A few months ago, I came across a very interesting looking card driven game set during the Crusades era and was immediately interested. I reached out to the Greek company that was publishing the game called AF Games and asked if they would be up for answering some questions. The game is designed by a trio named Harry Haralampidis, Lefteris Iroglidis and Charilaos Boucharelis and it looks to be very interesting. The game is currently on Kickstarter and is pretty close to funding.

If you are interested in Crusades, you can back the project on the Kickstarter page at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1695998595/crusades

Grant: Charilaos welcome to our blog. First off please tell us a little about yourself. What are your hobbies? What’s your day job?

Charilaos: I have always been eager to study everything there is to know about people whether it is through arts, psychology or even game theory. My day job is being a freelance accountant and that’s because I have a Bachelor’s Degree in the economics field.

Grant: What motivated you to break into game design? What have you enjoyed most about the experience thus far?

Charilaos: I’ve always been drawn to the combination of people interaction and strategic depth that board games offer. Designing a game felt like the natural next step—a way to blend creativity, history, and gameplay. The most rewarding part has been watching players on the same team shouting at each other over whose strategy should be followed. And that’s when you know you have created a good game.

Grant: What lessons have you learned from designing your first game?

Charilaos: An idea can appear to be great in your head but in reality it may not or won’t be great in the boardgame. This is where the playtesting part of the design process becomes so important. It’s absolutely necessary playing your game multiple times so it can evolve and realize it’s greatest potential. The trick is to be willing to give up on an idea and discard it so that a bad mistake can be avoided and you can find a new way to deal with the challenge.

Grant: What is your new upcoming game Crusades about?

Charilaos: Crusades is a historical strategy card driven game. Players take on the role of various factions vying for control of the Holy Land through military campaigns. It’s a game of territory control, team management and tactical planning for 2–6 players. Its beauty is in learning how best to cooperate with your teammates, otherwise your defeat is certain.

Grant: Why was this a subject you wanted to focus on?

Charilaos: The Crusades were a period of intense cultural, religious, and political conflict. It’s a setting that naturally lends itself to rich strategic gameplay. I also wanted to explore this era in a way that encourages players to think about history not just through battle in the field but also through the logistics and army management aspects of war.

Grant: What is your design goal with the game?

Charilaos: To create a game that balances thematic immersion with strategic depth—where every decision matters, whether you choose to collaborate with your allied generals or you choose to go after victory by yourself. Whether you choose to attack the enemy without knowing the exact strength of his army or to hold back as a strategic action for the sake of the long term plan.

Grant: What type of research did you do to get the details correct? What one must read source would you recommend?

Charilaos: Research included academic texts, documentaries, historical maps, and primary sources related to the Crusades. A great starting point is The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land by Thomas Asbridge.

Grant: How are cards used to drive the action?

Charilaos: The game is card-driven and the cards are central to the design. Each turn, players use Action Cards to perform a variety of actions like moving troops, recruiting, initiating battles, or using special abilities. The cards not only drive the game forward but also present players with tough strategic choices every round.

Grant: Why was the card driven game mechanic your best choice for your vision for the game?

Charilaos: Cards offer flexibility and tension. By limiting what actions are available each round, players are forced to prioritize and adapt their plans. It mirrors the unpredictability and shifting priorities of a real historical campaign. The cards are a vehicle to create some truly excruciating choices about how best to use the cards in your hand.

Grant: What different type of cards are included in the game?

Charilaos: There are 2 different types of cards including Action Cards, which provide core gameplay actions and Event Cards, which introduce historical twists or challenges that affect all players.

Grant: Can you share a few examples of cards and explain how they work?

Charilaos: Sure. For example, an Action Card like Holy War lets a player move and attack in the same action, while cards like Crusade or Jihad let you gain control of major opposing cities.

Grant: What is the layout of the board?

Charilaos: The board depicts the Eastern Mediterranean and the Holy Land, divided into key regions and cities. It’s designed to reflect the geography and strategic routes of the Crusades era.

Grant: What are the different types of spaces and regions included?

Charilaos: There are cities and sea routes. Control of cities provides Victory Points for winning the game while sea routes enable faster movement between coastal territories.

Grant: How do players fight for control of these regions and how do they create Victory Points?

Charilaos: Control is achieved through military conquest. Players earn Victory Points simply by controlling their target cities listed on the Target Cards which are dealt at random at the start of the game in order to contribute to the element of replayability. Another way of earning VP’s is through defeating your enemies on the battlefield.

Grant: What different actions do players have to choose from?

Charilaos: Players can move, recruit, battle, use supply caravans, espionage their enemies, lay siege, rejoin with their allies and also choose the stratagem actions which are earned throughout the course of the game. The cards they draw each round determine which of these are available to them.

Grant: What is the makeup of the Player Boards?

Charilaos: Player Boards include troop reserves, a supply and Faith Track.

Grant: How does combat work in the game?

Charilaos: Combat is resolved through a deterministic system influenced by troop strength, bonuses from cards, and the active Event Cards. There’s no dice, so it’s strategic and calculated—players must weigh the odds before attacking, there is the fog of war though which are the cards in your opponent’s hand.

Grant: How do players obtain victory?

Charilaos: Victory is achieved through the accumulation of Victory Points, these are earned by controlling territories and winning battles as mentioned before.

Grant: What type of an experience does the game create?

Charilaos: The game offers a tense, thematic experience. It rewards both long-term planning and tactical flexibility.

Grant: What are you most pleased about with the design?

Charilaos: I’m most proud of how well the card system integrates with the historical theme. It keeps the game flowing while still offering deep strategic choices. Also, the asymmetric factions bring a lot of replayability.

Grant: What has been the response of playtesters?

Charilaos: The feedback has been very positive. Playtesters particularly enjoyed the combination of the easily comprehensiveness of the rules with the tactical thinking which is required to achieve a great result. Many also appreciated how every game tells a different story.

Grant: What other designs are you working on?

Charilaos: I am also working on a game which is totally different than Crusades, as it is about a social deduction party game including a murder mystery…

If you are interested in Crusades, you can back the project on the Kickstarter page at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1695998595/crusades

-Grant