
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,258
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Explorers of the North Sea
- 1–4 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2016

Rules assistance for 航海の時代 王家の書簡 (Kōkai no jidai ōke no shokan)
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
航海の時代 王家の書簡 (Kōkai no jidai ōke no shokan) is an expansion for Discovery: The Era of Voyage released in 2016 for 2–5 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by A.I. Lab and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Modular Board, and Pick-up and Deliver.
航海の時代 王家の書簡 (Kōkai no jidai ōke no shokan) (Era Of Voyage Royal Letter) is an expansion to the original Japanese edition of Discovery: The Era of Voyage. The expansion allows a fifth player to play by including extra components. Two new home ports are added to the game, and eight new islands. These allow more variety in the game. The expansion also adds Royal Letters and Contract cards. A Royal Letter gives a unique end of game bonus. A Contract gives a bonus during the game but only to the first player to get it. For example, a Royal Letter gives gives 3 points to the player with the most money at the end, and 1 point to the second most. Or, a player gets 1 point for each island they invested in by the end of the game. A Contract for example might give 2 points for a payment of 9 pesos. The player must return to their home port to select a Contract (instead of getting income for the port). user summary
航海の時代 王家の書簡 (Kōkai no jidai ōke no shokan) 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 航海の時代 王家の書簡 (Kōkai no jidai ōke no shokan) is 30 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 航海の時代 王家の書簡 (Kōkai no jidai ōke no shokan) for ages 8 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.
航海の時代 王家の書簡 (Kōkai no jidai ōke no shokan) has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
航海の時代 王家の書簡 (Kōkai no jidai ōke no shokan) belongs to these categories: Economic, Adventure, and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Modular Board, and Pick-up and Deliver. 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 航海の時代 王家の書簡 (Kōkai no jidai ōke no shokan) are: A.I. Lab. 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 航海の時代 王家の書簡 (Kōkai no jidai ōke no shokan) as an expansion for Discovery: The Era of Voyage. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Discovery: The Era of Voyage to use it. Check that your edition of Discovery: The Era of Voyage is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.