Principato

About this board game

Principato is a tactical board game for 2–4 players, with games lasting around 90 minutes. Set in Northern Italy, it places each player in charge of a small, unprotected principality at the start of a period of growth and rivalry.

Across three epochs, players develop their principalities while judging when to expand, when harvesting will be profitable, and how much force is needed to defend their city walls. A reliable supply of money and food supports expansion and maintains an army of mercenaries, making the timing of each decision crucial.

During the game, several cultural and military valuations provide opportunities to earn victory points. Success depends on correctly assessing the changing situation and preparing for these moments without neglecting the ongoing needs of the principality.

• Develop a small, initially unprotected principality.
• Manage the production of money and food.
• Expand your territory and maintain mercenaries.
• Prepare for cultural and military valuations that award victory points.

Principato’s distinctive feature is its shared pool of action cards. The available actions change throughout the game, and players must secure the cards that best suit their plans before using them at the appropriate time.

Reaching for new opportunities also means parting with older possibilities. This simple system creates a varied tactical experience filled with difficult choices, as every player must decide which actions to claim, which to release, and when to commit to a plan. In Principato, careful timing can determine whether a principality prospers.