- BGG rank
- BGG #11,723
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Heavy Steam
- 2–4 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,980
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Honor of the Samurai
1996
Rules assistance for Honor of the Samurai
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.2/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Honor of the Samurai
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Honor of the Samurai is a board game released in 1996 for 3–6 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Scott Kimball and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Dice Rolling.
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About the game
from the review: This card game recreates the atmosphere of the Sengoku era in Japan's history: the struggle among the feudal lords (Daimyos) to install a strong and legitimate Shogun. To install themselves as Shogun, that is. Every player takes the role of one family of Samurai and the Daimyo they serve. They use honorable weddings, weapons, cultural sponsorship and military power to increase the honor of the family (and attack each other) until one of them reaches a previously stipulated amount of honor. Whoever reaches this honor in the first place is the winner, and the new Shogun.
Designers
Publishers
- AMIGO
- Gamewright
- Corfix
Questions and answers
Honor of the Samurai supports 3–6 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 Honor of the Samurai 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 Honor of the Samurai 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.
Honor of the Samurai has a complexity rating of 2.2 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.
Honor of the Samurai belongs to these categories: Card Game and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Dice Rolling. 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 Honor of the Samurai are: Scott Kimball. 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 Honor of the Samurai 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.