- BGG rank
- BGG #1,797
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Keyper
- 2–4 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,771
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Keywood
1995
Rules assistance for Keywood
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 120 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Keywood
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Keywood is a board game released in 1995 for 2–5 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Richard Breese and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence and Voting.
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About the game
from Game Cabinet Review: 2 - 5 players attempt to settle and govern a new land of six villages. Each player may only introduce two new villagers per turn across five or six turns total. Villagers start as farmers earning a fixed income. Part of that income may be spent to purchase trade licenses which allow your villagers to set up as traders. Traders earn an income based on the population of their village. Each village must also elect a representative to government each turn. These councilors move to town and have no income for that turn (so much for realism - there is no provision for special interest groups or political action committees!). The government must decide whether to tax the farmers, tax the traders, or revoke one type of trade license. When this session of government breaks up councilors can either pay their own way home or pay a small fee and remain in government for another turn (well, at least that sounds realistic!). Each turn a new marketplace is opened which doubles the income of the host village. The villages bid fiercely for the right to host the new market each turn. Finally, the villagers and traders earn income and pay their taxes. The player that has the most money after the last round of play inherits control of the lands of Keywood and wins the game. Keywood is Richard Breese's first game in the key series.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- R&D Games
Questions and answers
Keywood supports 2–5 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 Keywood is 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 Keywood 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.
Keywood has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Keywood belongs to these categories: Medieval and Civilization. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence and Voting. 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 Keywood are: Richard Breese. 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 Keywood 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.