The Great Game: Rival Empires in Central Asia 1837-1886

The Great Game recreates the 19th Century Anglo-Russian struggle for supremacy in Central Asia. In the actual contest, Tsarist Russia resented British expeditions into the Steppe Khanates while Victorian Britain feared that Russian entreaties to Persia and Afghanistan would jeopardize India's security. So the two imperial powers wove a complex tale of diplomatic intrigue, colonial conquest and proxy wars that spanned 50 years. The Great Game is a card driven game (CDG), where players alternate moving officers (historical personalities) and troops across a point-to-point map of Central Asia in decade turns. Imperial powers strive to enlist vassal states such as Afghanistan and Bokhara into their camp through diplomacy or combat so an engaging game of move-counter move unfolds across the chessboard of Central Asia. Random events such as the Crimean War, Sepoy Mutiny and American Civil War intrude to make each game different.