Overview

Blood Royale is a game of dynastic conflict set in 14th-century Europe, published by Games Workshop in 1987. It combines treachery, double-dealing, power politics, dynastic aggrandisement, and open warfare. At a strategic level it is a political wargame with almost unlimited scope for cooperation, deception, alliances, and treachery. Players can pursue objectives based on trade, military adventuring, finance, and dynastic planning. Each player’s object is to increase the power of his realm and exchequer, and to secure his Dynasty. Games last from three to four hours, with each turn representing a five-year period.

Components

• Game board showing a map of medieval Europe (England, France, Germany, and Italy) divided into provinces with borders
• 1 King piece for each country (five in all)
• 5 Prince pieces (one for each country, used in all games)
• Ship counters for each country (twenty in all)
• Playing pieces color-coded by country (Capitals, Fleets, Army Counters, Control Counters, Order Counters, King Pieces, Prince Pieces)
• 15 Baron/Invasion resource counters
• 4 six-sided dice (numbered 1-6) and 1 ten-sided die (numbered 1-10); the ten-sided die is only used for the Resource Table
• Mercenary Captain counters, Sacred Relics markers
• 3 Mercenary Captain counters (optional)
• 1 Year Turn Marker
• Plastic coins (1, 5, 10 Crowns) and paper money (25, 50 Crown notes; 100 Crown bonds)
• Character sheets for recording dynasties
• Marriage Contracts
• Pack of 40 Event Cards (optional)
• Fame/Rebellion tokens

Setup

Each player controls a country and a family Dynasty. Players select countries by drawing King pieces from a cup. Place the King piece in the capital. Take color-coded playing pieces. Place the Year Turn marker at 1300 on the Year Track. Each player creates three starting characters on Character Sheets: a King aged 25 (born 1275), a Queen aged 20 (born 1280), and one child aged 5 (born 1295). The child’s sex is determined by die roll (1-3 male, 4-6 female). Determine starting characteristics by rolling three dice and consulting the Characteristic Score table for each trait (Fighting, Influence, Command).

Turn Structure

Each turn represents a five-year period. The sequence is:

1. Taxation: Collect income from controlled provinces.
2. Playing Resources: Spend income on armies, fleets, maintenance, and other needs.
3. Manoeuvring and Raising Armies/Fleets: Deploy and move military forces.
4. Movement Phase - Players Order: Resolve movement and placement of orders.
5. Movement Phase - Events: Resolve Event cards if using Optional Rules.
6. Event Table: Roll on event tables for random occurrences.
7. Random Provinces Tables: Determine border province activities.
8. Movement Phase: Move armies, fleets, and characters.
9. Armies, Kings and Princes: Resolve military engagements.
10. Resource Items: Collect and manage resources.
11. Controlling Provinces: Determine province control.
12. Captain: Manage mercenary captains.
13. Combat: Resolve all battles.
14. End of Dynastic Sequence: Handle births, deaths, marriages, and successions.

Actions

• Taxation: Each controlled province generates income in Crowns. Capital and Food provinces generate different amounts. Active countries draw revenue from provinces.
• Military: Raise armies and fleets using income. Move forces between provinces. Engage in combat using the Combat Results Tables (Primary and Secondary).
• Dynastic Management: Arrange marriages between dynasties for alliances. Characters age, have children, and die according to dynastic sequence rules. Characteristics (Fighting, Influence, Command) affect combat and diplomacy.
• Trade: Build and manage trade routes. Mercenary Captains can be hired to supplement military strength.
• Diplomacy: Form alliances, arrange marriages, negotiate treaties. Betrayal and treachery are expected and mechanically supported.
• Combat: Armies engage using odds-based Combat Results Tables. Terrain Effects from provinces modify combat. Naval combat resolves fleet engagements.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Before the game starts, players decide how long to play (measured in units of five years; a good length is approximately 100-150 years). At the end of the game, the player with the most money (in the Treasury) and provinces controlled wins. In case of tie, the player with the most powerful Dynasty (measured by character abilities and number of heirs) wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Dynastic Sequence: Characters age five years per turn. They may die of old age, in battle, or through assassination. Succession follows primogeniture; if no heir exists, the Dynasty may collapse.
• Marriage Contracts: Formal agreements between players for dynastic marriages. Breaking a contract has diplomatic consequences.
• Succession Crises: If a King dies without an heir, the country enters a succession crisis. Other players may attempt to place their own dynasty members on the vacant throne.
• Mercenary Captains: Independent military leaders who can be hired. They may defect or pursue their own agenda.
• Sacred Relics: Powerful items that provide bonuses to the controlling dynasty.
• Event Cards (Optional): Add random events affecting diplomacy, military, and dynastic affairs.
• Papal Influence: The Pope can influence marriages, alliances, and excommunications.
• Rebellions: Provinces may rebel against their controller, requiring military suppression.
• Character Death: Characters can die in battle (based on Fighting skill), from old age, or through assassination. Characteristic scores affect likelihood of survival.

Player Reference

Country	Color	Capital
England	Red	London
France	Blue	Paris
Germany	Black	Various
Italy	Green	Various
Spain	Yellow	Various

Character Trait	Effect
Fighting	Combat survival, military effectiveness
Influence	Diplomacy, trade, court intrigue
Command	Army leadership, tactical bonuses

Turn Phase	Key Decision
Taxation	Collect provincial income
Resources	Spend on armies/fleets/maintenance
Movement	Deploy and move forces
Combat	Resolve military engagements
Dynastic	Manage marriages, births, succession