Toussaint L’Ouverture and the slave insurrections in San Domingue (Haiti), the richest trading colony in the new world, truly shocked Western Nations. Not since Spartacus had slave rebellions succeeded on such a grand scale. However, this story cannot be confined to a single leader like Toussaint. It is far more complicated, riddled with intrigue and rife with defections. There is no shortage of villains, and heroes are often conflicted. On the surface the topic is obscure but the ramifications for this conflict were incredibly far-reaching.

Black Eagles is a card assisted, multi-player, area movement cube game that covers the period 1792-1804. Black Eagles is broken into four distinct scenarios: the "Rights of Man," or the introduction of republican ideals to the island; "Imperial Designs," or the invasion of English and Spanish forces; "Civil War," internal conflict between the Mulattos and the rebel leaders; and finally "LeClerc Invades," featuring Napoleon's attempt to restore slavery to the island.

Black Eagles allows 2 to five players to command one of five historical rebel leaders (Tousaint L'Ouverture included). Those not commanded by players become factions available for alliance, along with the Gross Whites, the Spanish, the French Europeans, and the English, each of whom provides the controlling player with a special ability. Alliances are fluid, as is the allegiance of the very units under your command. The more of the island's economy a player controls the more havoc he can cause with the funds he collects. On the other hand, the player who carries the least influence automatically controls the Petit Whites and no matter how weak a player is, he can always attack a stronger player's economic base.

Black Eagles is still in its infancy but early play testing has proven it to be well worthwhile. First scenario play is coming in under two hours. Components include a 24" by 36" map, 63 card events that affect play in one of four turn phases (Reinforcement, Movement, Combat, and Economic Phases. Cards also provide targets for Yellow Fever), player aids (that indicate scenario reinforcements and combat results), 200 8mm colored cubes (factional combat units), 40 bidding markers, and 50 other miscellaneous markers.