
- BGG rank
- BGG #504
- BGG rating
- 7.5
51st State: Master Set
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2016

Rules assistance for Imperial Settlers: Why Can't We Be Friends
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Imperial Settlers: Why Can't We Be Friends is an expansion for Imperial Settlers released in 2014 for 1–4 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Ignacy Trzewiczek and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Open Drafting.
Imperial Settlers: Why Can't We Be Friends, the first Empire Pack for Imperial Settlers, includes new common cards for the central deck, new cards for each of the base game's four factions, and two new cards for use in the solo game with some factions. One new effect on the cards is "open production", an ability that allows an opponent to visit your building for the resource produced there while giving you the worker who made that trek. Hope you can put him to use once again!
Imperial Settlers: Why Can't We Be Friends 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 Imperial Settlers: Why Can't We Be Friends is 45–90 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 Imperial Settlers: Why Can't We Be Friends 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.
Imperial Settlers: Why Can't We Be Friends 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.
Imperial Settlers: Why Can't We Be Friends belongs to these categories: Card Game, Ancient, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Open Drafting. 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 Imperial Settlers: Why Can't We Be Friends are: Ignacy Trzewiczek. 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 Imperial Settlers: Why Can't We Be Friends as an expansion for Imperial Settlers. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Imperial Settlers to use it. Check that your edition of Imperial Settlers is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.