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Ice War
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- BGG #18,952
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- 6.2
The Lords of Underearth
1981
Rules assistance for The Lords of Underearth
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–3 players
- 60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.3/5
Rules assistant for The Lords of Underearth
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Lords of Underearth is a board game released in 1981 for 1–3 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Keith Gross and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Modular Board.
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About the game
Microgame #18 in the Metagaming Microgames series. From the box: Underearth is the ancient stronghold of the Dwarven Lords. This game covers the earthy realms' full history: from the height of Dwarven power to its decline in the days of dragonfire and destruction. Here, you will lead bands of Humans, Dwarves, Orcs and monsters on raids, wars and treasure hunts. 'The Lords of Undereath is a two player game of fantasy tactical combat in an underground labyrinth. The rules cover solitaire play, surprise attack, pursuit, morale, locked doors, sentries, flight, treasure, mercenaries and even uncontrolled movement. This game is a complete simulation of fantasy combat at the group (skirmish) level. Lords of Underearth definitely pays off on its promises and then some. It's easy to learn. It plays fast. The board is geomorphic which helps replayability. Solitaire play actually works. Four clever scenarios are presented, all of them are fun, like the one that sure reminds us of Smaug and the Lonely Mountain or another that is suspiciously similar to the battle at the Bridge at Khazad-dûm. It's also compatible with Wizard & Melee and The Fantasy Trip, although you'd never want to play it that way. This game republished in supplement of Japanese TACTICS magazine #54.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Hobby Japan
- Metagaming
Questions and answers
The Lords of Underearth supports 1–3 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 Lords of Underearth is 60 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 Lords of Underearth 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.
The Lords of Underearth has a complexity rating of 2.3 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 Lords of Underearth belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Wargame, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, 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 Lords of Underearth are: Keith Gross. 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 Lords of Underearth 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.