Dark Blades
Dark Blades is a medieval fantasy board wargame published in 1986 by Standard Games and Publications that is based on the Cry Havoc rules system.
Gameplay
Dark Blades is a fantasy board wargame for beginners, based on system for the game Cry Havoc Set on the island of Labyrinthia, the game includes an account of the hero Dark Blades and his band of fellow adventurers, upon which the included scenarios and maps are based. Components include- two hex maps: a river beside a watermill, and a natural amphitheatre called "The Arena"
- a map of the island of Labyrinthia, for campaign play
- more than 200 counters
- 24 spell cards
- a 40-page rulebook with 4 scenarios related to the story of Dark Blades
- 2 quick reference sheets
- a Beginner's Guide to wargaming
- 10-sided die
- a sheet with general introduction and background
Publication history
Standard Games and Publications published the complex fantasy wargame Cry Havoc! in 1981, and over the next four years released a number of supplements and expansions including Samurai Blades, and Siege. In 1986, Standard published Dark Blades, designed by Chris Bayliss and Andy McKay, as an introductory wargame for players new to the hobby.Standard later published an expansion set for Dark Blades that included new rules, extra spell cards, terrain cut-outs, and over 20 scenarios, some of them requiring use of Standard's other Cry Havoc products.