A Renaissance Tale of Strategy and Story

Grifoni: Blades for Hire by Ludus Magnus Studio transports players straight into Renaissance Italy, where mercenary companies decide the fate of city-states and noble families. As commanders of the legendary Grifoni Company, players must manage resources, recruit mercenaries, acquire equipment, and navigate branching storylines that define their legacy. This is not a game of dice-chucking battles or light skirmishes. Instead, it blends euro-style worker placement with narrative-driven decision-making, offering a layered and thoughtful experience.

The core premise is simple yet ambitious: will your mercenary band be remembered for deeds of Glory or feared for ruthless Supremacy? Your answer isn’t just thematic—it directly impacts how the game unfolds and how your final reputation is measured.

The Blend of Euro Mechanics and Narrative Structure

At its heart, Grifoni is a eurogame. Worker placement drives much of the action: players dispatch their Squires to the camp’s various tents, each tent granting different benefits—hiring new mercenaries, gathering resources, forging equipment, or influencing the balance of power. The efficiency of your choices determines how well-prepared your band will be for the dangerous missions ahead.

What elevates the game beyond pure resource optimization is the Book of Adventures. This narrative system introduces plot choices at key moments, branching the story depending on the balance of Glory and Supremacy across the table. Players’ decisions shift not only the current adventure but also end-game scoring conditions, creating a living storyline tightly connected to the mechanical engine of the game.

The Glory and Supremacy System

One of the most striking features of Grifoni is the dual-axis Glory/Supremacy track. Unlike many euros where victory points are abstract, here your reputation is shaped by the balance of honorable deeds versus ruthless dominance. Glory represents prestige and noble recognition; Supremacy reflects raw intimidation and power. Both tracks provide opportunities and challenges, and both can lead to victory if managed well.

This system adds depth to the experience. It rewards thematic decision-making—whether you lead as a charismatic commander who inspires loyalty or as a cold strategist feared by rivals. Importantly, the system doesn’t punish you for leaning one way or the other; instead, it embraces both playstyles, ensuring variety and replayability.

Mercenaries and Equipment: Building Your Band

Recruiting mercenaries is a cornerstone of the game. Each mercenary comes with distinct stats, classes, and skills that can alter your strategy. Some excel in brute force, others in cunning manipulation, while others bring utility through unique abilities. Pairing the right mercenaries with matching equipment creates satisfying synergies and strategic opportunities.

Equipment, too, is not just a static bonus. Weapons, armor, and relics give tangible advantages in completing missions, but they also occupy space in your wagon, tying logistics to strategic choices. Overloading your wagon might provide short-term power but risks reducing your travel distance and limiting your tactical options. This tension between resource management and efficiency is where Grifoni shines as a eurogame.

Story-Driven Quests and Tasks

Beyond the numbers, Grifoni thrives on its story moments. Quests and tasks—drawn from the four location boards and the surrounding camp—are where your mercenaries prove their worth. Each task comes with requirements of distance and power, ensuring players must carefully balance their lineup. Success brings rewards: resources, equipment, or influence over the power balance.

Crucially, these tasks often culminate in narrative decisions. Escorting a noble’s daughter could end honorably or turn into a ransom scheme. Protecting caravans might be a chance to negotiate or to strike fear through bloodshed. These branching outcomes align with the Glory/Supremacy axis, reminding players that every decision carries weight both narratively and mechanically.

The Wagon as a Personal Command Center

Every player manages a personal wagon board, and it becomes the visual centerpiece of your faction. The wagon houses your mercenaries, equipment, and resources, while also tracking your Glory, Supremacy, Ambition, and Legacy cards. It serves both as a thematic anchor—your traveling command post—and a mechanical hub of logistics.

The wagon introduces a clever tension: the more loaded it becomes, the more limited your movement. Empty wagons travel far; overloaded ones slow down. This design ensures that resource management is not only about what you have, but also about how much you can carry without compromising mobility

Verdict

Grifoni: Blades for Hire is a standout in the Ludus Magnus Studio catalog and a strong entry in the euro-narrative hybrid genre. It combines worker placement, resource management, and branching storytelling in a way that feels both strategic and alive. The Glory/Supremacy system ensures every choice matters, and the wagon management creates a tangible sense of command.

With its beautiful production, deep replayability, and thoughtful integration of mechanics and theme, Grifoni deserves attention from board gamers across Europe, the Americas, and beyond. It is a game that respects both sides of the hobby: the analytical euro mindset and the immersive thematic experience.

In conclusion, Grifoni: Blades for Hire is a rich and rewarding board game that will shine in collections where strategy and story are equally valued. Ludus Magnus Studio has once again delivered a design that feels ambitious, polished, and memorable. Whether you aspire to be remembered as a glorious hero or a ruthless commander, Grifoni offers a journey worth taking.

– David & Greg

Hype & Hopes: 8.0/10