Mission Statement

We’re three historians with an arguably unhealthy enthusiasm for the past, and we channel that energy into making tabletop games rooted in real, nuanced history. It’s a great time to be publishing in this space, and there’s plenty of excellent competition. So, for us to create games that truly earn a spot at your dining table and set us apart, we work from the following 10 core tenets:

1. History with teeth.
   No beating around the bush, thank you very much. We appreciate and very much embrace the ironic and sometimes absurd realities of history. These stories lend themselves wonderfully to the medium of board games.
   
   
2. Raw incentives. 
   We recognise that history is shaped by real human motives (and vices) such as ambition, rivalry, greed and ingenuity. We try our best to let those raw dynamics inform how our games play. It leads to decisions that feel grounded and delightfully human.
   
   
3. Calculated thrills.
   Strategy is at the core of our games, but a spark of luck keeps things exciting, with genuine moments of joy or despair. We don’t believe experience should guarantee victory; seasoned players should feel smart, but newcomers should stay competitive. That balance is what keeps the whole table engaged.
   
   
4. Chaos with boundaries.
   We love unpredictability (history is full of it), but we’re allergic to nonsense. Luck should add drama and tension, but should never automatically decide the winner.
   
   
5. No single path to glory.
   Games that reward a specific type of strategy over others aren't games really, are they? They're more like puzzles. We're in the business of creating games, not puzzles.
   
   
6. Diplomacy required.
   We make games where the social layer matters. The conversations and negotiations around the table are a core part of the experience. Humans are wonderfully illogical and unpredictable, and learning to navigate that is half the fun.
   
   
7. Balance of power.
   As history teaches, rapid ascendance invites resistance. We build our games with subtle counterbalances that stop any one player from running away with the game, not as punishment but as the natural consequence of ambition meeting opposition.
   
   
8. Thematic drivers.
   We start with the history that fascinates us, then explore how it behaves as a system. Once we understand the incentives and pressures of that world, we build mechanics that capture its spirit in a way that feels good to play.
   
   
9. Inclusivity.
   We take representation seriously. From illustrations and iconography to narrative framing, everything we create is designed to respect all cultures and backgrounds. Some time periods carry difficult historical realities, and it is our duty to approach these topics with care and sensitivity.
   
   
10. Built to be replayed.
    Our games are designed to evolve as players learn them. No two sessions should feel alike; the shifting incentives, player interactions, and strategic space make every playthrough fresh, with new stories emerging each time.