- BGG rank
- BGG #3,475
- BGG rating
- 7.1
7 Ages
- 2–7 players
- 480 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,157
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Barbarian Kingdoms
2024
Rules assistance for Barbarian Kingdoms
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 30–90 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Barbarian Kingdoms
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Barbarian Kingdoms is a board game released in 2024 for 2–6 players, 30–90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Christophe Lebrun and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Area Movement.
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About the game
"Gold is the lifeblood of the war!" As the Hun horde swept across Europe, they forced the Germanic tribes into exodus. These warlike peoples spread within the borders of the Western Empire and, by dint of looting and war, will eventually cause the collapse of the Empire. In the twilight of antiquity and at the dawn of the Middle Ages, the so-called "barbarian nations" founded kingdoms on the former imperial territory. In Barbarian Kingdoms, an asymmetrical and competitive strategy game, each player controls their own nascent kingdom and competes for supremacy over Western Europe. The first player to control seven territories or to eliminate two opposing kings wins. On a turn, each player chooses and resolves a single action of their choice: Recruitment: deploy a warrior from the reserve by paying a cost Taxation: collect money from the provinces in their kingdom Assault: invade a province or attack an enemy unit Maneuvers: reposition their units in their provinces or towards the sea Claim: try to take control of a province by paying a cost Assault and claim actions can be immediately challenged by an opponent and resolved by a battle. During the battle, a bribe may be paid to the opponent to try to reverse the outcome. Players must be vigilant in positioning their forces (with the constraint of a maximum of one unit per province), keep an eye on their opponents, and take advantage of their two asymmetrical powers: that of their kingdom and that of their king. —description from the publisher
Questions and answers
Barbarian Kingdoms 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 Barbarian Kingdoms is 30–90 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 Barbarian Kingdoms 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.
Barbarian Kingdoms 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.
Barbarian Kingdoms belongs to these categories: Economic, Wargame, and Territory Building. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Area Movement. 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 Barbarian Kingdoms are: Christophe Lebrun. 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 Barbarian Kingdoms 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.