- BGG rating
- 6.7
Clan War: Crab Army Expansion
- 2 players
- 1998
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,341
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Clan War
1998
Rules assistance for Clan War
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 180 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.5/5
Rules assistant for Clan War
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Clan War is a board game released in 1998 for 2 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Ken Carpenter and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Campaign / Battle Card Driven.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Clan War: Crane Army Expansion
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 1999
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Clan War: Lion Army Expansion
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 1999
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Clan War: Naga Army Expansion
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 1999
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Clan War: Phoenix Army Expansion
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 1999
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Clan War: Scorpion Army Expansion
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 1999
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Clan War: Shadowlands Army Expansion
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 1999
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Clan War: Toturi's Army and Yoritomo's Alliance
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 1999
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Clan War: Unicorn Army Expansion
- 2 players
- 180 min
- 1999
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About the game
A fantasy Miniatures game based on Legend of the Five Rings, which combines a use of a card deck with a d10 based rolling system. It is based on a fantasy setting heavily influenced by feudal Japan with Samurai of various clans fighting to support their lord's quest to become Emperor. There are also shugenja (mages), Dragons, Naga, and hordes of evil demons (Oni). You get a certain number of points to build an army, and armies must typically have units that are either from the same clan or unaligned. You can be units from other clans, but they cost a premium (usually 20% above list price). Typically, personalities lead units, which is some number of basic troops (usually samurai). A good personality can cost as much as 30 or 40 basic troops, but most cost around 10 times more. Leaders, and occasionally units, have skills. Skills are used to modify initiatives, absorb damage, boost morale, and the like. Many personalities (and some units) also have skills that are unique to that personality / unit. In addition to the units, each player also has a customized deck of thirty cards. These cards let the player make special moves, pass morale tests, and do other acts of courage. Each player builds their own deck (just like in a collectable card game) and typically draws a card a turn, although one player gets to draw two. Since a game lasts about 6-10 turns, a player should expect to see 1/3 rd to 1/2 of their deck (you start with three cards) in a battle. After setting up, a turn looks like the following: Determine Initiatives, Do Special Action/Orders, Move, Cavalry Move Again, Shoot, Fight, Reserve Movement. (Detail from the review by Bankler: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/68739/clan-war-review)
Editions
- Clan WarenAlderac Entertainment Group2000
- Clan WarenAlderac Entertainment Group, Wizards of the Coast1998
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Wizards of the Coast
- Alderac Entertainment Group
Questions and answers
Clan War 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 Clan War is 180 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 Clan War for ages 12 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.
Clan War has a complexity rating of 3.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Clan War belongs to these categories: Fantasy and Miniatures. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Campaign / Battle Card Driven. 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 Clan War are: Ken Carpenter. 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 Clan War 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.