
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,819
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Warrior Knights
- 2–6 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2006

1987
Rules assistance for Blood Royale
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Blood Royale is a board game released in 1987 for 3–5 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Paul Cockburn and Derek Carver and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Area Movement, and Paper-and-Pencil.
"Power is Wealth, Wealth is Power" Up to five players control one of the major blood lines of the middle ages and must guide their dynasty of family members through the ages as they attempt to gain the most wealth through diplomatic, economic and military means. Taking a unique twist on your typical multiplayer conquest game, Blood Royale downplays the war aspect of the game and makes the dynastic families political fortunes as the heart and soul of the game. Players must utilize their family members well if they wish to create a stable seat of power in their country and in the rest of Europe.
Blood Royale supports 3–5 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 Blood Royale is 240 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 Blood Royale for ages 12 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.
Blood Royale has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Blood Royale belongs to these categories: Territory Building, Medieval, and Political. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Area Movement, and Paper-and-Pencil. 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 Blood Royale are: Paul Cockburn and Derek Carver. 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 Blood Royale 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.