the craftsman gets one additional good; a trader may sell one good, and finally the captain loads his goods on to the ship to the old world first.

Baroque palaces, wide boulevards, and elegant bridges: St Petersburg. On May 16, 1703, Czar Peter the Great lays the foundation for the first building. Quickly impressive buildings are erected that are ever more grand and beautiful. Such buildings bring the aristocracy glory and the players victory points. But you need traders to bring the rubles necessary for all this magnificence, otherwise, the buildings are empty and bare. But the competition never sleeps and may grab needed cards right from under your nose. St Petersburg: the card game of beautiful living on the Neva. Saint Petersburg is a tactical game for Russian building tycoons.

Shadows Over Camelot is a unique collaborative game featuring a malevolent twist! As the incarnation of the Knights of the Round Table, you join forces against the game itself in an attempt to protect Camelot. But beware, all is not as it seems among these noble Knights. One of your number might yet turn out to be a traitor-in-waiting, biding his time while sowing havoc and destruction from the shadows! Featuring a richly illustrated gameboard of Camelot and its surroundings, finely carved miniatures of the Knights and their foes, and seven Quests to embark upon - Shadows Over Camelot is your gateway to many a memorable game night among friends!

In The Great Dalmuti, life isn't fair. One round you're at the top of the heap, and the next you're peasant scum in this fast-paced card game of medieval one-upmanship! Players take their places in the pecking order and try to get rid of the cards in their hands. The faster you do, the higher you'll go. But don't get comfortable, because in a single hand even the lowliest serf can knock you back to the fields. Sound unfair? Sure it is! But the sweet taste of victory could make it all worthwhile.

Step back to the dawn of recorded time. Take command of a young dynasty in fertile Mesopotamia. Here, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, lies the cradle of civilization. Here, as the Bible tells, rose man's first cities: Ur, Nineveh, and fair Babylon. The game of Tigris & Euphrates lets you play a part in the epic saga of the rise of these great urban centers. Your dynasty struggles to develop and control the most vibrant culture in the rich land between the two rivers. Create the best balance between markets, temples, settlements, and farms, as you and your people try to forge your own new civilization and dominate the storied valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates.

Who doesn't know of the wonders of the ancient world? They are the world renowned gigantic monuments made by the hands of men to honor or glorify God. The most famous of these are known today as the seven wonders of the ancient world. Will the unfinished Tower of Babel be known as the eighth? Monuments cannot be erected by individuals, and each player needs the help of the others to complete his work. The others of course expect something in return, and the challenge is to get the right help at the right time. When should the pyramid be finished? How many building pieces are needed to complete the temple of Artemis? Should I play a trade card or not? The players must answer these and other questions turn by turn as each tries to be the greatest builder of the ancient world!