Rheinlander

Overview

Rheinlander is a strategy board game for 3-5 players designed by Reiner Knizia, published by Parker/Hasbro. Players are dukes establishing duchies along the banks of the Rhine River in medieval Germany. By playing cards and placing knights on numbered plots, players create and expand duchies to score victory points. The Rhine divides the board into two banks, and controlling plots on both sides of the river creates powerful duchies. The game combines card play, area control, and strategic placement in a tight, interactive experience.

Components

• 1 Game board depicting the Rhine River with numbered plots on each bank
• Knight pieces (in player colors)
• Duke crowns (for marking duchy ownership)
• Cards (corresponding to plot numbers on the board)
• Ship cards (special movement cards)
• Ship figure (moves along the Rhine)
• Score track and markers

Setup

1. Place the game board in the center of the table.
2. Each player selects a color and takes their knight pieces and duke crowns.
3. Shuffle all cards together and deal a starting hand to each player.
4. Place the ship figure at the starting position on the Rhine.
5. Place score markers on the score track at zero.
6. Determine the starting player.

Turn Structure

On each turn:

1. Play a Card: Play one card from your hand, which corresponds to a specific numbered plot on the board.
2. Place a Knight: Place one of your knights on an open plot corresponding to the card played or adjacent to it.
3. Resolve Duchy: If your knight connects with other knights of your color, they form or expand a duchy. If a duchy controls plots on both sides of the Rhine, it becomes more powerful.
4. Score Points: Score points based on duchy creation, expansion, or capture. Duchies with churches or cities score bonus points.
5. Draw a Card: Draw a card from the deck. If a Ship card is drawn, move the ship along the Rhine the indicated number of spaces and draw again.

Actions

• Place Knight: Put a knight on a plot matching the card played.
• Form Duchy: When knights connect, they form a duchy marked by a Duke crown.
• Expand Duchy: Adding knights to an existing duchy increases its size and potential score.
• Take Over Duchy: If your duchy connects to and outnumbers another player’s duchy, you absorb it.
• River Control: Place knights in river plots (if you control both banks) for additional points and strategic advantage.
• Ship Movement: Ship cards move the ship along the Rhine; this affects which plots are in play.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

• Scoring occurs throughout the game when duchies are formed, expanded, or when special locations are controlled.
• Church/City Bonuses: Plots containing churches or cities provide bonus points when part of a duchy.
• Cross-River Duchies: Controlling plots on both sides of the Rhine at the same stretch scores more than single-bank control.
• Game End: The game ends when the card deck is exhausted or a set condition is met.
• Winner: The player with the most victory points on the score track wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Duchy Takeovers: If your duchy grows adjacent to a smaller enemy duchy, you can absorb it, gaining its plots and removing the opponent’s knights.
• Ship Cards: Drawing a Ship card is not a wasted turn; you move the ship and draw another card immediately.
• Both Banks Required for River: You can only place a knight in the river if your duchies control both adjacent banks.
• Duchy Defense: Larger duchies are harder to take over, creating a defensive advantage.
• Card Management: Since cards correspond to specific plots, hand management is critical.
• Tied Duchy Size: If two duchies merge with equal numbers of knights, the active player’s duchy absorbs the other.

Player Reference

Turn: Play card -> Place knight -> Resolve duchy -> Score -> Draw card

Duchy Formation: Connected knights of same color = duchy (marked with crown)

Takeover: Your duchy adjacent to smaller enemy duchy = absorb it

Scoring: Duchy size + church/city bonuses + river control bonuses

Win: Most victory points when game ends