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- BGG #13,119
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Medieval: Jan Žižka
- 1–4 players
- 45–120 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,005
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Balada
2021
Rules assistance for Balada
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–6 players
- 10–20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.6/5
Rules assistant for Balada
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Balada is a board game released in 2021 for 1–6 players, 10–20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Petr Vojtěch, Jindřich Pavlásek, and Jakub Muřín and its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil, Solo / Solitaire Game, and Once-Per-Game Abilities.
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About the game
Where would the heroes be without those who recount their deeds? In Balada you will become bards who record the brave deeds of resilient heroes and get victory points. The player with the most captivating story will be the winner! In twelve turns players will fill their maps with events the heroes must get through. It sits right in the flip & write genre, where two event cards are drawn each. Every player must choose one of these events and draw its symbol onto their map. There is a catch though. The third card drawn each turn is a landscape card and limits your choices. Players must be careful, plan and make sure the hero gets equipment before taking on a Boss, or not facing many enemies before visiting a resting place. There are many events players can choose to maximize their points, such as magical portals, saving a princess, catching fish or finding a treasure. Balada can be played in two difficulty modes. In standard play your hero makes a journey to the mountain and then back again on the second side of the map. And because they transfer unhealed wounds and unused equipment, it is possible to count on a long-run strategy. Easy variant lets you play on one side of the map with only one deck of 12 event cards without getting to choose from two events every round. You still have to think hard about where to draw the event though. —description from the designer
Publishers
- Albi
- Albi Polska
- Time Slug Studio
Questions and answers
Balada supports 1–6 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 Balada is 10–20 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 Balada for ages 8 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.
Balada has a complexity rating of 1.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Balada belongs to these categories: Fantasy and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil, Solo / Solitaire Game, and Once-Per-Game Abilities. 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 Balada are: Petr Vojtěch, Jindřich Pavlásek, and Jakub Muřín. 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 Balada 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.