Griffins: Blades for Hire
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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
Tonight you decide whether the Gryphons will be remembered as heroes or feared as tyrants. The Renaissance's most legendary mercenary company is in your hands, and every contract signed tells us who you truly are.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Mercenaries, contracts, and choices that define your legacy
Designed by Vieri Pellegrini with illustrations by Simone Murgia, Gryphons: Blades for Hire is set in the Italian Renaissance of the Nova Aetas Chronicles universe. You are the commander of a mercenary band in the legendary Gryphon Company, and every decision you make—from markets to missions, negotiations to betrayals—writes your story. A eurogame that intertwines worker placement, resource management, and branching narrative in a system where moral choices matter as much as tactical ones.
At the table, you alternate between a story phase, where the Adventure Book presents narrative dilemmas that influence future events, and a management phase, where you recruit mercenaries, acquire equipment, and assign missions. The Glory/Supremacy system offers two paths to victory: pursuing honor and prestige through noble actions, or imposing your will with ruthless methods. Different playstyles, different goals, different rewards. Ultimately, whoever has the most Victory Points leads the Company. But will they be remembered as a hero or as a tyrant?
What they say abroad
A system where your moral choices aren't just flavor: they are pure mechanics that open different paths to victory.
— FroGames
The Italian Renaissance like you've never played it: markets, contracts, swords. And a book that remembers what you did.
— FroGames
Grifoni: Blades for Hire
The solo mode was unlocked as a social stretch goal during the Kickstarter. The game adapts the system to offer dedicated challenges, but the experience loses the competition for contracts and mercenaries that characterizes multiplayer. A good alternative if you love narrative worker placement, but the heart of the game remains the tension between players.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and play sessionsThe company's tools
What you bring to the field each round
Mercenaries
You recruit troops with different abilities: archers, swordsmen, scouts. Each mercenary is a worker you place on different actions. Who you choose defines what you can do.
Contracts
Dangerous missions that offer rewards and Victory Points. You assign mercenaries, equip them well, and hope they return alive. Some contracts favor Glory, others Supremacy.
Equipment
Weapons, armor, tools: everything is bought in the markets. The right equipment makes the difference between a successful mission and a disaster. Manage resources carefully.
Adventure Book
Presents narrative choices that influence future events. Decisions made in one Act open or close paths in subsequent ones. It's not just story: it's branching mechanics.
In a few hours, you'll know if the Gryphons remember you as the commander who led them to glory, or as the one who sold honor for profit. Both paths lead to victory. But only one is yours.
A game in five acts
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The Company takes shape
First few minutes: choose your starting mercenaries, read the prologue of the Adventure Book, understand who you are. Some immediately aim for Glory, some sniff out dark contracts. The table is full of possibilities.
The first contract changes everything
Someone signs a noble mission. Someone else chooses a dirty but lucrative contract. The Glory/Supremacy system begins to diverge: those who accumulate Glory unlock different objectives than those who accumulate Supremacy. Strategies separate here.
The Book remembers
Mid-game, story phase: the Adventure Book presents a dilemma. The choice you make now either opens or closes future paragraphs. Those who betrayed earlier find closed doors. Those who acted with honor gain allies. The narrative is not decoration: it is branching.
The final sprint for contracts
Last rounds: resources are scarce, the best mercenaries are contested, the most lucrative contracts require expensive equipment. Some calculate Victory Points with surgical precision. Some hope the last mission goes well. The tension is managerial, not chaotic.
Who commands the Gryphons
End of game: sum up your Victory Points. Whoever has the most points leads the Company. But the score doesn't tell the whole story. Someone won with Glory, someone else with Supremacy. Two different victories, two different legacies. The table discusses who was truly the best commander.
How to play
The flow of each Act
The game unfolds in a series of Acts, each with two distinct phases: story and management.
Open the Adventure Book, read the current paragraph, make a narrative choice. The decision influences future events and can unlock or block narrative paths in subsequent Acts.
You place workers to recruit mercenaries, acquire equipment from markets, and sign contracts. Resources are limited, spaces are contested. You must plan well what you need for missions.
Choose which contracts to complete, assign mercenaries and equipment. Some contracts favor Glory (noble actions), others Supremacy (ruthless methods). You complete missions and collect rewards.
