
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,082
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Vasco da Gama
- 2–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2009

Rules assistance for Dogs of War: Mother Apollonia
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dogs of War: Mother Apollonia is an expansion for Dogs of War released in 2014 for 3–5 players, 75 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Paolo Mori and its main mechanics are Team-Based Game and Worker Placement.
A new playable dog of war that comes with its own busts and special ability. Mother Apollonia, special ability: hand of god (when winning a tactic card, draw 3 and choose 1). Mother Apollonia was an optional buy on the kickstarter.
Dogs of War: Mother Apollonia supports 3–5 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 Dogs of War: Mother Apollonia is 75 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 Dogs of War: Mother Apollonia 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.
Dogs of War: Mother Apollonia 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.
Dogs of War: Mother Apollonia belongs to these categories: Wargame, Abstract Strategy, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Team-Based Game and Worker Placement. 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 Dogs of War: Mother Apollonia are: Paolo Mori. 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 Dogs of War: Mother Apollonia as an expansion for Dogs of War. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Dogs of War to use it. Check that your edition of Dogs of War is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.