Courtier (2012) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Courtier is a card game released in 2012, designed by Andrew Hepworth and Jeff Himmelman. The game is set in the Renaissance period and revolves around territory building and area majority/influence mechanics. Players take on the roles of courtiers trying to gain favor with the royal court. The game features beautiful artwork by Alderac Entertainment Group and is designed for 2-4 players with a runtime of around 45 minutes.

Game Components of Courtier

Influence cards

Power cards

Coterie Ability Cards

Fashion cards

Petition cards (both secret and public)

Wooden influence cubes

Game board

Scoring track

How To Setup Courtier

To set up the game, each player chooses a set of wooden cubes in their selected color. The ‘The Queen is Arrested’ card is removed from the Fashion cards, and the remaining cards are shuffled into two stacks of six. The ‘The Queen is Arrested’ card is then shuffled into one of these stacks. The influence deck and power decks are shuffled, and the top card of each deck is flipped face up beside the board. Coterie Ability Cards are placed near the board. The starting player is determined by who most recently had a birthday, as “The Queen loves birthdays”.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Card Play: Players use influence cards to place influence markers on courtiers on the board.

Area Control: Controlling a coterie grants special abilities and influence.

Petitions: Completing petitions, which require specific courtiers, scores victory points (5-16 VP per petition).

Fashion Cards: These cards introduce random events in the royal court, affecting gameplay.

Coterie Abilities: Controlling different coteries provides unique bonuses, such as the Senate (10 VP bonus) or the Church (placing two influence markers instead of one).

Player Experience

In **Courtier**, players develop strategies through the Petition cards and their secret Petition Card. The game is relatively simple to learn but requires effective card management and strategic planning. It is suitable for both new and experienced gamers, offering a good balance of randomness and strategy. The game plays differently with two players compared to three or four, as there is less competition for influence in a two-player game.

Pros

Easy to learn and teach

Good introduction to area control mechanics

Quick gameplay (avoiding analysis paralysis)

Strategic depth without complex rules

Suitable for both new and experienced gamers

Cons

Can suffer from analysis paralysis

Less tension in two-player games

Randomness can affect strategy

Personal Thoughts on Courtier

**Courtier** is an excellent choice for those looking to transition from gateway games to something a bit more substantial without being overwhelmed by complex rules. It is a great tool for introducing new gamers to area control mechanics and is versatile enough to be enjoyed by a variety of player counts. While it may not offer the heavy strategic depth of some other games, it provides a delightful balance of strategy and randomness, making it a valuable addition to any game collection.

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