presentation

Hochverrat

six jurors for a verdict

Trial of Louis Riel after the revolt against the conservative Canadian government due to religious and ethnic conflicts over treaties between indigenous tribes and government in the western Canadian territories. To win, the prosecution must collect enough evidence, the defense must collect proof of the defendant’s insanity; both represented by points on evidence tracks; the prosecution must top 100, points, the defense must keep the score below 100.

Five phases correspond to five trial stages. 1. Selection of jury members – you play cards for the events they provide; prosecution and defense try to win support – English-speaking and protestant versus French-speaking and catholic. The main traits of the jurors are indicators for how they will most probably vote. At the end of the phase, the number of jurors is reduced to six. 2. + 3. Main Trial Part I and Main Trial Part II: You play cards for using their action points or for trial events; after the phases, you set aside the two last cards in hand. Events can relate to questioning witnesses, for instance, or presentation of evidence. Jurors can also be influenced directly. 4. Final pleas – you use previously set aside cards for action points or plea event. 5. Conferring of jurors and verdicts with evaluation of evidence tracks.

In the „What if?“ variant, the allies of Louis Riel, who did escape, are also standing trial.

A highly interesting game featuring challenging mechanisms using majorities, incomplete information and unexpected turn-abouts, all this using a topic that is ideally suited for a game for two players, offering an incredibly well made simulation of a jury trial.

Players: 2

Age: 12+

Time: 45+

Designer: Alex Berry

Artist: Tim Allen, atelier198

Price: ca. 36 Euro

Publisher: Frosted Games 2018

Web: www.frostedgames.de

Genre: Trial, simulation,

Users: For experts

Special: 2 players

Version: de

Rules: de en

In-game text: yes

Comments:

Asymmetrical but nicely balanced simulation

Challenging mechanisms

Card studying necessary

Compares to:

Schinderhannes for trial topic, otherwise asymmetrical card games

Other editions:

Victory Point Games (en)

Chance (pink): 1

Tactic (turquoise): 3

Strategy (blue): 2

Creativity (dark blue): 0

Knowledge (yellow): 0

Memory (orange): 0

Communication (red): 0

Interaction (brown): 3

Dexterity (green): 0

Action (dark green): 0