Both Monta The Rise of Isabel and Ferdinand 1470-1516

Both Monta The Rise of Isabel and Ferdinand 1470-1516 (Spanish Edition)

The year is 1469. The Iberian Peninsula has been divided into different caliphates and kingdoms over 700 years. The war – a part of the competition between Christians and Muslims called the Reconquista – has been the only constant. They have offered the hand of Isabel of Castile, aged 18, to both Portugal and France. Against the wishes of her brother, Henry IV, he rejects them both and instead runs away from her to marry her original fiancé, Ferdinand II. After five years, her brother dies and she becomes Queen of Castile. But can this fragile alliance survive the threats that surround it?

The year is 1469. The Iberian Peninsula has been divided into different caliphates and kingdoms over 700 years. The war – a part of the competition between Christians and Muslims called the Reconquista – has been the only constant. They have offered the hand of Isabel of Castile, aged 18, to both Portugal and France. Against the wishes of her brother, Henry IV, he rejects them both and instead runs away from her to marry her original fiancé, Ferdinand II. After five years, her brother dies and she becomes Queen of Castile. But can this fragile alliance survive the threats that surround it?

Tanto Monta: the Rise of Ferdinand and Isabella spans the peak of the Age of Discovery, from 1470 to 1516, and coincides with the early years of the period depicted in Here I Stand: Wars of the Reformation, 1517-1555. The game begins with the controversial ascension of Isabel to the throne of Castile, something disputed by the Portuguese-backed faction that supports Juana La Beltraneja. Ferdinand's possessions are threatened by the ongoing civil war against the forces of Catalonia, a faction often supported by France. How can these young people cope with these crises while continuing to pursue their attempts to unify the two kingdoms of Spain, subjugate the Canary Islands, and end the conquest of Granada?

Also in opposition to the Spanish player there are three emerging powers. Portugal has been involved in the exploration of West Africa under the supervision of Prince Henry the Navigator. Can they round the coasts of Africa and establish trade with the spice merchants in India? Meanwhile, the French, initially under the command of Louis XI the Prudent, are attempting to emerge from the Hundred Years' War against England and consolidate the crown's power over the nobles. As soon as they are ready to move south, the nation of France will compete with Spain for the lands from Navarre in the west to the independent cities of Italy in the east. Muslims continue to obstruct these ambitions, moreover. The Nasrid Kingdom of Granada will defend itself at all costs against invasions on its lands. The Kingdom of Fez in North Africa opposes attempts by Portugal to break its monopoly on the spice trade. And more Muslim forces from the Ottoman Empire and the Berber lands on the coast of Africa will surely provide aid in the future.

This is how the panorama remains on the battlefield, the diplomatic tables, and the oceans of the world in the face of competition between these four political and military entities. Will one of them be able to unify his lands and pave the way to a true global empire?

THE GAME

In a game of Tanto Monta, each of the four players leads a major power and a secondary power as follows:

• Spain (Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon)

• Muslims (Nasrid Kingdoms of Granada; North African Powers; Sultanates of Fez and Tremencen)

• Portugal (Kingdom of Portugal; Beltranejos Faction)

• France (Kingdom of France; Principality of Catalonia)

This is a game for 4 players, no more, no less.

A game lasts up to 7 turns, and each turn can last about 45 minutes. The winner is the one who reaches 45 victory points, with the possibility of automatic victories and domination.

The map represents the Western Mediterranean region and includes the Iberian Peninsula, southern and central France, the Italian Peninsula, and the Maghreb in North Africa. The Canary Islands are also represented. An additional exploration map shows Africa, the Indian Ocean, and the New World – where voyages of exploration and colonization can be made.

Based on the gameplay of Here I Stand and Virgin Queen, a turn begins by dealing cards from a shared deck to each player's individual decks (which provide unique actions for major and minor powers). After diplomatic negotiations and spring preparations, players play these cards as events or operations to carry out military, political, or explosive actions.