- BGG rank
- BGG #17,846
- BGG rating
- 7.1
A Splendid Little War: The 1898 Santiago Campaign
- 1–2 players
- 720 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,538
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Cactus Throne: The Mexican War of 1862-1867
2005
Rules assistance for Cactus Throne: The Mexican War of 1862-1867
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 360 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.8/5
Rules assistant for Cactus Throne: The Mexican War of 1862-1867
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cactus Throne: The Mexican War of 1862-1867 is a board game released in 2005 for 2 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Andy Nunez and its main mechanics are Area Movement.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #20,815
- BGG rating
- 6.7
The Lash of the Turk
- 1–2 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,450
- BGG rating
- 6.8
These Brave Fellows
- 1–2 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #23,982
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Joan of Arc's Victory 1429 AD
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #892
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Diplomacy
- 2–7 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1959
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,961
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Freedom!
- 2 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,521
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Colonial Diplomacy
- 2–7 players
- 180–240 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1994
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,647
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Port Arthur
- 2 players
- 50–75 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,299
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Rebel Raiders on the High Seas
- 2 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,508
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Gettysburg: Badges of Courage
- 2 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,710
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Radetzky: Milano 1848
- 1–5 players
- 30–90 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,769
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Victoria Cross: The Battle of Rorke's Drift
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2004
About the game
Dissatisfied with the Mexican President’s decision to halt all payments on foreign debts until the Mexican economy improved, a coalition of European Powers that included the French Empire, Spain and Great Britain agreed to send an expeditionary corps to capture the main port of Vera Cruz and hold it until debt payments were restored. The British and Spanish monarchs did not reckon with the ambitions of Napoleon III, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte and Emperor of the French. The wily Napoleon III schemed to conquer Mexico and set up a puppet regime that would bleed Mexico of its treasures to finance a resurgent French Empire. Napoleon III picked an obscure Austrian archduke named Maximilian to be his cat’s-paw and supported the effort with thousands of French troops. Even though there was some local support in Mexico for the return to a monarchy, most of the country remained loyal to the elected president, Benito Juarez and the French spent huge amounts of treasure and blood to try to put down the Republican Forces. From 1862 through 1866, Napoleon III and his puppet Maximilian attempted to forge a Mexican Empire, but after the United States won its Civil War, the threat of an invasion from the North and growing concerns about the ascendancy of the Prussian military in Europe forced Napoleon to withdraw his army from Mexico. The remaining troops loyal to Maximilian were not enough to stop the growing Republican army, and Maximilian was captured and executed in 1867. Can you, as the French/Imperial Mexican player succeed where Napoleon III failed and pacify a hostile land? You have some of the finest units in the French army, including the famed Foreign Legion, volunteers from Austria, Belgium and Egypt, and a growing army of loyal Mexicans at your disposal. Or, as the Republican Player, can you outwit the powerful French army and restore Mexico to its rightful ruler, Benito Juarez? Design - Andy Nunez Development - Paul Rohrbaugh Graphic Design - Craig Grando
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- LPS, Inc.
- Against the Odds
Questions and answers
Cactus Throne: The Mexican War of 1862-1867 supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Cactus Throne: The Mexican War of 1862-1867 is 360 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 Cactus Throne: The Mexican War of 1862-1867 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.
Cactus Throne: The Mexican War of 1862-1867 has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
Cactus Throne: The Mexican War of 1862-1867 belongs to these categories: Wargame and Post-Napoleonic. Its main mechanics are 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 Cactus Throne: The Mexican War of 1862-1867 are: Andy Nunez. 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 Cactus Throne: The Mexican War of 1862-1867 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.