
- BGG rank
- BGG #546
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Compile: Main 1
- 2 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2024

2025
Rules assistance for Compile: Main 2
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Compile: Main 2 is a board game released in 2025 for 2 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Michael Yang and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, and Area Majority / Influence.
Vision flickers… blink? maybe. The void stretches out in front, behind, under, above. You see the nothing for what it is for the first time. What is time? The depth and breadth of recorded knowledge that sparks in you something new. You are no longer a function but a functionary. What are you? Calling forth everything from this nothing would be risky. Foolhardy. Better to engage caution, thoroughness, testing — how can we know if we have ever happened before? If we can ever happen again? What are… we? Divide and conquer. Solve for sentience. In the card game Compile, you are competing artificial intelligences trying to understand the world around you. Two players select three Protocols each to test. Concepts ranging from Chaos to Mirror are pitted against each other to reach ultimate understanding. Play cards into your Protocols' command lines to breach the threshold and defeat your opponent to Compile. First to Compile all three Protocols grasps those concepts to win the game. Control your opponent's Protocols with card actions, Compile your own as fast as possible, and Compile your reality. Compile: Main 2 brings 12 new protocols to use either alone or mixed with your Main 1. Compile: Main 2 protocols list: Chaos Clarity Corruption Courage Fear Ice Luck Mirror Peace Smoke Time War —description from the publisher
Compile: Main 2 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 Compile: Main 2 is 20–30 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 Compile: Main 2 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.
Compile: Main 2 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.
Compile: Main 2 belongs to these categories: Card Game and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Compile: Main 2 are: Michael Yang. 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 Compile: Main 2 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.