
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Eggs and Empires Eggspansion
- 2–6 players
- 25 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2014

2014
Rules assistance for Eggs and Empires
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.
Eggs and Empires is a board game released in 2014 for 2–6 players, 25 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Ben Pinchback and Matt Riddle and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Auction / Bidding, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
Eggs from the dragons of Ridback Mountain are valuable — not quite as valuable as gold following the last market fluctuation, but still TOTALLY worth the hassle, especially since it's not like YOU are climbing the mountain and searching through dragon caves. That's what peasants are for... All the empires have sent their intrepid adventurers out to collect eggs, but not all will succeed! It gets crowded on Ridback Mountain, and there are only so many dragon eggs to go around — not to mention that the dragons have started mixing exploding eggs into their nests, and those hurt. In the fast-playing card game Eggs and Empires, players use matching decks of empire cards that contain adventurers numbered 1-10. Starting with a hand of three empire cards, each turn all players select one card from their hand, then play them simultaneously in an attempt to collect egg cards. Typically, the player who played the highest empire card chooses an egg first, then the player with the second highest empire card, and so on until all revealed eggs are collected, if possible. However, each empire card has a unique power that can affect the order in which eggs are selected. The powers interact in strategic and awesome ways so that every hand is exciting and fun! Outwit your opponents to collect as many good eggs as possible — that is, ones worth victory points (VPs) — while avoiding those nasty exploding eggs! Whoever collects the most VPs over three rounds wins.
Eggs and Empires supports 2–6 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 Eggs and Empires is 25 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 Eggs and Empires for ages 8 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.
Eggs and Empires has a complexity rating of 1.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Eggs and Empires belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Auction / Bidding, and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 Eggs and Empires are: Ben Pinchback and Matt Riddle. 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 Eggs and Empires 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.