- BGG rank
- BGG #1,875
- BGG rating
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Rune Age
- 1–4 players
- 20–60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #26,998
- BGG rating
- 5.6
Prime Wars
2013
Rules assistance for Prime Wars
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with saved question history.
Rules assistant for Prime Wars
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Prime Wars is a board game released in 2013 for 2–4 players and 20 minutes per game.
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About the game
In Prime Wars, a strategic card battle game, players are transported to a fantasy world torn apart by the different races that exist there, with each race striving for survival and a chance to gain ultimate power. Like most wars, this one is full of mutiny, lies, and manipulation. The races have become fragmented, and now everyone fights for their own blood. In game terms, each player starts play with ten cards in hand; cards come in eight types, with six of them being races that have an advantage when played against a specific race. On a turn, you must play a card that beats the value of the top card currently in play, play a mercenary (which automatically beats the top card), or play a battleground (which has an effect like "the next player loses a turn" or "change the direction of play"). Heroes, for example, gain +2 when played on Beasts, but are otherwise worth their normal value. Some races have the power to play a second card at the same time as the first or give an opponent a card from the player's hand. If you can't play, then you must draw a card instead. The aim of the game is to have no cards left in your hand, so players will have to think strategically about which races they take to battle at each opportunity.
Editions
- Prime Warsen3DTotal Games2013
Questions and answers
Prime 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 Prime Wars is 20 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.
Prime Wars has a complexity rating of 1.1 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.
Prime Wars belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Wargame. Categories describe the theme, setting and style of a game rather than its rules. Filter the catalogue by the same category to find similar games when you enjoyed Prime Wars and want something comparable for your next game night.
The catalogue lists Prime 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.