Virgin Queen is the sequel to Here I Stand, another card-driven game of grand strategy that covered the previous forty years (from Martin Luther’s posting of his 95 Theses in 1517 through the abdication of Charles V in 1556). Players familiar with Here I Stand will find much that is familiar in Virgin Queen: over half of the rulebook remains unchanged. New game systems have been put in place to emphasize the changing nature of the conflicts here in the late 16th Century:
• Religion: Streamlined from Here I Stand
• World Map: Oceanic expeditions are now under direct player control
• Diplomatic Influence: Alliances with minor powers are now made through a unified system
• Weddings: Now you will want to arrange marriages
• Patronage: invest in endeavors for the glory and advancement of the realm.
• Espionage: ask your ambassadors to spy on foreign courts