
- BGG rank
- BGG #100
- BGG rating
- 7.8
El Grande
- 2–5 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 1995

Rules assistance for Havoc Expansion: The Character Cards
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.
Havoc Expansion: The Character Cards is an expansion for Havoc: The Hundred Years War released in 2005 for 2–6 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by K. C. Humphrey and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting.
This expansion for Havoc: the Hundred Years War consists of a collection of promos given out a various conventions brought together into one package. It is not playable without the base game. It features a new type of character card which is shuffled into the regular card deck and changes the game in interesting ways when one of them is drawn. For example, the John of Gaunt card, when drawn, joins the game temporarily as a player, cries HAVOC! and starts a battle called The Chevauchées (a group of plundering raids.) For those who have asked us, this expansion includes the premium cards that were given out at the game's release in Essen Germany in 2005, and at the first BoardameGeek Conference in Dallas, Texas. In addition to these, a new card not seen before has been added, as well as two extra Dogs of War which can be added to the game or used as blanks for players that want to try out character ideas of their own. Expands Havoc: the Hundred Years War
Havoc Expansion: The Character Cards 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 Havoc Expansion: The Character Cards is 60 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 Havoc Expansion: The Character Cards for ages 10 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.
Havoc Expansion: The Character Cards has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Havoc Expansion: The Character Cards belongs to these categories: Medieval and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting. 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 Havoc Expansion: The Character Cards are: K. C. Humphrey. 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 Havoc Expansion: The Character Cards as an expansion for Havoc: The Hundred Years War. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Havoc: The Hundred Years War to use it. Check that your edition of Havoc: The Hundred Years War is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.