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Banish the Snakes: A Game of St. Patrick in Ireland
2023
Rules assistance for Banish the Snakes: A Game of St. Patrick in Ireland
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–6 players
- 90–120 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.6/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Banish the Snakes: A Game of St. Patrick in Ireland
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Banish the Snakes: A Game of St. Patrick in Ireland is a board game released in 2023 for 1–6 players, 90–120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Kevin McPartland and Jerry Shiles and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence.
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About the game
“If I have any worth, it is to live my life for God so as to teach these peoples.” - St. Patrick Legend has it that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. True, there are no snakes anywhere on the island- but there have been none since before the last Ice Age! The legend is actually an allegory about his successes in converting Ireland to Christianity. Banish the Snakes is a cooperative game that simulates Ireland in the 5th century, while the Roman Empire was collapsing in the west and Ireland was turning to the Christian religion. Players represent Saints- Patrick and others (up to six of you) who set out to convert the pagans on the island. You must work as a team to convert the people of Ireland before the barbarians completely overwhelm Britain- if you fail, the Irish will not be able to save Civilization in the following centuries! The game board shows a map of Ireland in the 5th century, with four Provinces-the same as today- but no counties yet. Wooden tiles represent the People, Druids, Chiefs, and Kings, and of course the High King at Tara. It is your job to break into the interrelated influences between these groups of people and get your new ideas accepted. Each turn a card is drawn, throwing new challenges at your team. The severity of the event is determined by the previous card, and so no two games can ever play the same. The cards introduce events and ideas of the time, new saints, and historic figures- like Neil of the Nine Hostages. There is a diagram of Great Britain to keep track of the steady decline of Roman civilization in Great Britain. As different parts of Britain succumb to the barbarians, more and more difficult challenges are added to the deck, until finally Britain is completely overwhelmed, cutting off Ireland from the continent and ending the game. If you succeed in your endeavor, Christianity will thrive in Ireland, while paganism overruns Western Europe. The arts, writing, literature and history will flourish on the Emerald Isle! Soon, Irish missionaries will bring these civilizing attributes back to Great Britain and mainland Europe- as Thomas Cahill says in his book, the Irish will save Civilization. But if you fail… —description from the publisher
Questions and answers
Banish the Snakes: A Game of St. Patrick in Ireland 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 Banish the Snakes: A Game of St. Patrick in Ireland is 90–120 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 Banish the Snakes: A Game of St. Patrick in Ireland 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.
Banish the Snakes: A Game of St. Patrick in Ireland has a complexity rating of 2.6 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.
Banish the Snakes: A Game of St. Patrick in Ireland belongs to these categories: Medieval, Political, and Ancient. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Banish the Snakes: A Game of St. Patrick in Ireland are: Kevin McPartland and Jerry Shiles. 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 Banish the Snakes: A Game of St. Patrick in Ireland 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.