Crown & Courage: The Last Hope of the Norwegian Resistance

In the Harsh Reality of Invasion

Resources are running low, the enemy is advancing on every front, and stress levels among both civilians and the army are approaching a breaking point. This is where a game of Crown & Courage begins - the new solo board game from Tompet Games. Building on the success of their previous hit, Halls of Hegra, the designers once again immerse players in the grim atmosphere of the early days of World War II.

Your mission is to guide the Norwegian royal family through dangerous territory to safety and secure the country's gold reserves during the events of April 1940. Gameplay revolves around a constant search for compromises. You'll have to decide where to commit your last resources: sabotaging enemy infrastructure, mobilizing civilians, or protecting the evacuation route. Every choice carries serious consequences, turning each session into a tense story where victory often comes at the cost of painful sacrifices.

The Art of Ruthless Calculation

At the heart of Crown & Courage lies an innovative tile-placement system. In this solo experience, which delivers 70-90 minutes of intense gameplay, there are no dice to rely on - survival depends entirely on careful planning.

By placing order tiles onto a dedicated grid, players then choose a single line - either a row or a column - to activate. Every tile in that line resolves in sequence, creating opportunities for powerful tactical combinations ranging from infrastructure sabotage to advancing the King toward safety. The real challenge comes from the interconnected design: the German AI uses the very same grid. A carelessly constructed line of orders may benefit you, but it can also trigger a devastating enemy counterattack. Players are free to determine the order in which their actions resolve, providing a crucial advantage in this ruthless game of cat and mouse where control can turn into complete chaos in an instant.

Crisis Management and the Economy of Stress

Crown & Courage is about more than movement across the map - it dives deep into the brutal economy of survival. The strategic layer revolves around ruthless resource management and keeping stress under control.

Norway's defenders and civilians are stretched to their limits. Every successful German advance steadily increases panic among both the army and the population. If stress reaches its breaking point, the nation collapses and the game is lost. Preventing that outcome means making difficult compromises at every turn. Limited resources must be divided between organizing acts of sabotage, maintaining civilian morale, and pursuing the ultimate objective: evacuating the monarch and the nation's treasure.

This oppressive atmosphere of desperate resistance is reinforced by the game's visual style. The work of artists Joeri Lefevre and Jog Brogzin transforms the map of Norway into a realistic theater of war where the loss of every city feels painfully tangible.

Your Role in History

Crown & Courage combines historical storytelling with a deep solo strategy experience in which nearly every mechanism is tightly interconnected. The game rewards long-term planning while constantly introducing new problems that force players to adapt.

It is demanding, unforgiving, and intentionally makes the road to victory extremely difficult. Yet this is precisely what makes every success feel truly earned.

For fans of tense decision-making, serious strategic challenges, and historical themes, the game offers a memorable experience where courage alone is not enough - success also demands calculation and perseverance.

Who will dare to guide Norway's future through its rugged hills and uncertain fate:

• fans of complex solo strategy games where every mistake has consequences;
• players who enjoy historical games inspired by real events;
• those who thrive under constant pressure and difficult decisions;
• lovers of deep puzzles and interconnected systems;
• and anyone who prefers stories of survival and resistance over grand military spectacles.

The Crown & Courage Kickstarter campaign has already brought together hundreds of players who share a passion for deep historical solo experiences. As the campaign approaches its conclusion on June 23, the contents of the box continue to expand through unlocked stretch goals. Since Tompet Games plans to distribute the game primarily through backers rather than major retail channels, now is the ideal time to secure a copy of this uncompromising solo adventure.



If you'd like to test your abilities as the leader of this desperate rescue mission before pledging, the publisher offers a chance to conduct some digital reconnaissance. A playable demo is already available online on Tabletopia.