
- BGG rating
- 8.6
I C E: Companion Set
- 1–5 players
- 90–120 min
- 2024

2023
Rules assistance for I C E
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
I C E is a board game released in 2023 for 1–5 players, 90–120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Sams and Bragou and its main mechanics are Layering, Modular Board, and Mancala.
Ice as far as the eye can see ... In this frozen world, swept by blizzards, a lone city clings to life. Every year during the summer season, the city's guilds organise expeditions. Their destination: the valley of the ancient ones, where vestiges of an antediluvian civilization might be buried. Looking for answers, prestige or riches, every guild has its own motivations. Players are archeologists exploring tiles they can remove. There are 5 levels of tiles in the game. The first one corresponds to the ice sheet level. The second, third and fourth represent surface, intermediate and deep artifacts levels. the last one is the edifice level. Archeologists dig these tiles in order to collect artifacts which gave them reputation points. The ice sheet tiles removed by a player can be played as a helping action for him. The edifice tiles are game changing rules and represent legacy material to discover as we go along. The game stops when a first edifice tile is fully discovered. Then players count their reputation points, which determine the winner. —description from the publisher
I C E supports 1–5 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 I C E is 90–120 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 I C E 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.
I C E 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.
I C E belongs to these categories: Exploration and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Layering, Modular Board, and Mancala. 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 I C E are: Sams and Bragou. 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 I C E 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.