
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Heroes of Land, Air & Sea: Mercenaries Expansion Pack #1
- 1–4 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2018

2018
Rules assistance for Heroes of Land, Air & Sea
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Heroes of Land, Air & Sea is a board game released in 2018 for 1–4 players, 120–180 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Scott Almes and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Area Majority / Influence.
Heroes of Land, Air & Sea is an immersive and strategic 4X-style board game that transports players into a world of epic battles between orcs and humans, dwarves and elves, and warring kingdoms. With beautifully crafted miniatures, this game brings to life the thrilling tale of heroes who shape the course of war. In this game, players take on the role of one of these iconic factions, vying to expand their kingdom and conquer new territories. Every great kingdom starts small, and players begin their journey with just a humble town hall, a handful of peons, and a lone warrior. From this modest beginning, players must venture out, explore the surrounding lands, strengthen their workforce, build a formidable army, and develop their kingdom. This requires careful decision-making, resource management, and strategic warfare. As players progress and achieve milestones in their kingdom's development, they unlock a multitude of advantages. Peons evolve into mighty warriors, warriors ascend to become powerful heroes, and town halls transform into majestic castles. Players also gain access to water vessels and air vessels, as well as mythical creatures. By boarding these vessels and creatures with their units, players can traverse the expansive game board more swiftly and position their armies for devastating attacks. Warfare in Heroes of Land, Air & Sea employs a meticulously designed cost/reward system, outlined on tactics cards that players must secretly select. The availability of these tactics cards depends on the units involved in the conflict. It is during these intense battles that players must showcase their strategic prowess and fight for victory, knowing that history is written by the victors. Furthermore, Heroes of Land, Air & Sea features two distinct economic systems. The first involves the risky acquisition and careful management of vital resources such as food, ore, and mana. The second system introduces a unique twist on worker placement, where players must strategically allocate their peons to construct buildings. However, it’s important to note that these peons could also be utilized for exploration, expansion, exploitation, or even extermination! Achieving the perfect equilibrium between these two systems is absolutely pivotal for securing victory in this thrilling game.
Heroes of Land, Air & Sea supports 1–4 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 Heroes of Land, Air & Sea is 120–180 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 Heroes of Land, Air & Sea 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.
Heroes of Land, Air & Sea has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Heroes of Land, Air & Sea belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Wargame. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Heroes of Land, Air & Sea are: Scott Almes. 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 Heroes of Land, Air & Sea 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.