
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,993
- BGG rating
- 6.5
The Black Prince: The Battle of Navarette, 1367
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 1979

1977
Rules assistance for Sauron
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.
Sauron is a board game released in 1977 for 2 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Rob Mosca and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid.
From J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth, "Sauron" is a simulation of the Battle of Dagorlad from the 2nd Age of between Sauron and the forces of the Free Peoples (elves, men and dwarves) outside the main gate of Mordor. Part of the SPI Middle Earth trilogy along with War of the Ring and Gondor: The Siege of Minas Tirith.
Sauron supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Sauron is 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 Sauron 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.
Sauron has a complexity rating of 2.7 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.
Sauron belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Wargame, and Novel-based. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Hexagon Grid. 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 Sauron are: Rob Mosca. 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 Sauron 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.