Crown of Roses

About this board game

Crown of Roses is a 2–4 player block game about the Wars of the Roses, the turbulent 35-year conflict in 15th-century England. With an approximately 300-minute playing time, it places players in command of powerful dynasties competing to determine who will rule the kingdom.

In the core struggle, players represent the House of Lancaster and its Beaufort cousins, or the House of York. The four-player game adds the influential House of Stafford, along with Richard Neville and his son, Richard of Warwick—the famed “Kingmaker.”

Each turn, players use action cards for a range of crucial choices. They can improve armies, influence local support, gather supplies or prestige, move against enemy forces, recruit noble houses, call another Royal Heir into the conflict, or play events that alter the course of the war.

• Block-based fog of war: Rotating unit blocks conceal enemy strength and deployment while displaying army strength.
• Variable forces: Starting locations can change from turn to turn and from game to game, while armies may contain units with different experience levels and combat capabilities.
• Multiple paths to victory: Players can pursue military, parliamentary, and local-gentry influence.

Combat uses a roll-to-hit system in which experienced forces are more likely to score hits. Destroying all opposing heirs can leave a player free to rule England, but warfare is only one route to power.

In Parliament, players compete for favorable postings or the crown by gathering noble support and securing enough votes over enough years. They can also build influence with the local gentry, using economic strength to sway the common people toward their claim.

With its combination of strategic depth, replayable setups, random events, and uncertain card choices, Crown of Roses brings the dynastic struggle for England to the tabletop.