- BGG rating
- 5.8
The Awful Orphanage: Stragglers Pack
- 1–6 players
- 40–90 min
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #23,578
- BGG rating
- 6.1
The Awful Orphanage
2019
Rules assistance for The Awful Orphanage
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–6 players
- 40–90 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for The Awful Orphanage
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Awful Orphanage is a board game released in 2019 for 1–6 players, 40–90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Paul Keene and Tim Fisher and its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Tile Placement, and Modular Board.
Expansions
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About the game
The Awful Orphanage is a mildly devious tabletop game for 2 to 6 players. Take control of a unique Orphan and navigate the ever changing rooms and corridors of Ms. Prendergast's Home for Wayward Children uncovering loot, avoiding orderlies and escaping from the nefarious Gaunt & Sinister Man! Players take it in turns searching rooms in the hope of finding one of the hidden magical items with which you will free yourself from the Orphanage and end the reign of terror. Use items including Pots & Pans, Bricks and Bottles to fight the Orderlies then ruin your friends turn with tricks including Bags of Marbles and Itching Powder all whilst dodging the Orphanage employees! Whatever you do, always look over your shoulder when trying to escape The Awful Orphanage! —description from the publisher There can only be one winner.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Workhouse Games
Questions and answers
The Awful Orphanage supports 1–6 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 The Awful Orphanage is 40–90 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 The Awful Orphanage for ages 14 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.
The Awful Orphanage 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.
The Awful Orphanage belongs to these categories: Murder / Mystery, Horror, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Tile Placement, and Modular Board. 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 The Awful Orphanage are: Paul Keene and Tim Fisher. 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 The Awful Orphanage 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.