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Defenders of the Last Stand
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Expansion for Defenders of the Realm
Defenders of the Realm: Realm in Flames and Darkness Spreads
2014
Rules assistance for Defenders of the Realm: Realm in Flames and Darkness Spreads
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 90 min
- 13+
- Complexity 3.0/5
Rules assistant for Defenders of the Realm: Realm in Flames and Darkness Spreads
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Defenders of the Realm: Realm in Flames and Darkness Spreads is an expansion for Defenders of the Realm released in 2014 for 1–4 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Richard Launius and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Dice Rolling.
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About the game
A set of nine additional Darkness Spreads cards that can be added to the Darkness Spreads deck of the Defenders of the Realm base game for added variety and difficulty. The Darkness Spreads deck is used to determine where new minions are placed on the board and which Generals move, as well as have additional effects. Four of the cards are Monarch City raid cards, with one card being used for each of the four minion types to have that minion enter Monarch City and two other locations. None of the Generals are moved with these cards. Two cards have a minion attack each of the inns, with the player immediately drawing another Darkness Spreads card. Once card places three Dragonkin, and then the player gets to choose which general they would like to move. The final two cards will place fires in different locations and will include fire tokens to mark those locations as being on fire.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Eagle-Gryphon Games
Questions and answers
Defenders of the Realm: Realm in Flames and Darkness Spreads 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 Defenders of the Realm: Realm in Flames and Darkness Spreads is 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 Defenders of the Realm: Realm in Flames and Darkness Spreads 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.
Defenders of the Realm: Realm in Flames and Darkness Spreads has a complexity rating of 3.0 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.
Defenders of the Realm: Realm in Flames and Darkness Spreads belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, 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 Defenders of the Realm: Realm in Flames and Darkness Spreads are: Richard Launius. 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 Defenders of the Realm: Realm in Flames and Darkness Spreads as an expansion for Defenders of the Realm. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Defenders of the Realm to use it. Check that your edition of Defenders of the Realm is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.