- BGG rating
- 7.6
After the Empire: Captain of the Guard
- 1–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,710
- BGG rating
- 7.4
After the Empire
2021
Rules assistance for After the Empire
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60–120 min
- 13+
- Complexity 3.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for After the Empire
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
After the Empire is a board game released in 2021 for 2–4 players, 60–120 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Ryan Mauk and Evan Halbert and its main mechanics are Worker Placement.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.9
After the Empire: Solo Mode
- 1 player
- 60–120 min
- 2022
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About the game
After the fall of Rome, Europe fell into the so-called "dark ages." From the chaos, feudalism arose providing stability to the region over the coming centuries. By the High Middle Ages, the region was prosperous despite much fighting. From your walled city, you are a medieval liege ruling the surrounding lands, settlements, and holdings granted by birthright. This is your fiefdom, and all within it owe fealty and allegiance to you above all others. Each other lord and lady rules a neighboring fiefdom and competes for resources in the unclaimed yet bountiful lands of the countryside between them. Tensions were high and petty feuds common between you and your neighbors until scouts reported a new and deadly threat. Invaders have swept in from the east! Their sizable army is camped on the edges of your realm, and this new common enemy endangers the entire land. Refugees from the fallen eastern lands seek shelter and bring tales of destruction. Old rivalries must be put aside to focus on the onslaught to come and remain unbroken. After The Empire is a worker placement/resource management game set in the middle ages. During each turn, known as a season, players alternate using worker tokens to take actions, such as gathering resources, building advanced buildings and recruiting refugees. Once all workers have been committed, players harvest food from their surrounding lands and then prepare for combat. During each season's combat, invader cards are revealed, with a randomized number of troops and compass direction of attack. Only the wealthiest of castles will draw the attention of larger forces and their siege weapons. You must repair your city and recruit and arm your troops quickly to stand any chance. The winner is the lord or lady who has best preserved their fiefdom and saved up the most gold. Your life, your wealth, your fiefdom, and your legacy must be protected at all costs!
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Gémklub
- Board Game Rookie
- CMON Global Limited
- Grey Fox Games
Questions and answers
After the Empire supports 2–4 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 After the Empire is 60–120 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 After the Empire for ages 13 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.
After the Empire has a complexity rating of 3.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
After the Empire belongs to these categories: Fighting, Economic, and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Worker Placement. 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 After the Empire are: Ryan Mauk and Evan Halbert. 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 After the Empire 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.