Resolve end-of-Act effects, update Glory/Supremacy tracks, prepare for the next Act. The Adventure Book records your choices and prepares new branching paragraphs for what follows.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Branching mechanical narrative
The Adventure Book is not just text: narrative choices open or close future paths. Those who betray in the second Act find lost allies in the third. Those who act with honor unlock exclusive missions. The story is a decision tree, not a linear path.
Glory/Supremacy System
Two parallel tracks, two opposing philosophies. Accumulate Glory with noble actions and unlock honorable objectives. Accumulate Supremacy with ruthless methods and impose your will. Different play styles, different rewards, different victories.
Mercenaries as specialized workers
You don't place neutral meeples: you recruit mercenaries with unique abilities. An archer can do things a swordsman cannot. Who you field determines which actions are available. The composition of the band matters.
Tactical equipment
Weapons and armor are not just decoration: they are resources that influence the success of missions. A dangerous contract without adequate equipment is a risk. Invest in markets or accept losses.
Multi-use contracts
Each contract can be completed in different ways. Some favor honorable approaches (Glory), others brutal methods (Supremacy). The same mission can be resolved ethically or not, with different consequences on your track.
Historical-fantasy Italian Renaissance
Nova Aetas Chronicles setting: the Renaissance you know, with a layer of alternate history. Florentine markets, Venetian contracts, swords and intrigues. Thematic without being heavy, detailed without being didactic.
How it ends
How to win
At the end of the game, whoever has the most Victory Points leads the Gryphon Company. But the way you win tells you who you are.
Victory
- Complete lucrative contracts (Glory or Supremacy) to accumulate Victory Points.
- Unlock special objectives on the Glory (honor) or Supremacy (power) track.
- Build an efficient band of mercenaries and equipment to maximize mission rewards.
What costs you points
- Failing missions due to lack of equipment or inadequate mercenaries.
- Ignoring the Glory/Supremacy track: those who don't specialize miss out on exclusive objectives.
- Superficial narrative choices: the Adventure Book punishes those who don't plan for future consequences.
A Eurogame where moral choices are mechanics, not just flavor. If you want a narrative worker placement that asks you who you truly are, the Gryphons await.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Grifoni: Blades for Hire
Is the Adventure Book just text or does it truly influence the game?
It definitely influences. Narrative choices open or close future paragraphs, unlock exclusive missions, and modify the conditions of subsequent Acts. It's not passive storytelling: it's a branching decision tree that changes the game. Those who betray in the second Act find closed doors in the third.
Does the Glory/Supremacy system actually work or is it just thematic?
It works. They are two parallel tracks with different objectives and rewards. Those who accumulate Glory unlock honorable missions and noble allies. Those who accumulate Supremacy impose their will with ruthless methods and gain power. Two play styles, two possible victories. You cannot maximize both.
Is it too complex for those who don't play heavy Eurogames?
Medium-heavy weight (3.25 on BGG), it's not a gateway game. The two-phase structure (story + management) requires planning, but the rules are learned in one game. If you have already played classic worker placement games (Lords of Waterdeep, Agricola) and want more narrative, you are in the target audience. If you are looking for a family game, no.
Is the solo mode complete or a fallback?
It is official (unlocked as a Kickstarter stretch goal) and offers dedicated challenges, but it loses the competition for contracts and mercenaries that characterizes multiplayer. It works well if you love narrative worker placement in solo, but the heart of the game is the tension between players.
Is it available in Italian?
This is the English language edition. The game includes text on cards, the Adventure Book, and contracts. A good understanding of written English is required to play.
Grifoni: Blades for Hire is a competitive Eurogame for 1-4 players, duration 60-90 minutes, recommended age 13+. Designed by Vieri Pellegrini and illustrated by Simone Murgia, the game combines worker placement, resource management, and branching narrative set in the Italian Renaissance of the Nova Aetas Chronicles universe. The Glory/Supremacy system offers two distinct victory paths: honor through noble actions or power with ruthless methods. The Adventure Book presents narrative choices that influence future events, creating structural replayability. Published by Ludus Magnus Studio, Grifoni: Blades for Hire is a narrative Eurogame for experienced players. Available on FroGames.it.
Griffins: Blades for Hire
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