
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,465
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Evil High Priest
- 2–5 players
- 40–90 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2018

Rules assistance for Cthulhu Wars: Shaggai Map Expansion
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cthulhu Wars: Shaggai Map Expansion is an expansion for Cthulhu Wars released in 2019 for 2–5 players, 90–120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Sandy Petersen and Lincoln Petersen and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Area Movement, and Dice Rolling.
This new map represents the planet of Shaggai, annihilated centuries ago. It is, of course, the original home of the Insects from Shaggai (who made their appearance in Onslaught Two). In those days, the horrendous hellworld Ghroth wandered too near Shaggai, and initiated the process that resulted in Shaggai’s complete destruction. The map of course is set during the time of Shaggai’s eradication, which is represented by the Worms of Ghroth – horrendous tools of woe which spread across the surface, leaving oblivion in their wake. The map is divided into hex-shaped areas, representing the insectile nature of the world’s native inhabitants. Some are oceans, other land, and the game starts with a single Worm of Ghroth – a harbinger of ruin. As the game progresses, each Doom phase existing Worms of Ghroth tend to annihilate the areas they are on, and new Worms are spawned. Eradicated areas actually generate power, and can even benefit the players. For example, if your controlled gate gets eradicated, you earn an Elder Sign. For each unit that is eradicated, you earn 1 Power. The Power gain may not be enough to make up for losing a big monster or Great Old One, but at least it helps. And, after all, the destruction has been telegraphed by the presence of a Worm – so you had your chance to escape! The Shaggai map has other fun elements. For example, you can “jump over” Eradicated areas, and thus access the map more easily. This does cost a unit though, so be sure to include someone cheap to sacrifice to the hungry void. Also, if the map deteriorates too far, the game can end regardless of whether anyone has 30 Doom yet. In such a case, all players add up their Doom and Elder Signs and see who is victorious. —description from the publisher The Worm of Ghroth sculpt is credited to "Tidal 4".
Cthulhu Wars: Shaggai Map Expansion supports 2–5 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 Cthulhu Wars: Shaggai Map Expansion is 90–120 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 Cthulhu Wars: Shaggai Map Expansion 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.
Cthulhu Wars: Shaggai Map Expansion belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Horror. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Area Movement, and Dice Rolling. 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 Cthulhu Wars: Shaggai Map Expansion are: Sandy Petersen and Lincoln Petersen. 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 Cthulhu Wars: Shaggai Map Expansion as an expansion for Cthulhu Wars. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Cthulhu Wars to use it. Check that your edition of Cthulhu Wars is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.