Mordred

About this board game

Mordred is a 3–4 player board game from 1999 that takes about 45 minutes to play. Each player takes the role of one of King Arthur’s knights, working to prevent Mordred from taking over Wales.

Players roll dice while balancing risk against reward. Successful rewards come in the form of build points, which can be used to develop towns and castles or to wage combat against Mordred. However, the risks may aid Mordred’s expansion across the countryside.

The game’s central challenge is deciding how to use each opportunity. Building towns and castles supports King Arthur’s side, while combat gives players a way to oppose Mordred. At the same time, the dice create the possibility of helping the enemy expand.

• Players: 3–4
• Play time: approximately 45 minutes
• Core mechanics: dice rolling, risk-versus-reward decisions, building, and combat

At the end of Mordred, victory is assessed by comparing the strength of King Arthur’s and Mordred’s forces. If King Arthur has more towns and castles in play than Mordred has men on the board, the player with the most victory points wins.

If Mordred has more men in play, the victory condition changes: the player who aided Mordred the least is victorious. This gives every roll and decision a wider consequence, making the struggle for Wales a contest not only for points, but also for how much each knight contributes to Mordred’s advance.