{"id":3999,"date":"2015-01-09T10:23:26","date_gmt":"2015-01-09T10:23:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/?p=3999"},"modified":"2024-08-09T18:37:22","modified_gmt":"2024-08-09T18:37:22","slug":"attila","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/blog\/2015\/01\/09\/attila\/","title":{"rendered":"Attila"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Attila-couv\"<\/a><\/p>\n

En 451, la bataille des champs catalauniques, en Champagne, marqua l\u2019extr\u00eame avanc\u00e9e vers l\u2019Ouest des nomades Huns, venus d\u2019Asie centrale. Elle opposa l\u2019arm\u00e9e romaine du g\u00e9n\u00e9ral Flavius Aetius \u00e0 la horde d\u2019Attila, mais on aurait tort d\u2019y voir l\u2019affrontement entre la civilisation et la barbarie. L\u2019arm\u00e9e d\u2019Aetius comptait sans doute plus de cavaliers wisigoths que de l\u00e9gionnaires romains, et, aussi surprenant que cela paraisse aujourd\u2019hui, les deux chefs d\u2019arm\u00e9e se connaissaient bien. Aetius, entre 405 et 408, avait \u00e9t\u00e9 envoy\u00e9 comme otage de Rome \u00e0 la cour du roi des huns Alaric. Entre 408 et 412, le prince Hun Attila avait \u00e0 son tour s\u00e9journ\u00e9 \u00e0 la cour de Rome, o\u00f9 les deux jeunes aristocrates s\u2019\u00e9taient li\u00e9s d\u2019amiti\u00e9.
\nAux champs catalauniques, c\u2019est Aetius qui l\u2019emporta, mais les Huns d\u2019Attila \u00e9taient encore mena\u00e7ants, capables de mener des raids sur le nord de l\u2019Italie. Ce n\u2019est qu\u2019apr\u00e8s la mort subite d\u2019Attila, en 453, durant la nuit de noces de son cinqui\u00e8me ou sixi\u00e8me mariage, que les Huns, divis\u00e9s, commenc\u00e8rent \u00e0 refluer vers l\u2019Asie. Aetius fut, quant \u00e0 lui, assassin\u00e9 sur les ordres de l\u2019empereur Valentinien, qui voyait dans le g\u00e9n\u00e9ral victorieux un potentiel rival – l\u2019un de ses conseillers lui reprocha d\u2019avoir \u00ab\u00a0tranch\u00e9 sa main droite avec sa main gauche\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n

\"Attila-proto\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Si les jeux de cartes \u00e0 information imparfaite et plus ou moins manipulable sont devenus ma sp\u00e9cialit\u00e9, ils n\u2019ont jamais \u00e9t\u00e9 mon seul centre d\u2019int\u00e9r\u00eat ludique. Il fut un temps, il y a bien longtemps, o\u00f9 je ne jouais pas trop mal aux \u00e9checs, au go ou \u00e0 l\u2019awele. J\u2019en ai gard\u00e9 un certain int\u00e9r\u00eat pour les jeux de strat\u00e9gie abstraits et tout particuli\u00e8rement les jeux d\u2019empilement, d\u2019alignement ou de blocage – surtout lorsqu\u2019ils sont relativement simples et rapides.
\nCet int\u00e9r\u00eat n\u2019a pas suscit\u00e9 beaucoup de cr\u00e9ations, parce qu\u2019il est un peu vell\u00e9itaire, parce que j\u2019ai peu d\u2019occasions de jouer \u00e0 deux, et parce qu\u2019en mati\u00e8re de jeux simples et abstraits, il est facile d\u2019avoir des id\u00e9es mais rare d\u2019en avoir qui soient vraiment originales. Il y a une quinzaine d\u2019ann\u00e9es, j\u2019avais ainsi con\u00e7u, \u00e0 la mani\u00e8re d\u2019une trilogie, trois jeux de strat\u00e9gie minimalistes. L\u2019un a \u00e9t\u00e9 publi\u00e9 sous le nom de Baylone, puis am\u00e9lior\u00e9 pur devenir Soluna. Un second a \u00e9t\u00e9 abandonn\u00e9 lorsque je me suis aper\u00e7u qu\u2019il \u00e9tait quasiment identique au Six de Steffen M\u00fchlha\u00fcser – et c\u2019est d\u2019ailleurs ainsi que j\u2019ai rencontr\u00e9 l\u2019\u00e9diteur de Soluna. Le troisi\u00e8me s\u2019est d\u2019abord appel\u00e9 Cavalcade.<\/p>\n

