- BGG rank
- BGG #3,965
- BGG rating
- 6.9
A Brief History of the World
- 3–6 players
- 90–180 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2009
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- BGG #3,475
- BGG rating
- 7.1
7 Ages
2004
Rules assistance for 7 Ages
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–7 players
- 480 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for 7 Ages
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
7 Ages is a board game released in 2004 for 2–7 players, 480 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Harry Rowland and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Take That.
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About the game
7 Ages is a game of world history from 4000 BC/E to 2000 AD/CE. Players represent dynasties that decide the fate of the world across the millennia. You, as a dynastic head of one or more empires must guide your empires through history gaining glory points for historical, scientific, religious and cultural advances as you increase their health, wealth and prestige. All the leading figures of history are included, as they attempt to influence events and their society through their great words and deeds. Players can play multiple civilizations simultaneously (though the counter set limits the total number of civilizations that can be in play), but the first civilization card played determines the time frame in which the game starts, restricting which additional civilizations may actually be played and/or what historical leaders civilizations in play may use. This makes the secret bids to get the first move important to all players. The game features playing cards that represent either a historical civilization, an action, or a civilization advance, depending on the context in which the card is played. Each card also has a numeric value, used for making bids and trading. The game also features a system of a limited number of action options per player based on chits secretly selected by players each turn -- for example, if you are playing more than one civilization, only one can declare war, only one can take production, etc. There is a "wild" chit each player can use to let two of his or her civilizations take the same action, but the civilization using the wild chit pays a penalty. Victory points and civilization levels are plotted using an on-board scoring area. Game play can be quite long with more than two or three players, so most games end at a predetermined time or turn with the player with the most victory points from all his or her civilizations combined winning.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Australian Design Group
Questions and answers
7 Ages supports 2–7 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for 7 Ages is 480 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists 7 Ages for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
7 Ages has a complexity rating of 3.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
7 Ages belongs to these categories: Wargame, Napoleonic, and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Take That. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of 7 Ages are: Harry Rowland. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists 7 Ages as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.