The Campaigns of King David – Boardgame Review

Battle utilizes a separate playing area on the main map, where players line up their respective units and deal damage to each other. Each type of unit is worth a certain number of points, listed on one of the few charts in the game; that many hits must be inflicted before the unit flips to its half strength side, and again as many to remove it from the board. Damage is applied across the player’s units equally; i.e. all units in a force must be damaged before any can be eliminated.

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Units are represented by different types of dice: players roll a d10 for a chariot in open ground but only roll a d8 in hilly country where chariots are less effective. Players add up the total number of hits scored and apply it to the opposing force. The player receiving the damage decides how to parcel it out and must take damage as close to the total as possible. Any remaining points are noted on the battle area Hit Track and applied to the following turn of battle, if there is one.

The Campaigns of King David is an enjoyable, fast-moving game, and while there’s a great deal to keep one occupied in any given turn, the number of turns tends to be low, and players always have the option of quitting after a set time period and comparing victory points to determine the winner. The challenges for each nation in the game are quite different; players can play a different faction each time, providing strong reply value in a wargame of, ah, Biblical proportions.

Bill Bodden has worked in the hobby game industry for over twenty-three years, including stints in the retail, distribution and publishing sectors. His humorous, short fiction was nominated for an Origins Award in 2003. He currently serves as sales manager for Green Ronin Publishing, and is a part-time freelance writer. A complete goober for miniatures, he paints them on rare occasions when he has spare time. Bill lives in Wisconsin with his wife, their four cats, and a whole lot of games, books and miniatures.