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- BGG #1,820
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Bridges of Shangri-La
- 3–4 players
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- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
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- BGG rating
- 6.6
Clans
2002
Rules assistance for Clans
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 2.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Clans
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Clans is a board game released in 2002 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Leo Colovini and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Area Majority / Influence, and Enclosure.
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About the game
In Clans, each player is trying to achieve victory by scoring as many points for their color as they can. This is tricky as each player's color is chosen at random and kept hidden until the end of the game. Each of the 12 regions of the board contains five areas, each area containing one of four different terrain types. Each area receives one hut each of five different colors. On their turn, a player moves all huts from one area containing less than seven to an adjacent occupied area, all the while trying to hide which color is theirs. After moving, if one or more areas are completely surrounded by empty areas, they are scored. If all colors are present in a scoring, any colors with only one hut present are removed. The epoch track allows a limited number of areas to score before the game ends, and each scoring can gain a bonus or score nothing depending on the terrain type in which scoring occurred and how far along the track the game has progressed; each scoring advances the track, and each section of the track gives different terrain types bonuses and penalties. Once at least twelve areas have scored the game ends, then players reveal their colors to find out who was best able to score the most points while keeping their color a secret.
Designers
Publishers
- Winning Moves France
- Winning Moves Germany
- Rio Grande Games
- Venice Connection
- Identity Games International B.V.
- Unicopli
Questions and answers
Clans 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 Clans 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 Clans 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.
Clans has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Clans belongs to these categories: Deduction, Abstract Strategy, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Area Majority / Influence, 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 Clans are: Leo Colovini. 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 Clans 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.