Black Death

Black Death is a board game for 2-6 players that was published by Blacksburg Tactical Research Center in 1993. The game is designed by Greg Porter and is set in medieval Europe in 1347, where players take on the role of different diseases sweeping across the continent.

Why is Black Death Popular?

Black Death is a unique and unusual game that has gained a cult following over the years. The game’s premise is bizarre, and it walks a fine line between being simple and simple-minded. However, the game is fun to play, and the experience of playing as a disease trying to inflict misery on the European populace is both entertaining and engaging.

Game Components of Black Death

Board: A stylized map of the trade routes in medieval Europe.

Counters: Punch-out cardboard counters.

Dice: Two 6-sided dice.

Event Cards: A deck of cards that can help or hinder players.

Rulebook: A 3-page rulebook outlining the game’s mechanics.

How To Setup Black Death

To set up the game, players start by selecting their diseases, either historical plagues like measles or dysentery, or by designing new diseases. Each disease has a **Virulence rating** and a **Mortality rating** between 1 and 5, which together add up to 6. The board is laid out with the map of medieval Europe, and players place their disease counters on the starting points. The Event card deck is shuffled and placed within reach of all players.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Disease Movement: Players move their disease counters across the map, infecting population centers.

Event Cards: Random event cards can either aid or hinder the spread of diseases.

Virulence and Mortality: Diseases have combined Virulence and Mortality scores that determine their impact.

Victory Conditions: The first player to infect an agreed-upon number of victims wins. For example, 30 million victims for 2 players, 20 million for 3-4 players, and 15 million for 5-6 players.

Variants: The game includes variants such as Fast Game, Slow Game, Mutations, and a 1665 setting in Germany.

Player Experience

Playing “Black Death” is a darkly humorous and strategic experience. Players must balance the spread of their disease with the challenges posed by event cards and the competing diseases of other players. The game requires a mix of luck and strategy, as players navigate the medieval European map and aim to infect the most population centers.

Pros

Unique Theme: The game’s premise of playing as diseases sweeping across medieval Europe is both bizarre and engaging.

Simple yet Strategic: The game has relatively few rules but offers depth in its gameplay mechanics.

Replayability: The use of event cards and different disease combinations ensures varied gameplay each time.

Cons

Limited Long-term Appeal: The simplicity of the game can make it less engaging over multiple plays.

Luck-dependent: The random event cards can introduce a significant amount of luck, which may not appeal to all players.

Personal Thoughts on Black Death

“Black Death” is for players who enjoy quirky, thematic games and are willing to embrace a bit of morbidity. It’s ideal for those looking for a game that is easy to learn but still offers strategic depth. While it may not be a long-term favorite for everyone, it certainly provides an entertaining and unique gaming experience for the first few plays.

We are supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no extra cost for you. Learn more.