\"pic2375883_lg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Comme Babylone \/ Soluna, Cavalcade \/ Attila est un jeu de blocage dans lequel le joueur qui n\u2019a plus aucun coup possible a perdu. La premi\u00e8re version se jouait sur un plateau carr\u00e9 de trois cases de c\u00f4t\u00e9. Chacun y disposait de trois cavaliers d\u2019\u00e9chec, et le but \u00e9tait, d\u00e9j\u00e0, d\u2019immobiliser l\u2019autre joueur. Vous pouvez essayer, c\u2019est lassant si l\u2019on peut reculer, et pas tr\u00e8s int\u00e9ressant si l\u2019on ne peut pas. Pourtant, j\u2019ai toujours gard\u00e9 cette id\u00e9e dans un coin de ma t\u00eate. Il y a une dizaine d\u2019ann\u00e9es, je l\u2019adaptai pour un projet collectif, finalement jamais publi\u00e9, de recueil de r\u00e8gles pour jouer avec le mat\u00e9riel du jeu babylonien d\u2019Ur, dont les r\u00e8gles authentiques ne sont pas connues mais dont il est probable que c\u2019\u00e9tait un jeu de course de la famille du backgammon. Finalement, il y a deux ans, m\u2019est venu l\u2019id\u00e9e d\u2019ajouter \u00e0 mon jeu un deuxi\u00e8me m\u00e9canisme, celui des cases qui disparaissent, emprunt\u00e9 \u00e0 Isola, de Bernd Kienitz, un jeu que j\u2019ai jou\u00e9 dans ma jeunesse. Cela permettait d\u2019agrandir le plateau de jeu et d\u2019avoir enfin des parties vraiment diff\u00e9rentes les unes des autres, donnant enfin au jeu la rejouabilit\u00e9 qui lui manquait. Les cases qui disparaissent sugg\u00e9raient l\u2019herbe qui ne repousse pas, ce qui donna au jeu son th\u00e8me et son nom, Attila. Bien s\u00fbr, il semblerait th\u00e9matiquement plus coh\u00e9rent que ce soit toujours la case d\u2019o\u00f9 le dernier cheval a saut\u00e9 qui soit d\u00e9truite, mais vous pouvez essayer, cela ne fonctionne pas.
\nAttila est donc un jeu de strat\u00e9gie abstrait mais, comme Soluna, c\u2019est un jeu simple et tr\u00e8s rapide, qui se joue en une quinzaine de coups, et dans lequel le vainqueur est donc celui qui aura su anticiper un coup plus t\u00f4t que l\u2019adversaire, ou celui qui aura su rapidement se cr\u00e9er plus d\u2019ouvertures, plus de \u00ab\u00a0libert\u00e9s\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n

\"Attila-pions\"<\/a><\/p>\n

C\u2019est donc avec un plateau de 5 x 5 cases, six cavaliers d\u2019\u00e9checs, et quelques jetons pour indiquer les cases \u00e0 l\u2019herbe pi\u00e9tin\u00e9e, que j\u2019arrivais fin 2013 \u00e0 Essen – o\u00f9 le jeu convainquit aussit\u00f4t l\u2019\u00e9quipe de Blue Orange. Thierry Denoual, lui-m\u00eame auteur de jeux de strat\u00e9gie comme Gobelet ou Dragon Face, eut ensuite l\u2019id\u00e9e du plateau de jeu modulaire, qui permet l\u00e0 encore de donner aux parties physionomies tr\u00e8s diff\u00e9rentes.
\nJ\u2019ai \u00e9t\u00e9 assez surpris lorsque j\u2019ai re\u00e7u les premi\u00e8res croquis de l\u2019\u00e9diteur. Attila \u00e9tant un jeu de strat\u00e9gie abstrait, je m\u2019attendais \u00e0 un traitement sobre et classique, avec des cavaliers d\u2019\u00e9checs beige set bruns, et pas du tout \u00e0 des petits mickeys. J\u2019aimais beaucoup, mais j\u2019ai quand m\u00eame demand\u00e9 aux gens de Blue Orange s\u2019ils \u00e9taient s\u00fbrs de leur coup, et s\u2019ils pensaient qu\u2019un style l\u00e9ger, rappelant vaguement Ast\u00e9rix, pouvait convenir \u00e0 un jeu de ce type. Ils m\u2019ont r\u00e9pondu que \u00e7a avait l\u2019air de marcher pour Battle Sheep, et qu\u2019ils avaient donc tr\u00e8s consciemment fait le choix de continuer comme cela. C\u2019est leur m\u00e9tier, ils savent ce qu\u2019ils font !<\/p>\n

