
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,690
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Between Two Cities Essential Edition
- 1–7 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2022

Rules assistance for Between Two Cities: Capitals
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Between Two Cities: Capitals is an expansion for Between Two Cities released in 2017 for 1–7 players, 30–35 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Ben Rosset and Matthew O'Malley and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Tile Placement, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
Now at the pinnacle of your career, you are sought after by two capital cities to build their city centers. Not only do you have to consider the natural features that were the reason for their founding, you also need to ensure the civic buildings are appropriately placed, and you must not forget to satisfy the citizens' demands along the way. Between Two Cities: Capitals expands the base game by adding several new challenges: landscapes, districts, and civic building tiles. This is not a standalone expansion; you need the original Between Two Cities game to play. In more detail: • Landscape mats give each city a unique layout to build on and around. • Districts give players a majority bonus for connecting specific types of tiles. • Civic building tiles are a new type of building tile; each unique civic building wants to be adjacent to two specific tile types (and not one specific tile type).
Between Two Cities: Capitals supports 1–7 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 Between Two Cities: Capitals is 30–35 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 Between Two Cities: Capitals 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.
Between Two Cities: Capitals has a complexity rating of 2.2 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.
Between Two Cities: Capitals belongs to these categories: City Building and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Tile Placement, and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 Between Two Cities: Capitals are: Ben Rosset and Matthew O'Malley. 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 Between Two Cities: Capitals as an expansion for Between Two Cities. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Between Two Cities to use it. Check that your edition of Between Two Cities is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.