The Planet King

About this board game

The Planet King is a 1–2 player strategy game lasting about 240 minutes, placing you in the role of Philip IV, King of Spain and Portugal from 1621. Guide the largest European empire through economic, military, and diplomatic challenges while managing the demands of royal life.

Recruit Tercios, build fleets, improve colonial defenses, and use ambassadors to protect the empire from rival European powers. Each power follows its own agenda, while a series of events threatens to undermine your authority and weaken the monarchy.

Philip must also employ his nobles to lead armies and govern the kingdom’s territories. Beyond administration and warfare, the king must secure an heir, find a concubine, and fill his court with the leading artists of the century. These personal and cultural concerns stand alongside the broader responsibilities of ruling an empire of approximately 12.2 million square kilometers.

• Solo and cooperative play: Includes a full solitaire system and a cooperative mode for two players.
• Area movement: Manage the empire across a map where military and political priorities compete for attention.
• Multiple scenarios: Play an introductory scenario, two four-turn campaign scenarios, or an eight-turn campaign covering Philip IV’s entire reign.
• Sudden defeat risks: The monarchy can fall if Prestige or Enlightenment reaches 1 or less, while Philip faces Sudden Death if his happiness reaches zero.

Each turn represents several years of real time, compressing a changing reign into a series of consequential decisions. In The Planet King, imperial defense, court management, diplomacy, and the king’s personal happiness all contribute to the fate of the Spanish monarchy.