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Maelstrom

Maelstrom

Fantasy Flight Games · 2001
2–460 min12+ yrs2.6/5 complexity6.6 BGG#8.888 BGG543Couples
short answer

How do you play Maelstrom?

This game was originally published in the summer of 2001 as collectible game "Vortex", and was promoted with free demo-kits distributed to the hobby industry in the spring of 2001.

To find the best price for Maelstrom, howtoplay.ro compares deals from Romanian shops every day.

Maelstrom box art
official art · Fantasy Flight Games

This game was originally published in the summer of 2001 as collectible game "Vortex", and was promoted with free demo-kits distributed to the hobby industry in the spring of 2001. "Vortex" used a clever connected-hexagons-as-board game system that would later inspire other games in the "hexagon mass as a board" category.

From the FFG Website:

Maelstrom is a fixed, stand-alone 2-4 player board game that contains every common and starter flat from the Vortex fantasy battle game - 54 flats in all, over 150 tiles. Maelstrom is the perfect way for strategy board gamers who don't like collectibility to experience the game, and is an ideal way for Vortex fans to fill out their collections.

The Masters of the Void are at war. Using the powers of the Vortex, they tear holes in the fabric of existence, recruiting powerful allies and enslaving lands, cities, and beasts of the wild. Magic, creatures of unimaginable power, and engines of destruction are bound to the Vortex and equally engulfed in the bitter struggle between the Masters.

Designed by Diskwars creators Tom Jolly and Christian T. Petersen, Maelstrom is a game of fantasy battles, magic, and resource management using a unique hexagonal tile game field that grows as players add allies, land, and relics to fill the void that surrounds the Vortex. Game play is fast and furious, as players seek to gain mastery over the battlefield, shaping the very foundation of the Vortex with each strategically placed tile. Only one can rule the void. Will you?"

This is the game Vortex, packaged in a non-collectible format. The box contains a ton of tiles. Vortex includes 92 "flats" of tiles total (16 "fixed", 38 "standard", and 38 "rare); this box contains all of the fixed and standard flats (for a total of 54 flats). Note that events and relics are not included in this game, as they are in Vortex (all events and relics are rare). Otherwise, it's the same game as Vortex, and you can even add Vortex booster packs to this game to increase your collection. That having been said, you really don't need to. Events DO add to the game experience, but they're not necessary -- this is a complete game without any further purchases.

Expanded by:

Maelstrom Expansion Pack
game anatomy
Complexity2.6 / 5
BGG rating6.6 / 10
Vibe
Couples
Language dependence
Moderate text — a crib sheet helps
Play time
60 min
Players
2–4
Recommended age
12+ yrs
BGG rank
#8.888
from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1How much does Maelstrom cost?
No store is currently tracking Maelstrom. Check the Prices tab — you can set a price alert to be notified when it appears.
Q2Where can I buy Maelstrom cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q3How do you play Maelstrom?
Maelstrom is a collectible components game, for 2–4 players, taking ~60 minutes, featuring action points. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Maelstrom — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q4How many players does Maelstrom support?
Maelstrom is played by 2–4 players.
Q5How long does a game of Maelstrom take?
A game of Maelstrom takes about 60 minutes. (The first game doesn't count. It never counts.)
Q6What age is Maelstrom for?
Maelstrom is recommended from age 12.
Q7How complex is Maelstrom?
Maelstrom has a BoardGameGeek complexity of 2.6 out of 5.
Mechanics & categories

Expansions

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