Review of the board game “Saladin” | Zing

Last week you had the opportunity to read a review of a difficult but very interesting board. Journey into the unconscious. This time we’re looking at a game that, while not the simplest, certainly doesn’t try to be mechanically difficult to understand. Saladin — a duel for two on a historical theme. The following lines of this review will tell you how effectively it succeeds and what the results are in terms of gameplay.

• Number of players: 2
• Game time: 45 minutes
• Price: 650 CZK (Fox in a box)
• Provided by: Fox in a box
• Age: 14+

Here you will decide the fate of Jerusalem and beyond

The Middle East has been and will likely continue to be the scene of many conflicts. Although it was not a priority for Europe from the very beginning, it became a significant object of interest for its rulers since the Middle Ages because of Jerusalem, around which the Crusader states that existed in the region for the better part of nearly 200 years were subsequently formed. Strategic duel for two Saladin gives you the opportunity to relive two battles that determined the fate of Jerusalem, as well as the territories controlled by the Christian knights. Each player can choose one of the sides at the beginning of the game, the appearance of which depends on whether you decide to fight before or after the fall of Jerusalem.

However, in both cases, in the leadership of the Muslims you will find Saladin, who participated in both legendary battles. The Christians are first led by the King of Jerusalem, Guy Lusignan, and in the second battle they enter under the firm hand of Richard the Lionheart. Historically, Saladin won one battle and lost another. But here you have the opportunity to change history through the decisions you make as you clash on the battlefields. The first crucible is Hattin, where the power of the crusaders was so undermined that this was the beginning of the end of their states.

The player controlling the Christians starts the game surrounded, which is not at all pleasant. Perhaps this is why the creators recommend Arsuf as the first meeting, where the conditions are different. The gameplay is about giving orders. You have to activate each section during the battle using tokens, the number of which you have is limited. Therefore, it is important to think about which actions you will begin and which ones you will leave for a more appropriate moment. Each order will send your men into a different situation, and it must be said that each of the factions on offer have different teams based on tactics used in real life. Thus, Muslims tend to maneuver around the enemy, trying to weaken their ranks as much as possible, while knights are noticeably more straightforward.

In doing so, you invest team points during the game. The more you spend, the more difficult the action becomes, which affects the number of dice you can roll. With a well-targeted attack, not only do units move forward, but you also roll three faction dice, giving you a better chance of successfully foiling the enemy’s tricks than if you simply used a single order token on a given battalion. The biggest disaster for your units is when you run out of tokens on your turn – in which case they will have to take an “uncontrollable” action. A unit under pressure flees, giving the enemy three dice in a row without the ability to retaliate.

So every step you take affects the direction of the battle. Dice also have a significant impact, although in reality every historical encounter was determined by both good decisions and luck, which, for example, led to the enemy leader getting an arrow in the eye at the right moment. Both available battles have certain conditions and often a course. However, at the end of the day, the winner is the one with the order tokens left, because they are the ones who decide whether to win or lose. Plus, you gradually lose them over the course of the game as the situation on the battlefield changes, and you never know how successful the enemy’s next attack will be.

Saladin is an interesting way to touch history

Since I try to choose really interesting records for you, sometimes it’s not easy at all. However, there are publishers who manage to publish works, almost certainly. Saladin Fox in the Box is just such a job. This is an excellent duel in which you have to fight with one of the armies and start a battle, the course of which will depend on luck, your orders and the heroism of the units shedding blood in the name of their faith. You will master the game quickly, it is very compact, which I personally think is a plus. I could imagine other scenarios though – just like a game of chess, no two battles ever play out the same way, so this is more of a sigh than an actual criticism.

Saladin is the perfect strategy game for two, where you can experience what it was like to be a medieval commander during the Crusades. If you’re a fan of this theme, it’s practically a win-win. If you’re not a fan, it’s still a good duel that’s worth watching. I definitely recommend this for myself.

We thank Czech distributor Fox in the Box for providing us with a copy of Saladin.