- BGG rank
- BGG #22,960
- BGG rating
- 6.3
War of the Networks
- 2–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 1979
- BGG rank
- BGG #26,673
- BGG rating
- 5.6
TV Wars
1987
Rules assistance for TV Wars
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–4 players
- 90 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.9/5
Rules assistant for TV Wars
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
TV Wars is a board game released in 1987 for 3–4 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Bruce Nash and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Tile Placement, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
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About the game
TV Wars is a game of television network battles for ratings. Each player plays one of four semi-fictional TV networks, and the goal is to end up with the most money when the game ends (which is either when only one network is left on the air, or when certain tiles run out). Players move pawns around a standard square-track board, with spaces that trigger various events -- drawing an event card, auctioning off a new TV show or star or academy award movie, or triggering a ratings war. During a ratings war, players lay out the tiles representing their prime-time line-up of shows and movies, along with bonuses for stars and reviews. Shows with the lowest ratings in their time slot are cancelled, and when a network has no shows left, it goes off the air and the player is out of the game.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
Questions and answers
TV Wars supports 3–4 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 TV Wars is 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 TV 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.
TV Wars has a complexity rating of 1.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
TV Wars belongs to these categories: Economic and Movies / TV / Radio theme. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Tile Placement, and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 TV Wars are: Bruce Nash. 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 TV 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.