Overview

Carolus Magnus is an area-control game where players compete to build castles in territories circling the board while Emperor Charlemagne travels among them. Players bid for turn order and movement distance using numbered discs, then place colored paladin cubes to gain control of color clans and territories. When the Emperor visits a territory, the player controlling the majority of paladins there builds a castle. Territories merge when adjacent ones share the same controller, and the first player to place all their castles wins.

Components

• 15 board segments representing territories (arranged in a circle)
• 5 sets of numbered discs (1-5), 2 per player color + 1 gray for 3 players
• 4 court boards (small rectangular boards with colored dots)
• 200+ small wooden paladin cubes in 5 colors
• 1 large yellow Emperor figure
• 4 dice (5 colored faces + 1 crown face)
• 5 clan markers (wooden cylinders in 5 colors)
• 30 castles (10 per color for 2 players; adjusted for 3-4 players)
• 2 cotton bags

Setup

1. Arrange 15 territories in a circle with small gaps between them.
2. Place the Emperor on one territory.
3. Empty the paladin cube bag in the center of the circle.
4. Place 5 clan markers in the center.
5. Randomly place 1 paladin cube per territory (15 cubes, 3 of each color).
6. Each player takes 10 castles, 5 numbered discs, and a court board.
7. Each player rolls 3 dice twice and 1 die once (total 7 dice) to select their initial 7 paladin cubes (crown = choose any color).

Turn Structure

Each round has an Opening Phase and an Action Phase.

Opening Phase: Each player plays one numbered disc face-up. The player who played the lower number goes first and can move the Emperor up to that many spaces. Disc numbers also set movement limits.

Action Phase (per player, in order determined by discs):

1. Play 3 Paladins: Place 3 paladins from your reserve onto your court (gaining/maintaining color control) and/or onto territories (strengthening territorial control). Any split is allowed.

2. Move the Emperor: Move the Emperor clockwise 1 to N spaces (N = your disc number). Check the territory where the Emperor stops for control. The player controlling the majority of paladins there may place a castle.

3. Replenish Paladins: Roll 3 dice and take 3 matching paladins from the center (crown = any color). If a color is depleted, both players return equal numbers of that color from their courts.

Actions

Gaining Color Control: Play paladins to your court next to matching color dots. The player with more of a color at their court controls that color clan (and takes the clan marker). Ties maintain the status quo.

Territory Control: Count paladins by who controls each color. The player controlling the most paladins in a territory (counting each paladin’s clan controller) has the majority.

Building Castles: When the Emperor stops at a territory:

• If one player has the majority, they place a castle (only in territories without their castles).
• No castle if tied or if neither player controls any paladins there.
• If a territory already has an opponent’s castle(s), and the majority has shifted, replace all existing castles with the new controller’s castles.
• Existing castles count toward majority as if they were paladins of their owner.

Territory Merging: Whenever two adjacent territories are both controlled by the same player, they merge into one larger territory. All paladins and castles combine.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The first player to place all of their castles (10 in a 2-player game) wins immediately. If the game ends with all discs played (after every 5th round, discs reset), the player with fewer remaining castles wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Discs reset every 5 rounds (each player picks up their 5 discs).
• If both players play the same number on their last disc, the first player from the previous round is considered to have the lower number.
• Paladins in a player’s reserve are not in play; only those placed on courts or territories count.
• Color control can shift dramatically, instantly changing who controls multiple territories.
• In a 3-player game, a neutral gray disc set and third player color are added with modified rules. In a 4-player game, teams of 2 play with shared castle pools.

Player Reference

Phase	Action
Opening	Play numbered disc (determines turn order and movement)
Action 1	Place 3 paladins on court and/or territories
Action 2	Move Emperor 1-N spaces; resolve territory control
Action 3	Roll 3 dice to replenish paladins

Win condition: Place all your castles Key mechanism: Controlling a color = controlling all paladins of that color everywhere