- BGG rank
- BGG #14,447
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Dwarf
- 1–3 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,634
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Maeshowe: an Orkney Saga
2021
Rules assistance for Maeshowe: an Orkney Saga
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 15–30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.8/5
Rules assistant for Maeshowe: an Orkney Saga
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Maeshowe: an Orkney Saga is a board game released in 2021 for 1–2 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Lee G. Broderick and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Push Your Luck.
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About the game
According to the Orkneyinga Saga, Earl Rognvald Kali Kolsson broke into the chambered tomb of Maeshowe, on Orkney, in AD 1150. In AD 1153, Earl Harald Maddadson and a group of his men sheltered there during a snowstorm. The sagas tell us that Rognvald found treasure there and that two of Harald’s men went mad. Alone or with a friend, players will on their turn need to play one card to the row and discard one. Managing their hand of five cards players need to make tough calls on what to play while carefully managing their resources of health, food and cards left in their draw deck. The players will free themselves from the Tomb of Maeshowe once they've removed enough rubble blocking their escape. By playing a set of four "Excavation" cards to the row, the players are able to remove rubble. The timing of when to start a set of "Excavation" cards will be critical since a row of less than four will result in those cards being lost decreasing player chance for survival. If the player ever find themselves having zero health or having run out of cards in their draw deck, they have lost and their dead bodies will be found in the Tomb of Maeshowe by archeologists hundreds of years later. Other threats presented by their draw deck includes such things as the passage collapsing and running out of food while some well-needed sleep or Odin himself sending a Raven to watch over you can provide you with some much-needed relief. This updated version of Lee Broderick's Print and Play game Maeshowe offers a streamlined version of the core gameplay while adding a series of mini-expansions and alternate set-ups for more variety, challenge, and replay-ability.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Dragon Dawn Productions
Questions and answers
Maeshowe: an Orkney Saga supports 1–2 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 Maeshowe: an Orkney Saga is 15–30 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 Maeshowe: an Orkney Saga 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.
Maeshowe: an Orkney Saga 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.
Maeshowe: an Orkney Saga belongs to these categories: Card Game and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Push Your Luck. 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 Maeshowe: an Orkney Saga are: Lee G. Broderick. 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 Maeshowe: an Orkney Saga 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.