- BGG rank
- BGG #505
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51st State: Master Set
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2016
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- 7.9
Rules assistance for Winter
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 90 min
- 10+
- Complexity 3.1/5
Rules assistant for Winter
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Winter is an expansion for 51st State released in 2012 for 2–6 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Ignacy Trzewiczek and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Open Drafting.
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About the game
Winter has come. There's a brief cease-fire. The factions begun preparations for the next stage of war, a brutal clash that will come in a few months. In the meantime, though, they are reinforcing their troops. Thanks to the new resources found near the gigantic Frozen City, new leaders are preparing for spring. Winter sleep is, in the end, just a cover for a secret arms race... Winter, an expansion pack for both 51st State and The New Era, introduces new rules and 54 new cards to both games that will reward gamers who prefer sustainable development over unpredictable aggression. Winter lasts six weeks – i.e., six rounds – and during that time players prepare for the war that will take place after winter. Each round players can send their workers to Frozen City, a special mini board, to hire mercenaries and find new leaders. With Winter, the aim of the game has changed; you no longer fight for 30 victory points (VPs), developing in a rush to hit that total and win before the other player. Now you have a precise amount of time in which to plan and build, in which to develop your faction. Winter introduces a new Texas faction that's crowded with people (four workers in the production phase) and has the possibility of using one of its faction contacts twice in a round.
Designers
Publishers
- Portal Games
Questions and answers
Winter 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 Winter 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 Winter 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.
Winter has a complexity rating of 3.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Winter belongs to these categories: Card Game, Economic, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Open Drafting. 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 Winter are: Ignacy Trzewiczek. 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 Winter as an expansion for 51st State. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need 51st State to use it. Check that your edition of 51st State is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.