
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,870
- BGG rating
- 7.3
The First Tsar: Ivan the Terrible
- 2–4 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2023

Rules assistance for Rurik: Dawn of Kiev – Intrigue Cards 1
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Rurik: Dawn of Kiev – Intrigue Cards 1 is an expansion for Rurik: Dawn of Kiev released in 2019 for 2–4 players, 60–120 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Stan Kordonskiy and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Auction / Bidding, and Area Movement.
An 11 card mini-expansion included as part of the Kickstarter edition of Rurik: Dawn of Kiev. In between the 4 rounds, a new intrigue card is activated with an effect that requires players to adjust their strategy. Only one intrigue card is active at a time. Intrigue cards typically impact the Planning phase (e.g. requiring players to pay coins when placing advisors in some situations) but some intrigue cards impact other parts of the game (e.g. mustering a troop anywhere on the board). —description from the publisher
Rurik: Dawn of Kiev – Intrigue Cards 1 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 Rurik: Dawn of Kiev – Intrigue Cards 1 is 60–120 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 Rurik: Dawn of Kiev – Intrigue Cards 1 for ages 13 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.
Rurik: Dawn of Kiev – Intrigue Cards 1 has a complexity rating of 1.5 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.
Rurik: Dawn of Kiev – Intrigue Cards 1 belongs to these categories: Territory Building, Medieval, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Auction / Bidding, and Area Movement. 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 Rurik: Dawn of Kiev – Intrigue Cards 1 are: Stan Kordonskiy. 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 Rurik: Dawn of Kiev – Intrigue Cards 1 as an expansion for Rurik: Dawn of Kiev. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Rurik: Dawn of Kiev to use it. Check that your edition of Rurik: Dawn of Kiev is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.