
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,316
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Roads to Stalingrad: Campaign Commander Series
- 2 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2009

2008
Rules assistance for Age of Muskets Volume I: Tomb for an Empire
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Age of Muskets Volume I: Tomb for an Empire is a board game released in 2008 for 2–6 players and 20–6000 minutes per game. It was designed by Francisco Ronco and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Simulation.
Age of Muskets is a rule set that covers the campaigns from the late XVII century to the first half of the XIX. It emphasizes Command and Control as well as the uncertainty and friction of any military operation. Players take command of an army of the period, represented by their headquarters, and control their attached units, their men and equipment. The purpose is to re-create all the relevant factors of war at the operational level in the pre-industrial age. The game is played as a sequence of “game turns”, each made up of several actions performed by the forces of all sides present on the game board. The diverse scenarios that can be played have a limited number of game turns, once finished players check which side has won. Many of these scenarios can be played by just 2 players. However, the longest and largest are designed for team play, ideally by 4 to 6 players. I) Game scales. 1 Combat point = 1.000 men (or approximately 8-12 artillery pieces). 1 Turn = 1 month (or a fortnight) Game board = variable, mostly 1:1.250.000 (1 cm=12,5 Km) Unit size = Divisions & brigades (in addition to counters representing Headquarters). Age of Muskets Volume I: Tomb for an Empire. "Tomb for an Empire" simulates the conflict that took place in the Iberian Peninsula from 1808 to 1814. It was a complex war that involved diverse interests and troops from many nations. Great Britain sent her troops to defend Portugal, within the context of the European Coalitions against France. In Spain proper the war, which presented certain aspects of a civil war, saw an uneasy alliance of reformists and traditionalists under the name of "Patriots" facing the puppet King Jose I Bonaparte and the occupation army; composed mainly of French but also of Italians, Neapolitans, Poles, Germans, Swiss, Dutch and even Spaniards (known as "Juramentados"). Spaniards, British and Portuguese form the Allied side while France and her allies and satellites form the Imperial side. A player (or team) control each side. The game allows to play the war beginning on July 1808 to April 1814, or on several later dates - November 1808, May 1809, January 1810, January 1811 or February 1812. It is also possible to play only certain parts (e.g. The War in Levante 1809 - 1813), individual campaigns (Napoleon's 1809) or just battles (Salamanca, Vitoria ...) "Tomb for an Empire" is not just a game it's a whole gaming experience that includes 6 introductory battle scenarios and 18 campaign scenarios of increasing complexity, from Bailen (lasting less than one full turn) to the full campaign starting any year of the war (scenarios 14 to 18). El juego está en inglés pero encontrarás en esta página (Apoyo al Jugador) los archivos en español necesarios para jugar –Hojas de Ayuda, Reglas y Escenarios.
Age of Muskets Volume I: Tomb for an Empire supports 2–6 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 Muskets Volume I: Tomb for an Empire is 20–6000 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.
Age of Muskets Volume I: Tomb for an Empire 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.
Age of Muskets Volume I: Tomb for an Empire belongs to these categories: Wargame and Napoleonic. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Simulation. 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 Muskets Volume I: Tomb for an Empire are: Francisco Ronco. 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 Muskets Volume I: Tomb for an 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.