Nec Pluribus Impar 

At the end of the War of the Austrian Succession, England is wounded but not dead. The successive defeats generated a large stock of bonus points (Treaty points). The management of these points is essential to get back in the race. Wasted on minor theatres, they won't be enough to reverse the tide. 

One of the major stakes of the Seven Years' War that is about to begin is the Battle of the Atlantic (already). This is the moment when English naval superiority will serve ( finally ). A success at sea can break the naval power of the other side for good. My opponent has understood this and he will try to pile on as many bonuses as possible to achieve this goal. He takes two bonus tiles and plays the "Byng" event which gives an extra +2 bonus. Faced with this combined power, I decide not to try to win but to do some crisis management by looking for a draw or a minor defeat that gives only a few victory points to the other side. 

In India, the situation is getting worse. England plays the "Hyder Ali" card which can be decisive in this theatre of operations. It allows the capture of two Indian allies, overthrowing the old alliances. I find myself in trouble where I didn't expect it. Nevertheless, I manage again the crisis by putting conflict on the Indian princes who betrayed me. 

The repeated English attacks have taken over part of the French domination. Fortunately, there is one area where I reign unchallenged, and that is the debt. I get one of the cards that allows me to gain victory points thanks to the debt gap. It's a full success. From now on, I am aiming for victory by score. I accept to lose militarily, which is cheap in VPs and in return, I dominate the trade that reduces my debt and increases my score. 

The Seven Years' War was a minor English victory. The English failed to dominate the Atlantic militarily and only narrowly won in the Americas and India. In Europe, French diplomacy was supreme. Little change in the score and some overseas conquests for the English. 

World state at the end of Seven Years war

The last round of peace before the American War of Independence saw the French score progress slowly towards 30 points. Now stifled by the financial efforts it had to make, the English no longer had any extraordinary resources. On the contrary, Minister Turgot allows France to gain two action points for a single point of committed debt. It's very effective when you've managed to preserve a comfortable margin. 

Unsurprisingly, the period of peace ends with 29 victory points in favour of the French. The war thus breaks out and empties the british's coffers. The perfidious Albion must recognise French domination over the world! 

This game was instructive. Imperial Struggle is like a long-distance race. It is impossible to win right away. You have to spare your efforts and push your opponent to the fault by making him accumulate penalties. Good management of your economy is just as important as winning on the battlefield. 

Considering the number of players and the tournaments organised, Imperial Struggle is undeniably a success. For my part, it will never be my favourite game of the period. Too "mathematical" and without epic breath. But it is worth the diversion and can serve as an entry point into an unjustly unknown period.