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The Battle of Five Armies

The Battle of Five Armies

Ares Games · 2014
290–240 min13+ yrs3.6/5 complexity7.8 BGG#784 BGG7,7 KCouplesStrategy
⚡ short answer

How do you play The Battle of Five Armies?

The Shadow player aims to conquer key strongholds and accumulate 10 victory points, while the Free Peoples player seeks to delay them until the fate track reaches 15 or powerful reinforcements like Beorn turn the tide of battle.

To find the best price for The Battle of Five Armies, howtoplay.ro compares deals from Romanian shops every day.

Not available new in shops
The Battle of Five Armies box art
official art · Ares Games
the rules in 60 seconds▶ auto · 1/6
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01

Setup

Set up the board with specific miniatures, recruitment tokens, and decks as dictated by the rulebook.

The rules, step by step

Setup
The game begins with a precise setup placing miniatures, recruitment tokens, fate markers, and four main card decks—Free Peoples, Shadow, General Events, and Fate—onto the board. Specific faction leaders like Beorn and Bolg start in designated areas or enter play according to special card conditions.
Objective
The Shadow player aims to conquer key strongholds and accumulate 10 victory points, while the Free Peoples player seeks to delay them until the fate track reaches 15 or powerful reinforcements like Beorn turn the tide of battle.
On your turn
During each round, players roll action dice and draw cards to execute strategic maneuvers. Actions include moving armies, mustering new troops, playing event cards, and initiating combat in adjacent regions.
Scoring
Victory points are scored by controlling specific fortified settlements such as Eastern Spur, Front Gate, and Ravenhill, each worth four points, alongside other strategic locations.
Game end
The game concludes when either the Shadow reaches 10 victory points at the end of a round, the Free Peoples reach 15 on the fate track, or Bolg/Beorn elimination triggers instant win conditions.
Tips
Master the timing of your reinforcements and utilize event cards wisely to turn the tide of crucial battles and protect your vital supply lines.
game anatomy
Complexity3.6 / 5
BGG rating7.8 / 10
Vibe
CouplesStrategy
Language dependence
Extensive text — heavy translation needed
Play time
90–240 min
Players
2
Recommended age
13+ yrs
BGG rank
#784
from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1What is the goal of the game?
The Shadow player aims to conquer key strongholds and accumulate 10 victory points, while the Free Peoples player seeks to delay them until the fate track reaches 15 or powerful reinforcements like Beorn turn the tide of battle.
Q2How do you set up the game?
The game begins with a precise setup placing miniatures, recruitment tokens, fate markers, and four main card decks—Free Peoples, Shadow, General Events, and Fate—onto the board. Specific faction leaders like Beorn and Bolg start in designated areas or enter play according to special card conditions.
Q3How does a turn work?
During each round, players roll action dice and draw cards to execute strategic maneuvers. Actions include moving armies, mustering new troops, playing event cards, and initiating combat in adjacent regions.
Q4How is scoring calculated?
Victory points are scored by controlling specific fortified settlements such as Eastern Spur, Front Gate, and Ravenhill, each worth four points, alongside other strategic locations.
Q5When and how does the game end?
The game concludes when either the Shadow reaches 10 victory points at the end of a round, the Free Peoples reach 15 on the fate track, or Bolg/Beorn elimination triggers instant win conditions.
Q6What tips are there for beginners?
Master the timing of your reinforcements and utilize event cards wisely to turn the tide of crucial battles and protect your vital supply lines.
Q7How much does The Battle of Five Armies cost?
No store is currently tracking The Battle of Five Armies. Check the Prices tab — you can set a price alert to be notified when it appears.
Q8Where can I buy The Battle of Five Armies cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q9How do you play The Battle of Five Armies?
The Battle of Five Armies is a adventure game, for 2 players, taking ~90–240 minutes, featuring area majority / influence. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about The Battle of Five Armies — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q10How many players does The Battle of Five Armies support?
The Battle of Five Armies is played by 2 players.

Right now, none of the shops we track sells The Battle of Five Armies new.

Second-hand · from €84 · 1 listing
Mechanics & categories
Area control →Adventure →Fantasy →Fighting →Novel-based →Wargame →

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