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Age of Discovery
2007
Rules assistance for Age of Discovery
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Age of Discovery
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Age of Discovery is a board game released in 2007 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Viktor Kobilke and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting.
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About the game
Not to be confused with Age of Empires III: The Age of Discovery. In Age of Discovery the players supply famous expeditions of well-known explorers like Columbus and Magellan with their ships. They have to purchase these ships and cleverly direct them to the most successful expeditions. Of course, they need a lot of money for this! The players receive income by accepting trade assignments with their ships. In the end, the player who received the most victory points by assigning ships to expeditions and fulfilling his special contract wins the game. From the publisher (Phalanx Games B.V.): "During the 15th and 16th centuries, the great royal houses of Europe sent explorers and conquerors all over the world, hoping to discover and secure new areas of influence and sources of wealth. Without the right naval vessels, these voyages would have been impossible. But even the incredible wealth of the royal houses could not sustain these expeditions for long. So they were happy that private entrepreneurs were ready to finance these expensive journeys. Now your king has come to offer you the opportunity to invest in the great voyages of famous explorers like Columbus and Magellan. You will need to purchase a fleet of ships, and assign them to the most successful expeditions. Of course, you will need a lot of money! To earn money, you must fulfill trade contracts. Can you balance the needs of trade with the demands of the great explorers? It is time to seek wealth and glory in the Age of Discovery!"
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Devir
- Mayfair Games
- Phalanx Games B.V.
Questions and answers
Age of Discovery 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 Age of Discovery is 45 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 Age of Discovery for ages 10 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.
Age of Discovery has a complexity rating of 2.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light 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.
Age of Discovery belongs to these categories: Card Game, Economic, and Exploration. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting. 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 Age of Discovery are: Viktor Kobilke. 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 Age of Discovery 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.