Attila<\/strong>
\n Un jeu de Bruno Faidutti<\/span>
\nIllustr\u00e9 par Cyril Bouquet<\/span>
\n 2 joueurs \u2013 10 minutes<\/span>
\n Publi\u00e9 par Blue Orange Games (2015) <\/span>
\nLudovox<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tric Trac<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Boardgamegeek<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"pic2375881_lg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In 451 AD, the westward expansion of the Hun, nomads coming from Central Asia, was suddenly stopped at the battle of the Catalaunian plains, in Champagne. The Battle opposed the Roman army led by the general Flavius Aetius and the horde of Attila, but it was not, as we imagine it now, a clash of two worlds ignorant of each other, of civilization and barbarism. There were probably more visigoths riders than roman legionaries in Aetius\u2019 army, and, surprisingly, the two generals knew each other well. The young Aetius had been sent as a hostage to the Hun court of Alaric, between 405 and 408. Then, between 408 and 412, the Hun prince Attila had been a hostage at the Roman court, where the two young aristocrats came to know each other, and became friends.
\nAetius won the battle, but the Huns were still strong and menacing, launching successful raids into northern Italy. It\u2019s only after Attila\u2019s sudden death during his wedding night with his fifth or sixth wife, in 453, that the Huns split up and retreated into Asia. As for Aetius, he was assassinated under orders from the emperor Valentinian, who saw a possible rival under the victorious general. According to one of his counselors, the Emperor had cut his right hand with his left one.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Attila-proto\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Card games in which imperfect information can be more or less manipulated by the players have become my specialty, but they have never been my only trade. A few decades ago, I was quite a good player at Chess, Go or Awele. I\u2019m still more or less interested in abstracts, especially stacking, alignment and blocking games, especially simple and fast paced ones.
\nThis passing interest didn\u2019t produce many games, because it\u2019s indecisive, because I have few opportunities to play two players games, and because it\u2019s easy to have ideas for abstract games, but very rare to have really original ones. Fifteen years ago, I devised a light trilogy, a series of three minimalistic abstract strategy games. One has been published as Babylon, then improved to become Soluna. I had to abandon the second one when I found out it was nearly identical with Steffen M\u00fchlha\u00fcser\u2019s Six – but that\u2019s how I got in contact with Steffen, who now publishes Soluna. The third one was first named Cavalcade.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"pic2375883_lg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Like Babylon \/ Soluna, Cavalcade \/ Attila is a blocking game in which the player who can\u2019t play loses the game. The first version was played on a 3 x 3 square board. Each player had three pieces moving like Chess knights, starting from one side of the board. You can try – it\u2019s boring and repetitive if knights can move backwards, and automatic and uninteresting if they cannot. I long kept this idea in a corner of my head (can you say this in English ?). Ten years ago, I adapted for an ambitious collective project that was never finalized, a compendium of rules that can be played with the components of the Babylonian game of Ur, whose exact rules are not known – though it very probably was a race game of the Backgammon family. Lately, two years ago, I thought of adding a second system to my game, a shrinking board with disappearing spaces, an idea borrowed from a game I played as a child, Bernd Kinietz\u2019s Isola. Combined with a much larger board, this made for more variety and replayability. The disappearing spaces also gave the game a fitting theme, Attila, who is supposed to have said that \u00ab\u00a0where my horse has passed, grass doesn\u2019t grow again\u00a0\u00bb. Of course, it would be thematically better if the space removed from the board were always the space left by the moved knight, but unfortunately it makes the game less interesting – you can try if you want.
\nAttila is an abstract strategy game but, like Soluna, it\u2019s a very light and fast paced one. A full game is about fifteen moves. To win, one must anticipate one more move than the opponent, or manage to always keep one more possible move, one more liberty – like in Go.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Attila-pions\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I arrived at the 2013 Essen fair with a small box containing a 5 x 5 board, six chess knights and a few black trampled grass tokens. The Blue Orange team liked it at once, and we had a deal before the end of the fair. Thierry Denoual, who has designed great abstract games like Gobblet or Dragon Face, had the idea of the modular board, adding even more variety.
\nI was surprised when I received the first sketches from the publisher. Since Attila is an abstract game, I was imagining something very sober and classic, with beige and brown chess like knights, not Disneyish cartoons. I asked the Blue Orange guys if they were confident such a light and humorous style could fit with an abstract game. They answered that it seemed to work for Battle Sheep, so they had very consciously decided to do it again. Well, that\u2019s their job, let\u2019s hope they were right !
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Attila<\/strong>
\nA game by Bruno Faidutti
\nGraphics by Cyril Bouquet
\n2 players \u2013 10 minutes
\nPublished by Blue Orange Games (2015)
\nBoardgamegeek<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Attila<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

En 451, la bataille des champs catalauniques, en Champagne, marqua l\u2019extr\u00eame avanc\u00e9e vers l\u2019Ouest des nomades Huns, venus d\u2019Asie centrale. Elle opposa l\u2019arm\u00e9e romaine du g\u00e9n\u00e9ral Flavius Aetius \u00e0 la horde d\u2019Attila, mais on aurait tort d\u2019y voir l\u2019affrontement entre … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[284],"tags":[283,322,323,378,406],"class_list":["post-3999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-attila","tag-attila","tag-blue-orange","tag-cyril-bouquet","tag-soluna-babylone","tag-two-player-game-jeu-a-deux"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s2HNOP-attila","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3999","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3999"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3999\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17408,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3999\/revisions\/17408"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3999"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3999"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/faidutti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3999"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}