
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,161
- BGG rating
- 7.3
The Fox Experiment
- 1–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2023

2023
Rules assistance for Cartouche
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cartouche is a board game released in 2023 for 1–4 players, 20–80 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Peter C. Hayward and Jeff Fraser and its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Enclosure.
Hatshepsut ruled as one of ancient Egypt’s greatest pharaohs. Her successors tried to erase her from history, threatened by her success as both a woman and a pharaoh. They chiseled her image off stone walls, and her royal name — her cartouche – was removed from the murals. In Cartouche, you're an archeologist restoring Hatshepsut's legacy. The twist: In this tile-laying game, the spaces you don't cover are just as important as the ones you do. Each round, you'll draft tiles and arrange them to restore murals, complete stories, and earn points. The game is played over 10 rounds. Each round is split into 3 phases: Draft: *Players take turns drafting story cards and mural tiles Place: *Players simultaneously place tiles on their boards and complete any of their story cards Score: *Players simultaneously score for achievements The game ends after 10 rounds when the story deck runs out. The player who scores the most points from completed story cards and achievements wins.
Cartouche supports 1–4 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 Cartouche is 20–80 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 Cartouche 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.
Cartouche 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.
Cartouche belongs to these categories: Ancient. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Enclosure. 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 Cartouche are: Peter C. Hayward and Jeff Fraser. 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 Cartouche 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.