1812: The Invasion of Canada

Overview

Players: 2-5
Play Time: 1-3 hrs
Game Objective: Capture the most enemy cities/forts before a truce is reached.
Major Game Mechanics: Card movement/enhancements, dice-determined combat sequences

Strategy: Americans

The American side consists of two factions: the American Regulars and the American Militia.  In terms of movement, the Americans have an advantage; American Regulars and American Militia have the most effective Land Movement cards (they can move more armies longer distances over land), moving a minimum of two and a maximum of four armies a turn (four to eight armies, with their Movement Event card).  This in combination with their starting majority of troops on the board sets them up for domination early game.  However, their main drawback is the distance between the front and their Muster Stations, where new troops come into play, so their strategy is based around quick invasions and the need to take out British Muster Stations before their supply of troops runs dry. 

Strategy: British

The British side consists of three factions: the British Regulars, the Canadian Militia, and the Native Americans.  While worse off in terms of Land Movement (British troops can move fewer armies shorter distances), their advantages are three-fold: their superior firepower (British Regulars never flee battle, and the Native Americans may make a tactical retreat into unoccupied American territories), the proximity of their Muster Stations to the front and their majority of Enlistment Event Cards (allowing for fast spawning and near-instant deployment of troops on the front line), and their superiority in terms of Water Movement (the have a clear majority in amphibious landing capabilities, which allows them to run the Americans ragged trying to contain the breakouts of British occupations around the lakes' shores).  Nevertheless, their Enlistment advantages only barely make up for their clear minority of troops on the board; one bad battle can send them tumbling down a very, very slippery slope.