- BGG rank
- BGG #770
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Struggle of Empires
- 2–7 players
- 180–240 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,174
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Heart of Africa
2004
Rules assistance for Heart of Africa
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.8/5
Rules assistant for Heart of Africa
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Heart of Africa is a board game released in 2004 for 2–5 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Andreas Steding and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Area Majority / Influence, and Turn Order: Auction.
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About the game
From the Mayfair Catalog: Heart of Africa is a meaty trading game where the players each lead a trading company which tries to make profits in Africa. Although Africa had been circumnavigated by the start of the 19th century, the continent remained largely undiscovered. One of the great mysteries was the source of the Nile, and explorers like Burton, Speke, Baker and Livingstone became immortal in their attempts to find it.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Mayfair Games
- Phalanx Games B.V.
Questions and answers
Heart of Africa 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 Heart of Africa 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 Heart of Africa 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.
Heart of Africa has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
Heart of Africa belongs to these categories: Economic. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Area Majority / Influence, and Turn Order: Auction. 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 Heart of Africa are: Andreas Steding. 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 Heart of Africa 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.