- BGG rating
- 8.2
Rules assistance for Hoplomachus: Beast & Master
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.7/5
Rules assistant for Hoplomachus: Beast & Master
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Hoplomachus: Beast & Master is an expansion for Hoplomachus: Rise of Rome released in 2013 for 1–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Adam Carlson and Josh J. Carlson and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Cooperative Game.
About the game
Hoplomachus [ha-ploh-ma-kuss], or "Hoplo" for short, is a hex-based tactical board game set inside a gladiatorial arena. One to four players, each representing an ancient city/civilization thought to have been lost to the world, are now on Rome's doorstep vying for a place in the prestigious arena games. Players have a very clear objective: Eliminate the opponent's champion. Champions start the game in the arena but are inactive and defenseless. They will not fight until the crowd is behind them. Each player takes turns drawing, playing and moving gladiators from their "hand" and assisting them with tactic chips. Based on opponent's moves and play style, each person will need to adjust their strategies. Defend your champ, take over and hold the crowd favor areas, assault opponent's champion, cover deployment zones, eliminate tactictions to reduce enemy options, fight beasts to gain crowd favor, the list of tactical possibilities is endless. Hoplomachus combines combat, tactics, chip (units) management, level progression (though crowd favor system), team play, player vs board, and so much more. Beast & Master: These 10 chips include an all new Gladiator and Beast for each of the 5 Cities that Hoplomachus has to offer. These will be the start of what will be the 'customizable' portion of the game. Playing with the Beasts and Beastmasters option will be determined before each battle begins! Carpe Venatus!
Designers
Publishers
- Chip Theory Games
Questions and answers
Hoplomachus: Beast & Master 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 Hoplomachus: Beast & Master 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 Hoplomachus: Beast & Master 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.
Hoplomachus: Beast & Master has a complexity rating of 2.7 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.
Hoplomachus: Beast & Master belongs to these categories: Fighting, Wargame, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Cooperative Game. 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 Hoplomachus: Beast & Master are: Adam Carlson and Josh J. Carlson. 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 Hoplomachus: Beast & Master as an expansion for Hoplomachus: Rise of Rome. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Hoplomachus: Rise of Rome to use it. Check that your edition of Hoplomachus: Rise of Rome is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.