- BGG rank
- BGG #2,933
- BGG rating
- 7.6
BattleTech: Introductory Box Set
- 2–6 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2002
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,892
- BGG rating
- 6.4
The Succession Wars
1987
Rules assistance for The Succession Wars
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 240 min
- 10+
- Complexity 3.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Succession Wars
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Succession Wars is a board game released in 1987 for 2–5 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by L. Ross Babcock, III and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,486
- BGG rating
- 6.9
BattleTech: CityTech
- 2–6 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 1986
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,577
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Renegade Legion: Interceptor
- 2–4 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 1987
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,258
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Crimson Skies
- 2 players
- 10 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,886
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Circus Imperium
- 2–12 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 1988
- BGG rank
- BGG #7
- BGG rating
- 8.6
Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition
- 3–6 players
- 240–480 min
- Complexity 4.4/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #10
- BGG rating
- 8.4
Star Wars: Rebellion
- 2–4 players
- 180–240 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #23
- BGG rating
- 8.4
Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy
- 2–6 players
- 60–200 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #88
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Star Wars: Imperial Assault
- 2–5 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #107
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy
- 2–6 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #154
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Twilight Imperium: Third Edition
- 3–6 players
- 180–240 min
- Complexity 4.3/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #157
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Forbidden Stars
- 2–4 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2015
About the game
The Succession Wars is a grand strategic game set in the BattleTech universe. The game system is not overly complex, but does feature money (taxing and expenditures), technology levels, and leaders (characters from the BattleTech continuity, who have multiple uses). Note that despite what the box copy below implies, all five Houses are always in play. Playing with fewer than five players requires at least some players to play multiple Houses. Furthermore, there are in fact only two scenarios provided in the box, one for the Third (or possibly Fourth) Succession War, starting in 3025, and one for the First, starting in 2786. From the back of the box: For over 200 years, the five Successor States of the near-legendary Star League have warred among themselves for dominion over the whole Inner Sphere. There have been three Succession Wars to date, but no victor. The cost of war is high. The leaders of the Successor States must weigh each maneuver to see whether the gain in territory is worth the loss of 'Mechs. Only the most ruthless and brilliant leader will emerge as the next Star Lord. The Succession Wars is a 2- to 5-player game, where each player assumes the role of a House leader. All the most famous and infamous regiments of the BattleTech universe are at your command - the elite Kurita Sword of Light, the Davion Guards, and the mercenary unit Wolf's Dragoons. The game allows players to fight any Succession War, including the fourth, toward which the Inner Sphere is now building. The game system is simple and fast allowing strategy - not the rules - to be the deciding factor.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Fanpro
- FASA
Questions and answers
The Succession Wars supports 2–5 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 The Succession Wars is 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 The Succession Wars for ages 10 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 Succession Wars has a complexity rating of 3.0 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 Succession Wars belongs to these categories: Wargame and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling. 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 Succession Wars are: L. Ross Babcock, III. 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 Succession Wars 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.