- BGG rating
- 8.0
Guillotine: Unlucky Brits
- 2–5 players
- 2026
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,638
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Guillotine
1998
Rules assistance for Guillotine
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Guillotine
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Guillotine is a board game released in 1998 for 2–5 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Paul Peterson and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Set Collection.
Expansions
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About the game
The French Revolution is famous in part for the use of the guillotine to put nobles to death, and this is the macabre subject of this light card game. As executioners pandering to the masses, the players are trying to behead the most popular nobles. Each day the nobles are lined up and players take turns killing the ones at the front of the line until all the nobles are gone. However, players are given cards which will manipulate the line order right before 'harvesting' heads, which is what makes the game interesting. After three days of chopping, the highest total carries the day.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- PS-Games
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- Hasbro
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Questions and answers
Guillotine 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 Guillotine is 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 Guillotine for ages 12 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.
Guillotine 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.
Guillotine belongs to these categories: Card Game, Humor, and Age of Reason. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Set Collection. 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 Guillotine are: Paul Peterson. 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 Guillotine 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.