- BGG rank
- BGG #182
- BGG rating
- 7.8
War Chest
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,674
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Canossa
2006
Rules assistance for Canossa
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Canossa
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Canossa is a board game released in 2006 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Walt Castagno and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
Anno Domini 947 a. C. marks the royal marriage between Lothar II, King of Italy, and Adelaide of Burgundy. Unfortunately, soon after this union is sadden due to the death of the King. The belief is that the King was killed by Berengario II, Marquis of Ivrea, hungry to reign the Kingdom. Adelaide, indignant, opposes this new regency, as Berengario II tries to force her to marry his own son, Adalbert of Ivrea. She runs away to seek refuge in the Canossa Castle, strategic in its position, owned and governed by Azzo Adalbert. Here comes the siege of the castle, and this is what we are going to recall: on one side Berengario II and his son, Adalbert, are besieging, and on the other Adelaide of Burgundy and Azzo Adalbert are under siege; in defense of them comes Otho I, Emperor of Germany, with his knights. Each courageous player will guide 2 of the Emperor’s knights, to try to free Adelaide, allowing Otho I to marry her in 952, and thus becoming the new King of Italy. Goal of the game is to achieve a higher score than your opponents. Points are achieved by either taking enemy tiles or creating a way out of the Canossa Castle (3 points). Enemy tiles, like all other tiles, are captured when you place one of your knight-pawn on one of them. Captured tiles must always be perfectly visible to all other players. The game ends when a player creates a way out of the Canossa Castle (that means to seize the Canossa Castle tile). In order to seize the Canossa Castle tile or any other enemy tile players must create a way out that enables that tile, on which there’s the knight-pawn, to be moved off of the board.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Rose & Poison
Questions and answers
Canossa supports 2–4 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 Canossa is 30 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 Canossa 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.
Canossa has a complexity rating of 1.7 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.
Canossa belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid. 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 Canossa are: Walt Castagno. 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 Canossa 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.