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- BGG rating
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Heat: Pedal to the Metal
- 1–6 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
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- BGG rating
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Breaking Away
1991
Rules assistance for Breaking Away
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–9 players
- 60–90 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Breaking Away
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Breaking Away is a board game released in 1991 for 2–9 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by John Harrington and its main mechanics are Track Movement and Secret Unit Deployment.
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About the game
Breaking Away is a luck-free race game based on cycling. Players control a team of four cyclists. For each cyclist the player chooses one of his available movement allowances and moves that many squares. Once all cyclists have moved, the expended movement allowances are replaced with new ones calculated according to the cyclist's position in the peloton; being at the back of a group brings a high replacement value, and being at the front a low one. Sprint points are earned by being among the first eight to cross the sprint lines so there is always a trade-off between slipstreaming ("drafting") the other riders in order to build up high movement allowances and making a break for the front to be the first to cross the finish line. Note: The first edition from Fiendish Games comes with six teams, but additional teams can be ordered to allow for games with up to twelve people; the additional colors are orange, pink, purple, brown, silver, and gold. The New Order Games edition is for 3-5 players, with a separate expansion allowing an additional four players to compete.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- New Games Order, LLC
- Fiendish Board Games
Questions and answers
Breaking Away supports 2–9 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 Breaking Away is 60–90 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 Breaking Away 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.
Breaking Away has a complexity rating of 2.3 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.
Breaking Away belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy, Racing, and Sports. Its main mechanics are Track Movement and Secret Unit Deployment. 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 Breaking Away are: John Harrington. 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 Breaking Away 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.