- BGG rank
- BGG #2,225
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Wars of the Roses: Lancaster vs. York
- 2–4 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,549
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Royals
2014
Rules assistance for Royals
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Royals
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Royals is a board game released in 2014 for 2–5 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Peter Hawes and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Area Majority / Influence, and Open Drafting.
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About the game
In Royals, players take on the roles of the great noble houses of the 17th century, fighting for supremacy in Europe at that time. With the help of the right country cards, they occupy influential positions and obtain bonuses for this in the form of victory points. The higher the rank of the title associated with the position, the more country cards required. Already-occupied positions can be contested by playing intrigue cards. The game proceeds over three periods, with a scoring taking place after each of them. During scoring, the players with the greatest influence in each of the four countries score victory points. After the third period scoring, the game ends with the scoring of the individual titles. The player with the most victory points wins.
Designers
Publishers
- Broadway Toys LTD
- ABACUSSPIELE
- Arcane Wonders
- Dice Tower Essentials
Questions and answers
Royals supports 2–5 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 Royals is 60 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 Royals 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.
Royals has a complexity rating of 2.2 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.
The main mechanics of Royals are Set Collection, Area Majority / Influence, and Open Drafting. Mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns, such as rolling dice, drafting cards or placing workers. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you enjoyed Royals and want something comparable.
The credited designers of Royals are: Peter Hawes. 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 Royals 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.