
- BGG rank
- BGG #567
- BGG rating
- 7.5
The Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2005

1981
Rules assistance for Power
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Power is a board game released in 1981 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Monte B. Young and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Secret Unit Deployment.
One of the elements of Diplomacy that makes it so unique is the writing of orders for your pieces and then the simultaneous resolution of the move for everyone. Power uses this same general concept, only minus all the devil-inspired backstabbing that makes Diplomacy what it is. In this game, players are given equal forces consisting of ships, planes and other weapons of modern warfare, including a 'nuke' of sorts. Each turn, players can move a set number of their pieces based on the chosen piece's movement. The board is a painfully simple system of orthogonal squares. Once all moves for a given turn have been written down, all pieces are moved simultaneously. If more than one force's pieces occupy the same space, then a superiority check is made with each type of piece contributing a set number of strength points (usually inversely related to movement). The largest force then takes possession of all opposing pieces, making the shift in power quite significant, and the central theme for the remainder of the game.
Power 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 Power 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 Power for ages 10 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.
Power has a complexity rating of 2.6 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.
Power belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy and Modern Warfare. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Secret Unit Deployment. 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 Power are: Monte B. Young. 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 Power 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.