
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,587
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Brief Border Wars
- 2 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2020

1997
Rules assistance for Shining Path: The Struggle for Peru
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.
Shining Path: The Struggle for Peru is a board game released in 1997 for 2 players, 90–240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Brian Train and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence.
Shining Path is a game simulating the conflict between the Sendero Luminoso or "Shining Path" Maoist guerrillas and the Government of Peru. This guerrilla war started in 1980 and continues to this day. During the game the Sendero player tries to fray the fabric of Peruvian society and replace government power with his own structures. Meanwhile the government player fights a struggle against the Sendero guerrillas, corruption, and the wretched state of the Peruvian economy. Contents: 1 color 17" x 22" map, 140 double-sided counters (to be assembled), rules, charts and tables.
Shining Path: The Struggle for Peru 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 Shining Path: The Struggle for Peru is 90–240 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 Shining Path: The Struggle for Peru for ages 12 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.
Shining Path: The Struggle for Peru has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Shining Path: The Struggle for Peru belongs to these categories: Wargame, Political, and Modern Warfare. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Shining Path: The Struggle for Peru are: Brian Train. 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 Shining Path: The Struggle for Peru 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.