Ivan the Great: The Rise of Muscovy 1462-1505

HISTORY: Ivan III the Great came to the throne of Muscovy as its Grand Prince on the death of his father Vasily (Basil) II in 1462. Through his cunning diplomacy and well-timed military actions he was responsible over the next 43 years for expanding the state of Muscovy enormously, conquering, annexing, or marrying into the lands of Rostov, Yaroslavl, Ryazan, Novgorod, Vyatka, Tver, and a substantial piece of Lithuania, while forming sturdy alliances with Pskov, the Crimean Tatars, Kazan, and Denmark, and at the same time having to deal with religious controversies and the periodic treacheries of various boyars and even of his own family. His son Vasily III and grandson Ivan IV (the Terrible) extended his remarkable gains even further. Essentially, Ivan single-handedly created what we now know as the Russian nation.

During most of his reign, his most powerful rival was Casimir IV, Grand Prince of Lithuania, although, despite much peripheral conflict, Muscovy and Lithuania did not go to all-out war until 1500, some eight years after Casimir’s death.

OBJECT OF THE GAME: In brief, Muscovy is trying to gain control of or subdue as many countries as possible before the big war with Lithuania, while maintaining high levels on the Ivan's Prestige, Russian Orthodox Church, and Victory Point charts. Some of these countries will become full allies, others will just be reduced so as not to cause serious trouble in Ivan’s rear later on. Once the war with Lithuania begins, Muscovy will try to take over as much territory from Lithuania as he can. (Military success may possibly make up for any shortfalls in the three charts.) The Lithuanian player is simply trying to throw as many monkey wrenches as he can into Muscovy’s plans by keeping up pressure on various fronts, military and geographical (the map) as well as political (the charts).

There is a 22-turn campaign game, and there are five shorter scenarios.