
- BGG rank
- BGG #17,261
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Invasion: Earth
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1981

1982
Rules assistance for Soldier King
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.
Soldier King is a board game released in 1982 for 2–4 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Frank Chadwick and its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Simulation.
"Soldier King is a game for two to four players covering the war of succession in a leaderless empire. Each player controls one army and must struggle through diplomacy and conquest to capture a majority of the Imperial electoral cities, thus assuring his election as Emperor." "Movement of armies is from point to point along roads and waterways, thus emphasizing the key role played by lines of communications in the 1700's, the age of the soldier kings. Each turn covers one season of campaigning, and each unit presents 10,000-20,000 troops. Infantry, light cavalry and heavy cavalry units perform their own key roles in battle, and a system of promoting units after battles allows for a gradual improvement of armies from green levies to battle-hardened guards" (from box back) Containing: two 17x22 maps, 320 die cut counters, rules & 2 dice
Soldier King 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 Soldier King is 180 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 Soldier King 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.
Soldier King has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Soldier King belongs to these categories: Wargame and Age of Reason. Its main mechanics are Area Movement, Dice Rolling, and Simulation. 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 Soldier King are: Frank Chadwick. 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 Soldier King 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.