Cutthroat Kingdoms

About this board game

Cutthroat Kingdoms is a competitive game for 3–6 players, with games lasting around 150 minutes. Set in the grim fantasy Kingdom of Aurum, it places each player in the role of a leading lord or lady from one of six eminent Houses competing for an unclaimed throne.

The kingdom is already embroiled in conflict when a great plague turns upon its people. As rival Houses pursue title, territory, and birthright, you must use your armies to claim lands, gather wealth, recruit hirelings, and hire mercenaries. Military strength matters, but power also depends on the choices made away from the battlefield.

Political intrigue and assassinations can reshape the struggle for control. You may pursue domination alone or tie your fortunes to another House through a carefully placed political marriage. These marriage-alliance team mechanisms create opportunities for strategic cooperation while keeping the contest focused on the crown.

• Compete as one of six eminent Houses in the Kingdom of Aurum.
• Use armies to claim territories and gather wealth.
• Recruit hirelings and hire mercenaries to support your ambitions.
• Build alliances through political marriage or seek domination alone.
• Navigate changing territories and events that make each game unique.

Open negotiation, deal-making, and table talk are not merely permitted in Cutthroat Kingdoms—they are necessary to win. Strategic alliances may be offset by bloody conflicts, while decisive military moves can swing the course of the kingdom. With changing circumstances and rival Houses constantly jockeying for power, every path to the throne is shaped by intrigue, conflict, and calculated cooperation.