Despite the generic heading of this article, it is in no way intended as a comprehensive review, simply a brief synopsis of personal impressions.

THEME
In keeping with other ‘Euro-style’ games, the appeal of PERIKLES is not to the hard-core wargamer who can more effectively indulge his or her ambition to be Strategos in PELOPONNESIAN WAR (Victory Games) or the more recent EPIC OF THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR (Clash of Arms). To the general audience, however, wishing to experience something of the political factionalism and military operations of this great conflict, PERIKLES is an ideal introduction.
Uppermost in my mind when determining the appeal of a game is its ‘Playability’ (not to mention ‘Re-playability’). In this respect, PERIKLES succeeds; its mechanisms are simple yet effective mechanisms; it generates options for a multiplicity of strategies; and it provides an agreeable ambience (I tend to gag on the word ‘flavour’), which encourages light-hearted, friendly interaction around a table, completely obviating the requirement for obsessive focus and overheated brain activity so prevalent in more dedicated wargames.
A recent session played with a mixed group of ages ranging from eight to fifty-eight, most of whom had never played such a game before, amply demonstrated its ‘across the board’ appeal (no pun intended).
If you are seeking an historical simulation, then try one of the two games mentioned above. PERIKLES is not designed to meet those parameters. Instead it emphasises ambience and overall ‘feel’ as opposed to the minutiae of strategic planning and tactical simulation. There are no historical personalities and the various factions (referred to in the game as families) are not even given names (unlike, for example, PRINCES OF THE RENAISSANCE and WALLENSTEIN), and while this may disappoint those who like a more authentic frame of reference, I must confess that even for a gamer, like myself, brought up on Thucydides and miniature re-enactments of the battles of the Greek Wars, PERIKLES offers a refreshing change of pace and style.

COMPONENTS
An important feature of this breed of boardgames is the attention given to production values which have soared in past years, due chiefly no doubt to the competition from the computer games industry. PERIKLES is no exception and while the general layout may appear straightforward - almost simplistic perhaps – there is a satisfactory feel to the board and tile artwork, rendering them both functional and pleasing to the eye. The use of coloured cubes to represent influence is another inspired feature which abstracts and simplifies what might otherwise be a complex idea.
My habit (one might almost say ‘obsession’) with any new game is to create my own player-aids. With PERIKLES, I have made five laminated cards in the various faction colours, each containing spaces for Influence, Location and Special tiles, as well as boxes for the leader counters. A trifle fastidious perhaps, but then touches like that tend in my view to make a game more appealing and can be added to the plethora of charts, tables and tuckboxes produced by other avid gamers.

RULES
One of the most important criterion by which any game should be judged is the manner in which the rules are laid out; how well they read at first sight and after scrutiny; how easily they are interpreted and implemented. It is a feature of PERIKLES that the rule-writing exhibits the essential three ‘Cs’ – They are Clear, Concise and Comprehensive. The rules need only one or two readings; the mechanics are common-sense, not complex; the game does not require constant reference to charts or tables; and it can be taught to novices within ten minutes as the above-mentioned session demonstrated.
The mechanics for resolving battles have given rise to some debate, some feeling they detract from the flow of the game or place too much emphasis on luck. I believe it’s a case of personal taste – whether you choose to place your forces hidden (as the rules prescribe) or openly displayed (if you want to reduce the random factor), the game allows you to make minor adjustments without disrupting the overall flow.
For example, I tend to delay revealing the Location tiles until the Influence and Voting phases are complete. This prevents players from gaining an omniscient view of the upcoming campaign when deciding which cities to invest influence in. Again, it’s a rule which is open to amendment. It doesn’t need a Forum discussion – simply an agreement among the players.

CONCLUSIONS
I was attracted to PERIKLES not simply because I was interested in the period of Ancient History with which it deals, but also because I specifically did not want another complex, historically authentic wargame. PERIKLES offers more with each replay and rewards long-term strategic thinking. Luck, of course, plays its part but that’s the appeal of all games in my view. I do not thrill, like some, to the notion of having total control over my forces, where all the odds have been calculated beforehand and I can ‘play the percentages.’ What gets my adrenalin pumping is when, in spite of all my careful scheming, Fate can still intervene to ruin the best laid plans.
Who understood this better than the Ancient Greeks themselves?