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Streetcar Suburb
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Mattock
2020
Rules assistance for Mattock
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 5–40 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Mattock
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Mattock is a board game released in 2020 for 2 players, 5–40 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Drew Edwards and its main mechanics are Variable Set-up, Tile Placement, and Network and Route Building.
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About the game
In Mattock, you play miners digging corridors through the rock. You can’t dig too closely together though, or the mine will collapse. To win, trap your opponent so they run out of space to mine. Playing the Game: On your turn, take these 3 steps in order: ① Mine Place 1 tile on an open space next to, or connected by other tiles to, at least 1 of your miners. Opponent’s miners block connections. To prevent the mine from collapsing, the tile must not touch: • more than 3 other tiles; • a tile which already touches 3 other tiles. If you have any miners which were removed on previous turns, place 1 of them on this tile. If you cannot Mine, you lose the game. ② Move You may choose to move any 1 of your miners to a tile connected to it. You do not have to move. You may move through your own miners, but opponent’s miners block your path. ③ Remove Remove all opponent miners that are now both: • Not connected to another opponent miner; • Connected to 2 or more of your miners. Your opponent takes the removed miner(s) and will place 1 back on the board on their turn. -description from designer
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Questions and answers
Mattock supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Mattock is 5–40 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 Mattock 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.
Mattock 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.
Mattock belongs to these categories: Print & Play and Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Variable Set-up, Tile Placement, and Network and Route Building. 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 Mattock are: Drew Edwards. 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 Mattock 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.