- BGG rank
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How to Host a Murder: Grapes of Frath
- 8 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1985
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- BGG rank
- BGG #18,462
- BGG rating
- 6.4
How to Host a Murder: The Watersdown Affair
1985
Rules assistance for How to Host a Murder: The Watersdown Affair
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 8 players
- 180 min
- 18+
- Complexity 2.6/5
For 8 players
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Rules assistant for How to Host a Murder: The Watersdown Affair
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
How to Host a Murder: The Watersdown Affair is a board game released in 1985 for 8 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 18 and up. It was designed by Robert R. Johnson and Anne L. Johnson and its main mechanics are Role Playing.
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About the game
THE WATERSDOWN AFFAIR By separate invitation, you and a select few others have been invited to Watersdown Mansion as the weekend guests of Sir Roger Watersdown. As Sir Roger's guest, I thought you might be interested in some information about the mansion and, perhaps, about the other guests that will be present during your stay. I have enclosed a brief biography of each guest. Watersdown Mansion is an old, elegant stone building situated in Yorkshire, England, and constructed in 1817. The original owner, Lord Balmy Farfrummit, made his fortune selling English pig iron to the French after Bonaparte's defeat in 1815. Roger Watersdown acquired the entire Farfrummit holdings in 1925 after the tragic death of Viscount Farfrummit aboard his sailing yacht, Frummit's Ferry, which foundered during a fierce storm off Falmouth Harbor. Sir Roger, as you may know, is the principal shareholder of the giant conglomerate Watersdown Beverages Ltd., and known far and wide as a jovial host. Female guests are cautioned that Sir Roger, after consumption of his customary evening cocktails, tends to become something of a leech. I welcome you on behalf of Sir Roger and the entire Watersdown Mansion household, and I hope your stay will be a pleasant one. CHARACTERS Dr. Malcom K.T. Praktiss, Miranda T. Shetes, Roger S.B. Astird, Dame Allison Bigh, Prosper Alvin Bates Esq., Donald J. Brooks, Florence Wing Brooks, Eiaguielle R. Aminmund
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Decipher
- WorldWise Imports, LLC
Questions and answers
How to Host a Murder: The Watersdown Affair supports 8 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for How to Host a Murder: The Watersdown Affair is 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 How to Host a Murder: The Watersdown Affair for ages 18 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.
How to Host a Murder: The Watersdown Affair has a complexity rating of 2.6 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.
How to Host a Murder: The Watersdown Affair belongs to these categories: Deduction and Murder / Mystery. Its main mechanics are Role Playing. 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 How to Host a Murder: The Watersdown Affair are: Robert R. Johnson and Anne L. Johnson. 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 How to Host a Murder: The Watersdown Affair 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.