Against the Odds Annual 2024 : Domesday - The Norman Conquest 1066-1106

Domesday – The Norman Conquest 1066–1106 is the featured game of the 2024 Against the Odds Annual, covering the Norman conquest of England and the decades of warfare and political turmoil that followed the Battle of Hastings.

When Edward the Confessor died in 1066, competing claims to the English throne led Harald Hardrada, Sweyn Estridsson, William of Normandy and Harold Godwinson to raise armies. William's victory at Hastings secured the crown, but the conquest was far from complete. Rebellions, invasions and conflicts between Norman lords continued for decades.

Domesday covers the period from 1066 to 1106 as a Card-Driven Game. Players control competing political and military factions and use cards either to trigger Events or to gain Action Points for activating their forces. Victory is achieved through territorial control, contesting or plundering areas, building cathedrals and towers, and ultimately establishing a leader as King of England.

The game features Normans, rebellious Barons, Saxons, Danes, Norse, Irish, Scots and Welsh, reflecting the complex political and military landscape of the British Isles during this period.

The Game

Players constantly have to decide how best to use their cards: trigger a historical event or spend them for Action Points to activate units.

Victory Points are earned through controlling and contesting areas, plundering territories, building cathedrals and towers, and advancing the political ambitions of the player's faction.

This creates a game where military operations are closely connected to political power and territorial development.

Contents

• 1 full-colour 22 × 34-inch map
• 108 playing cards
• 264 die-cut 5/8-inch counters
• 1 rulebook
• 1 player aid chart
• 1 six-sided die
• 2 pages of charts and tables
• 1 battle board display

Annual Magazine Contents

The 2024 Annual is also a deluxe-sized historical magazine, with a substantial collection of articles covering the Norman Conquest and its historical context.

The main contents include:

• DOMESDAY, by Philip Jelley
  • Where is the Battle of Hastings?
  • What Happened to King Harold?
  • Who Framed the Bayeux Tapestry?
  • Danegeld & Domesday
  • Wild, Wild Wales
  • See the Conquering Normans
• Turning Topsy Turvy, by Paul Rohrbaugh
• After the Conquest (Part One), by Paul Comben
• A Mad Dash, by Paul Rohrbaugh

Bonus Content

The Annual also includes additional game material.

A Killer Penguin
An expansion for Under Ten Flags: Hunting the Raider Atlantis 1939–1941, covering the cruise of the German merchant raider Pinguin.

Hangman's Hill – The Damned Die Hard
Additional material for Cities of the Damned, dealing with the fighting around Cassino.

Specifications

Our View

Domesday goes well beyond the traditional Battle of Hastings scenario, covering four decades of conquest, rebellion and political struggle.

Its Card-Driven Game system makes card management and the choice between Events and Action Points central to the gameplay. The presence of eight different factions also gives the game a strong political dimension, with territorial control, alliances and competing claims to the English throne playing an important role alongside military operations.

An excellent choice for players interested in medieval warfare, political wargames and the Norman Conquest, combining a complete historical wargame with a substantial magazine devoted to one of the defining periods of medieval English history.