Book excerpt: Field of Glory: Renaissance is designed in an approachable and easy to learn manner to allow players to concentrate on realistic deployments and battlefield tactics of the early modern era. The book captures the atmosphere of battles, ranging from the Italian Wars of the early sixteenth century through the conflicts of the standing armies of the end of the seventeenth century, not only in Europe but around the world. This period witnessed the dominance of massed pike formations on the open battlefield at the outset giving way to mixed formations of pike and shot until the widespread adoption of the socket bayonet made the pikeman virtually obsolete. After its near demise in western Europe in the late medieval ages, cavalry once again became a powerful force in battle and the introduction of the pistol led to the adoption and evolution of new tactics. Military thinkers of the time were much influenced by classical writers whose rediscovery led to an unprecedented period of experimentation in the practice of warfare. Gunpowder weapons only gradually achieved the supremacy acquired by the end of this period. The rulebook maintains the same production values as previous Field of Glory releases and is designed both to explain the game and be a reference guide when playing. To make the rules easier to follow, it includes examples, detailed descriptions and explanations of unusual situations.