Barbarians at the Gates is a take on the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 4th-5th centuries AD. Slightly reminiscent of the old SPI Fall of Rome and even Pandemic: Fall of Rome except with way more detail. The Roman player is trying to repel or settle (as Roman Allies) waves of invaders, as the Western Empire gradually crumbles. The Barbarian player is trying to disrupt Roman control of provinces by raiding (similar to Wilderness War or Bayonets & Tomahawks) and by seizing and settling in Roman cities (without becoming Roman allies). Relatively conventional point-to-point, card driven mechanics with all the necessary chrome layered on top. Lots of very cool "gotcha" card plays, such as taking a big barbarian wave and suddenly turning them into Roman Allies, or Roman "Usurper" Generals who suddenly decide that they are the "real" emperor until such time as they are put down - or in some desperate circumstances, the Roman player can decide the Usurper is the better bet and switch the Usurper faction to become the Loyalist faction and vice-versa!
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