- BGG rating
- 7.0
Lab Wars: Collective Power
- 2–4 players
- 20–60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,296
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Lab Wars
2016
Rules assistance for Lab Wars
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Lab Wars
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Lab Wars is a board game released in 2016 for 2–4 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Caezar Al-Jassar and Kuly Heer and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Income.
Expansions
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About the game
Lab Wars is the science themed card game of building up your lab and sabotaging your competitors all for scientific glory! How to play: Players start play with a research team of 5 lab characters and 3 lab item cards in their hand. At the beginning of each round players will reveal which character they will be playing in a rock, paper, scissors mechanism. When it is the player's turn their character activates an attack (a resource bonus) if another player has played the targeted character and an extra character specific bonus. If a player is successfully sabotaged they also gain a sabotage card decreasing their "Impact point" total (see end). Players will then purchase lab item cards into their lab area from their hand. Lab items can combine to create combos which give the player more research points of the drawing of more cards. Players may also play action cards which have variable effects. Players gain action cards by the successful sabotage of another player or by playing the professor card. If players have enough research points they can purchase from an open supply of 3 different "impact cards". They become more expensive to purchase as they get bought up. Players need impact cards to give themselves impact points which are needed to win the game. Once the player has finished their turn the next player has their turn. Once all players have finished their turn players start over and reveal which new character they will be playing that round. From the beginning of the second round and future rounds each player receives 2 research points and 1 lab item card from the lab item deck. How to win and end the game: The game ends at the end of the round when 2 of the 3 supply cards have run out, with the player with the most impact points winning the game. Bonuses are also given to those with the most remaining research points, lab items in their lab area and Nurture paper impact cards.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Alley Cat Games
Questions and answers
Lab Wars 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 Lab Wars is 30–60 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 Lab Wars for ages 12 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.
Lab Wars 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.
Lab Wars belongs to these categories: Card Game, Party Game, and Educational. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Income. 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 Lab Wars are: Caezar Al-Jassar and Kuly Heer. 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 Lab Wars 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.