
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,097
- BGG rating
- 8.3
Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Royal Collector's Edition
- 1–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2022

Rules assistance for Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets is an expansion for Castles of Mad King Ludwig released in 2015 for 1–4 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Ted Alspach and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Tile Placement, and Pattern Building.
What secrets are lurking in the shadows of King Ludwig's castle? Dozens of hidden swans are scattered throughout thirty new rooms in Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets. Ludwig is particularly fond of these swans, which provide both much-needed cash at any time or can be collected for big bonuses at the end of the game. Surrounding and protecting your castle are new moats, making every room inside it even more valuable. The King has come up with more favors, including one for creating courtyards. Finally, secret passages enhance connections and muffle sound from activity rooms. Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets is an expansion for Castles of Mad King Ludwig that will help you build even more amazing, crazy castles than ever before!
Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets 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 Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets is 45–90 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 Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets for ages 13 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.
Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets has a complexity rating of 2.7 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.
Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets belongs to these categories: Puzzle, Expansion for Base-game, and Post-Napoleonic. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Tile Placement, and Pattern Building. 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 Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets are: Ted Alspach. 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 Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets as an expansion for Castles of Mad King Ludwig. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Castles of Mad King Ludwig to use it. Check that your edition of Castles of Mad King Ludwig is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.