Overview

Lowenherz (Lionheart) is an area-control strategy game where players are medieval nobles dividing a kingdom. Players place border walls and move knights to claim territories containing castles and mines. A unique card-driven action selection mechanism forces players to negotiate or compete for the same actions. The player with the most victory points at game end wins.

Components

• 1 Game board (kingdom grid with castles, mines, and forests)
• Border wall pieces
• Knight figures (in player colours)
• Action cards
• Power cards
• Castle markers
• Mine markers
• VP track

Setup

1. Place the board centrally.
2. Each player places their initial castles and knights on designated starting positions.
3. Shuffle action cards and power cards.
4. Each player receives starting hand of cards.

Turn Structure

Each turn:

1. Reveal Action Card: An action card is turned face-up, showing three possible actions.
2. Bid for Actions: Players simultaneously choose which of the three actions they want.
3. Resolve Conflicts: If multiple players chose the same action, they must negotiate or the action is lost. Negotiation can involve trading, bribes, or threats.
4. Execute Actions: Players perform their chosen (and won) actions.

Actions

Key actions include:

• Place Border Walls: Extend walls to enclose territories.
• Move Knights: Reposition knights within or between territories.
• Gain Power Cards: Draw special ability cards.
• Expand Territory: Claim new areas by extending borders.
• Attack: Use knights to contest opponent territories.

Territory Control

• A territory is defined by enclosed walls.
• The player with the most knights in a territory controls it.
• Controlled territories with castles and mines score VP.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

VP are scored based on:

• Number of castles in your controlled territories
• Number of mines in your controlled territories
• Power card bonuses

The game ends when a specific condition is met (e.g., certain number of walls placed or VP threshold reached). Highest VP wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Negotiation is key: When two players want the same action, negotiation determines who gets it. Deals can include future favours, resource trades, etc.
• Power Cards: Provide one-time special abilities that can dramatically shift the game.
• Forced action loss: If negotiation fails, neither player gets the contested action.
• Territory splitting: Walls can divide existing territories, potentially stripping control from opponents.

Player Reference

Turn Summary:

1. Reveal action card (3 options)
2. Players simultaneously choose
3. Resolve conflicts via negotiation
4. Execute chosen actions

VP Sources: Castles + Mines in controlled territories + Power card bonuses