- BGG rank
- BGG #2,007
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Nothing Personal
- 3–5 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,327
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Vicious Fishes
2010
Rules assistance for Vicious Fishes
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Vicious Fishes
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Vicious Fishes is a board game released in 2010 for 2–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Tom Vasel and its main mechanics are Tile Placement.
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About the game
Johnson’s pond isn’t that big, yet more fish are being born each year. The fish have divided up into schools and are at war. Vicious Fishes is a tile-laying game where six different schools of fish are fighting to become the dominating school of the sea. It’s better to be a big fish in a small pond, goes the old saying, and this is a small pond. Players are actively supporting a faction of fish hoping that their faction is the winner. At the same time, they are secretly betting that one faction of fish loses. Which player will back the right faction?
Questions and answers
Vicious Fishes supports 2–6 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 Vicious Fishes is 30 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 Vicious Fishes 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.
Vicious Fishes 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.
Vicious Fishes belongs to these categories: Animals. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement. 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 Vicious Fishes are: Tom Vasel. 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 Vicious Fishes 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.