Introduction

In 1848, Milan was the capital of the Lombard-Venetian Kingdom, a puppet state of the Austrian Empire in the northern Italian region. Inspired by the revolutionary movements blooming all over Europe, the citizens of Milan began an uprising of their own, employing the same methods used by the other rebels: raiding army barracks and museums to obtain firearms and building barricades to isolate enemy troops before striking. The rebels even set up their own Provisional Governement, with its operative base at Tavern Palace. The Austrian troops were led by General Radetsky, who gathered most of his troops inside Sforza Castle, while also keeping control over the city's walls and gates, to trap the insurgents. After 5 days, the Austrians were forced to retreat, but Milan's destiny wasn't as a free city: after Sardinia-Piedmont lost the war against the Austrian Empire, Milan was recaptured after just 6 months.

Gameplay Overview

Insurgence: Milan 1848 puts you in charge of the rebellion; can you force the Austrians to retreat in just 5 days?

Days of Fire

Each game day is divided into 2 phases: Daytime and Nighttime, which are further divided in steps like collecting resources, issuing orders, and battling in the city's district. When giving orders, the player and the Austrian bot will alternate, with the bot following a precise logic, which always stays the same. Player orders include: Fielding and moving rebels, constructing barricades or other tools, upgrading the Provisional Government. You win the game by defeating all Austrian troops on Sforza Castle before the end of the fifth day.

War in the Streets

During battles all sides always roll 3 dice, whose results are then compared to the number of allied pieces on the district: with a result equal or lower, an enemy troop is removed. Other than this, if a side has more troops, an outnumbering bonus will be applied: a die can be altered by +/- 1 for each troop. You may even conquer enemy barracks, but be careful not to lose your allied Hospitals.

Safe Refuges

Rebels wounded during combat are transported to allied Palaces called Hospitals, where they'll recover in a day's time. If a hospital is conquered, all rebels inside it will be removed from the game. Protecting those structures becomes crucial.

Their Own Government

A special structure begins the game in Austrial Control: Tavern Palace, the historical seat of the rebels' Provisional Government. If you manage to capture the building, you'll be able to found and upgrade the Government, which will unlock new bonuses and methods to gain the upper hand in the war.

Built-in Expansion: Liberty Desire

The game comes with an optional expansion, which adds features regarding Milan's key structures (Wall gates and the Milan Cathedral) and the rebels' political divides (Moderates and Democrats). This expansion enhances historical accuracy and grants you more tools to manage your insurgents.

A Solitaire Experience

Insurgence: Milan 1848 doesn't take long to play (15-20 minutes) but still scratches that wargame itch, without taking your entire table and against and easy-to-run bot.

NOTE: The rulebook is digital only. This was done to reduce costs and due to the high amount of rules.

Shop Ad and Backdrop image is by Carlo Bossoli (Wikipedia).

Videos

Overview

Tutorial