This game is a high-level strategic view of history. Details are cleverly simplified to make it playable and to emphasize the “cool stuff” of the period, like religious conflict, barbarian hordes, Byzantine politics, dynastic intrigue, scheming empresses, Greek Fire, Mongols, plagues, jihads, naval sieges, Khans, Caliphs, and Crusaders. Sword of Orthodoxy is meant to be a fun and challenging game on the salient themes of the actual period that whets the player’s appetite to learn more about this fascinating age.