- BGG rank
- BGG #17
- BGG rating
- 8.2
The Castles of Burgundy
- 2–4 players
- 30–90 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,499
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Noblemen
2012
Rules assistance for Noblemen
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 75–120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.0/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Noblemen
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Noblemen is a board game released in 2012 for 3–5 players, 75–120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Dwight Sullivan and its main mechanics are Tile Placement and Open Drafting.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #334
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Kingdomino
- 2–4 players
- 15–25 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #727
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Queendomino
- 2–4 players
- 25 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,957
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Pax Viking
- 1–6 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,026
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Gunkimono
- 2–5 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #168
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Planet Unknown
- 1–6 players
- 60–80 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #307
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Tapestry
- 1–5 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #445
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Akropolis
- 1–4 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #739
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Sanctuary
- 1–5 players
- 40–100 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #757
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Yellow & Yangtze
- 2–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #799
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Cacao
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #993
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Brazil: Imperial
- 1–4 players
- 100 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2021
About the game
In the mid-sixteenth century England, Queen Elizabeth I rules without an heir. This leaves room for some maneuvering. Powers throughout, including you, believe that a family with great presence, wealth, and nobility might find itself in the right place at the right time. In Noblemen, you are members of the British aristocracy. You will try to achieve influence and prestige for your family. You will grow your family's estate, earn the queen's favor, bear witness to scandalous behavior, gain influence with the church, bribe royalty, and leverage your political weight during masquerade balls, all in an effort to ensure your family's rightful place in history. After three decades, the player with the most victory points will be declared the winner. This is a game of several races all going on at the same time. Players race the clock; you will never know exactly how many turns are remaining before the scoring round. Players will race each other – to build cheaper buildings, to be the first to build a folly, to have more prestige and therefore gain a higher noble title, and more. On your turn you can play one scandal card (if you choose) in addition to taking one action from the following possibilities: Grow Estate – Play lands from behind your screen Build Structure – Buy and play a building on a meadow Bribe Royalty – Buy bribe tickets you can redeem later Collect Taxes – Get money Acquire Lands – Get more land from the bag of random lands Donate to the Church – Redeem lands for victory points Leisure Time – Get one victory point On most of your turns, you will build your estate by playing land tiles or building structures. There are three commodities to concentrate on: lands, wealth, and prestige. Each commodity will help on your path to victory. It is for you to decide each turn which is the most needed for you to win the game.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Pegasus Spiele
- Tasty Minstrel Games
Questions and answers
Noblemen supports 3–5 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 Noblemen is 75–120 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 Noblemen 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.
Noblemen has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Noblemen belongs to these categories: Territory Building and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement and Open Drafting. 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 Noblemen are: Dwight Sullivan. 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 Noblemen 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.