
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,458
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Star Empires
- 2–4 players
- 10–30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2016

Rules assistance for Small Samurai Empires: Rise of Tokugawa
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Small Samurai Empires: Rise of Tokugawa is an expansion for Small Samurai Empires released in 2023 for 1–5 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Milan Tasevski and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Action Queue, and Programmed Movement.
Rise of Tokugawa is an expansion for Small Samurai Empires, including a 5th player, solo mode, training grounds, a playmat and more! As house Tokugawa rises to power, many of the daimyos prepare for the inevitable – an all-out war between the houses. No-one is safe, not even within the great castle walls. Train your Samurai to be invincible warriors. Deploy archers, elite units and generals and use your unique tactics to bring an advantage to the battlefield. Prepare for siege and glorious battles. For glory and honor!
Small Samurai Empires: Rise of Tokugawa supports 1–5 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 Small Samurai Empires: Rise of Tokugawa is 45–90 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 Small Samurai Empires: Rise of Tokugawa 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.
Small Samurai Empires: Rise of Tokugawa has a complexity rating of 3.3 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.
Small Samurai Empires: Rise of Tokugawa belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy, Medieval, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Action Queue, and Programmed 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 Small Samurai Empires: Rise of Tokugawa are: Milan Tasevski. 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 Small Samurai Empires: Rise of Tokugawa as an expansion for Small Samurai Empires. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Small Samurai Empires to use it. Check that your edition of Small Samurai Empires is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.