Jeux Descartes was a French publisher of
roleplaying games
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal ac ...
and
board games
Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well.
Many board games feature a comp ...
. Their most popular lines included:
Eurogames, a set of serious board games, previously published by
Duccio Vitale's independent company;
Blue Games, small card games for larger groups; and
Games for Two.
Jeux Descartes was founded in 1977 and went out of business in 2005. Their assets are now owned by former rival
Asmodée Éditions
Asmodee is a French publisher of board games, card games and role-playing games (RPGs). Founded in 1995 to develop their own games and to publish and distribute for other smaller game developers, they have since acquired numerous other board game ...
, and are sold under the ''Descartes Editeur'' imprint.
Products
Role-playing games
*
Malefices (1985-1994): An investigative horror roleplaying game set in
Belle Époque
The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque (; French for "Beautiful Epoch") is a period of French and European history, usually considered to begin around 1871–1880 and to end with the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era ...
France.
*
L'Appel de Cthulhu (1984-2005): A French translation of the Second Edition Call of Cthulhu rules.
Boardgames
Card games
Wargames
*
''Amirauté'' (1979): A set of tactical or strategic ship-level
World War II naval warfare miniatures rules. The rules simulated ship-to-ship combat, torpedoes, naval bombardment, and naval aviation.
*''
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
'' (1979): A wargame based on the
Dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
book series. Players play one of the factions: Bene Gesserit, Emperor Shaddam IV, Fremen, House Atreides, House Harkonnen or the Spacing Guild.
*''1870'' (1978): A division-level wargame simulating the
Franco-Prussian War.
*
''Les Aigles'': A set of
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
miniatures rules. The ''Boxed Set'' edition (1987) came with the wargame rule booklet and cardboard scenery pieces that could be assembled. The ''Rule Book'' edition (1990) was just the rules booklet by itself. The ''Supplement Number 1'' (1990) came with army lists for Austria and Russia, 14 scenarios, and colored cardboard unit chits.
*
''Serenissima'': An economy and warfare simulation set in an
Italian seaport during the
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
.
External links
Jeux Descartes official website
*
Board game publishing companies
Game manufacturers
{{board-game-stub