
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Vault Wars: Worker Expansion
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- 2015

2015
Rules assistance for Vault Wars
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Vault Wars is a board game released in 2015 for 3–5 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Jonathan Gilmour-Long and its main mechanics are Set Collection and Auction / Bidding.
Many heroes go forth to battle, but some never return; leaving behind their prized possessions. You'll be part of the bidding war for the vaults they left behind to gain valuable items -- each providing Gold, Victory Points or new abilities. Outbid your opponents, equip artifacts to gain new abilities and find the gear your up-and-coming heroes are looking for to be victorious in Vault Wars. Players will take turns as an Auction Master, leading a cut-throat bidding war to selling off Vaults full of items to the other players. Each Vault provides a unique experience, introducing new ways for the players to bid. No player quite knows everything that's in a Vault, and there's lots of junk to fool your opponents into bidding on. Between auctions, players may sell off their items to gain Gold, or save them for Victory Points -- paying storage fees to keep them around. Collect gems for massive Victory Points, Weapons to gain lots of Gold, or rare Artifacts to gain powerful abilities. Each player has up-and-coming heroes who are looking specific items, giving out bonus victory points (but try to keep that a secret from your opponents). The player with the most victory points after all the auctions will be the winner! Vault Wars is a bidding and bluffing game for 3-5 player that plays in less than an hour.
Vault Wars supports 3–5 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 Vault Wars is 45–60 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 Vault Wars for ages 13 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.
Vault Wars has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Vault Wars belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Auction / Bidding. 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 Vault Wars are: Jonathan Gilmour-Long. 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 Vault 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.