Solium Infernum
Satanic strategy with demonic divisions on hellish hexes
Hell may be other people, but getting those presumably extremely unmotivated and uncooperative other people to form into a mighty legion and fight for you must be a difficult undertaking. You can make diabolical threats, of course, but they’re already damned and tricky to persuade. Who’d want to rule Hell?
Astaroth would. In SoliumInfernum (that’s ‘only hell’ for the non-Latin speakers out there) Satan has disappeared, and the remaining top order of demons are left to fight it out for the throne. Hell is, conveniently, divided up into hexes, which turns the infernal regions into the perfect place for a spot of turn-based strategy, with the legions of the damned and their champions zooming about one hex at a time, carving up territory and taking out their frustrations on the local landmarks, which have suitably hellish names such as the Unholy Fountain and the Great Wheel of Pain.
As Astaroth, one of four greater demons vying for the top spot from their own fortress on the map, I start with a legion with an encouraging name: the Blood of Astaroth. After a few moves to carve out some territory –opposing forces can’t enter your hexes without the correct diplomatic status, politeness being so important in Hell –Iam able to upgrade my legion by bidding on the services of a Praetor, or champion, at the bazaar. This is a blind auction with a minimum bid, so it’s possible for an opponent to outbid you without you knowing anything until it’s announced who gets the huge bloodthirsty berserker in their army. Clearly no one else is bidding, as I win this one with the lowest amount of outlay –the money coming from tribute swept up by my marching forces –and welcome Bune (six eyes, horns, two tongues and an unreasonable number of teeth) to my legion.
COMBAT PLAYS OUT IN THREE PHASES – RANGED, MELEE AND INFERNAL
Bune likes to lead from the front, so I wheel my army and lay siege to the Vats of Torment, which seems important as another duke of hell is already firing arrows
