
- BGG rank
- BGG #48
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Heat: Pedal to the Metal
- 1–6 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2022

1987
Rules assistance for Ben Hur
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.
Ben Hur is a board game released in 1987 for 2–6 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Jean du Poël and its main mechanics are Race, Track Movement, and Simulation.
A chariot racing game designed by Carabande's Jean de Poel. Player move their chariots by playing cards from their hand, and then using the appropriate miniature wargame-style ruler to move his chariot forward. Movement cards may be drawn from the standard deck or a higher-risk-higher-reward deck. There are also rules for engaging your competitors in dirty tricks such as whipping them to distraction. First player to complete a full lap wins.
Ben Hur 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 Ben Hur is 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 Ben Hur 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.
Ben Hur has a complexity rating of 1.8 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.
Ben Hur belongs to these categories: Ancient, Racing, and Novel-based. Its main mechanics are Race, Track Movement, 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 Ben Hur are: Jean du Poël. 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 Ben Hur 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.