The Hundred Years’ War of 1337: When Strategy Gaming Meets Larp

You, who are reading these lines—where virtues and vices clash within you—come and discover with us the events that led to the beginning of the Hundred Years’ War.

We find ourselves in the year 1337, when English kings held numerous estates on French soil and were in many ways more powerful than the King of France himself. The conflict began with disputes over control of the English wool trade in Flanders. Tensions peaked when the Count of Flanders arrested English merchants, and England responded with a trade embargo. This sparked an uprising—and ignited what would become a hundred-year struggle.

If you want to learn how this conflict unfolded and become part of its dramatic events yourself, you can experience this story through larp.

Why Was the Game Created?

Rostislav Hasi and his team have already produced several games. The first was The Crusade to Lithuania—more of a battle with a storyline. The second was The Poor People’s Crusade, originally created just for friends, but interest grew so significantly that they decided to design something new and similar—something from history that people usually don’t know much about. With the help of the team, they refined the mechanics from The Poor People’s Crusade, added new elements, and thus The Hundred Years’ War was born.

Working with the team is fantastic, and each member brings something of their own, making the game truly engaging. The game exists because its author enjoys writing stories and loves seeing players leave with new experiences, knowledge, and emotions. The fact that players keep coming back is a wonderful cherry on top.

Setting

The game takes place in Europe in the year 1337, spanning nearly all Western countries (and a few from North Africa). Each character begins with a special introductory scene that launches them into the unfolding story. Players portray generals, knights, queens and kings, merchants, artists, and agents of the era. Each character faces important decisions based on the historical situations they once encountered, and the story unfolds based on players’ choices—both through scripted scenes and through interactions among players.

The organizing team is quite large. Some members change between runs; many come from the “medieval circle” of friends with whom Rostislav organizes events, while others are enthusiastic newcomers. Often they are players who have already played the game several times and want to help improve it.

Initially, the number of players was set according to what a small core team could handle: they started with 15 players and gradually increased the number as more organizers joined. Today, the game offers 41 roles—28 male and 13 female characters. Cross-gender play is absolutely possible.

A major challenge was securing suitable locations. For maximum immersion, it was important to find medieval-looking spaces with practical facilities. Collaborations were successfully arranged with Švihov Castle and the parish in Domaslav. The goal isn’t historical reenactment accuracy at all costs, but rather comfort and intensity of experience.

A Combination of Board Game and Larp

The game is built on a unique combination of board-game strategy and larp elements. It deliberately blends logical thinking with emotional engagement—alternating between these approaches creates powerful, often deeply emotional experiences. Players may find themselves in situations that are thrilling, brutal, euphoric, despairing, or surprisingly intimate. Depending on preference, one can choose a character more focused on the strategic board-game aspects, more on roleplay and larp, or a balanced mix of both.

The core principle of the game lies in conflicts between characters (PvP). Every character strives to “win” and must influence others to achieve this—using all legitimate tools the system allows. However, this is not mindless aggression. Success depends on a combination of strategy, social skills, and cleverness.

Game Environment and Materials

The game features several main stations that serve as control centers. Medieval-style illuminated maps lie across the tables, with miniature soldiers and ships marked with flags. Players use a wide range of materials: trade commodity cards, agents, army sheets, and fleets. The economic system runs on period-styled metal coins used for active trade.

Particular emphasis is placed on maintaining a sustainable economy that players can develop—the more stable and profitable it becomes, the greater the character’s influence and ambitions.

Game Rounds and Dramatic Climaxes

The pace of the game is set by rounds, each representing half a year. At the end of each round, a moderator summarizes developments and the consequences of players’ actions. For example, a commander may maneuver an army on the map during a round—and when the outcome becomes clear, a dramatic scene or narrative climax follows.

Each participant has only limited time at the strategy table, which creates tension and forces prioritization. Between rounds, players can influence the situation through political negotiations, secret deals, trade exchanges, or agent operations.

Agents and Conflicts

Conflicts are the heart of the game and come in many forms. There are two types of agents: envoys, who carry out visible public actions, and spies, who operate secretly. Agents can significantly disrupt relationships—by espionage, assassination contracts, spreading information, or diplomatic missions.

Direct physical violence without mechanics is not allowed—a player with a sword cannot simply “stab” someone at will. Conflicts must arise through the game system. Preparation also includes a workshop on safe and sensitive handling of conflict themes, including those with sexual elements.

Character Types and Player Options

Players can take on roles such as rulers, commanders, admirals, artists, or merchants. Each category has short “guides” explaining essential principles and offering practical tips—how to rule effectively, how to command a pirate fleet, or how to dominate the economy.

Roles are not fixed forever. Story events can shift characters dramatically—a ruler may become a general, a merchant a political power broker, or an artist a powerful public figure. Mechanics reflect the tools each category has:

Commanders and admirals move figures on strategic maps and decide battles.
Artists create works that can be publicly presented, influencing the fame of others.
Merchants trade commodities and build economic strength.
Rulers shape diplomacy, construction, and national development.

Beyond purely gamist content, there are relationship-driven roles centered on ambition, influence, and drama—especially among artists—who often shape the game through social dynamics rather than mechanics.

Characters are prewritten and based on real historical figures and events, though reality is bent for dramatic purposes. A commoner may meet the most powerful ruler in Europe or experience a career leap historically unlikely. This flexibility supports dynamism and the possibility of “winning.”

Although character motivations are predefined, players have enormous freedom in how they pursue them—and how they influence the world. The blend of strategic mechanics and larp storytelling creates a narrative that cannot be easily predicted.

Each character begins with an individual introductory scene that cannot be influenced by others. New scenes may emerge dynamically as the game evolves—sometimes privately, sometimes publicly so others can react.

Players are provided with basic costumes, though many bring elaborate ones of their own. Historical accuracy is less important than comfort and atmosphere. Additional props are used whenever possible to enhance visual immersion.

Conclusion

The journey to realizing the game wasn’t easy. The greatest challenge was finding suitable venues—places with a kitchen, solid facilities, and ideally beds for players. That meant traveling to many unsuitable sites, gathering recommendations, and endless negotiations. Another difficulty was occasional unreliability from people—perhaps partly because we try to keep registration fees as low as possible. We don’t make the game for profit, but with friends and for friends—which is wonderful, though it sometimes has its costs.

All the greater is the joy of player feedback. The most frequent praise goes to the unusual combination of board-game strategy and larp, where personal emotions shape logical steps and strategic decisions. Players say this makes them truly feel the consequences of their actions. Great appreciation also goes to the organizing team, who manage to maintain atmosphere, support players, and together create a genuinely powerful experience.