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Kings Under Mountains
2013
Rules assistance for Kings Under Mountains
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Kings Under Mountains
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Kings Under Mountains is a board game released in 2013 for 2–4 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Trehgrannik, Alexey Paltsev, Alexey Konnov, and Anatoliy Shklyarov and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
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About the game
Players command four fantasy races in Kings Under Mountains — orcs, dwarves, goblins and giants — and they use these creatures to secure mines up for grabs, then develop those mines. Why would they do this for you? Because you're the king of one of these races, that's why! Each card in the 80-card deck is double-sided; one side depicts a creature from one of the four races and a numerical value (0-9), while the other side depicts a mine with a defense value, a size value, and a point value. To start the game, shuffle the deck, lay out four mines, deal each player a hand of six cards, then lay out four cards creature-side-up to form the Camp; group like creatures on top of one another. Each player also receives a King card to show which race he represents. On a player's turn, he must play a creature on (1) a mine currently up for grabs or (2) a mine that he's previously claimed. In both cases, the creature being played must have a higher number than the creature currently on top of the stack — except for a 0, which can be played on a 9. In the former case, you can play a card of any race, while in the latter case you can't play a card of your own race! When the number of cards on an available mine matches that mine's defense value, the King of the race on the card last played claims the mine. (If that race isn't in the game, whoever played the card claims the mine.) Move all of the cards played into the Camp. When the number of cards on a claimed mine matches that mine's size, discard all of the creature cards to the Camp, then place the mine under your King — unless the mine bears an overseer symbol, in which case you need to first play a creature of your own race on top of the creatures developing the mine (following the rule for how to play cards) before you can score the mine and place it under your King. To end your turn, you refill your hand to six cards by drawing the top card from the deck or from one of the four race piles in the Camp. When the deck runs out, the game ends. Players score points for all of the mine cards that they've fully developed (that is, mine cards under their King), then lose points for mines claimed but not yet developed. The player with the highest score wins!
Mechanics
Publishers
- G3
- Rightgames RBG SIA
Questions and answers
Kings Under Mountains supports 2–4 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 Kings Under Mountains is 30–45 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 Kings Under Mountains 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.
Kings Under Mountains has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Kings Under Mountains belongs to these categories: Card Game and Fantasy. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. 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 Kings Under Mountains are: Trehgrannik, Alexey Paltsev, Alexey Konnov, and Anatoliy Shklyarov. 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 Kings Under Mountains 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.