Players: 1-2

Time: 3hr

Men of Ironcovers the re-emergence of infantry in the early 14th century, along with a more perceptive understanding of the value of combined-arms warfare especially with good use of defensive terrain. The scenarios highlight the key elements that made these battles so fascinating: the defensive power of the longbow, especially when used in coordination with dismounted, or even mounted, men-at-arms. Given the right deployments and forces, the inability to take advantage of the marvelous abilities of the vaunted knights, the finest mounted force in Europe, became something of a surprise to many “experts.”

Men of Ironis designed for quick learning and easy play. Game rules are short, there are no “turns” – play is Continual, with ample opportunities to steal play from your opponent – and combat resolution is a single dieroll. Playing time is about 1 hour per battle. Really!

Men of Ironis also GMT’s gift to the gamer who enjoys playing solitaire – the system is designed for both individual and face-to-face play without any loss in insight or Fun – to see what happened in these famous battles and why.

The battles included inMen of Ironare:

• Falkirk– Scotland, 22 July 1298 – Wallace’s great disaster, despite his massive schiltron. Good infantry is fine, but it needs support. The ultimate solitaire scenario.
• Courtrai– Flanders, 11 July 1302 – The Battle of the Golden Spurs The Flemish shock the elite French army with one the earliest displays of the power of solid infantry using defensive positions.
• Bannockburn– Scotland, 23-24 June 1314 – Robert the Bruce’s famous triumph over a numerically superior but literally bogged down English army.
• Crecy– France, 26 August 1346 – The first great battle of the 100 Years War. It showed that infantry, supported by archers, could defeat the best knights in Europe.
• Poitiers– France, 19 September 1356 – The French fight dismounted this time and almost win. But the longbow, and solid English infantry prevail again.
• Najera– Castile, 3 April 1367 – The Black Prince goes to Spain with a marvelous combined arms force to further English plans of “expansion”.