Feudal WarsFeudal wars is a large group card game (5-20 players) for all reading ages who are capable ofunderstanding and respecting the rules. It is reminiscent of the feudal rank and taxation system ofthe middle ages where, as they say, “the rich got richer and the poor got poorer.” However, with arandom deal of the cards, a peasant can often take the crown.

Object of the GameGet rich, achieve status, win battles and “exhaust your army” (that is, dispose of all of your cardsas soon as you can).

Contents of the Game Chest:4 unique decks of standard playing cards50 Gold coins16 Rank Tokens5 Rings1 Crown

Set Up:1) Choose Your Feudal System2) Give each player one Gold Doubloon3) Deal out the cards (1 deck for every 4 players)

Choosing Your Feudal SystemBased on the number of players at your table, you may choose from these feudal rankconfiguration. By the end of the first war, everyone at the table will have earned a particular rank. Ifyou only have 5 players then you can only choose the first configuration. If you have eleven ormore players then you can choose any configuration. Also, if anyone joins the game after it hasbegun, you can deal them in as Knights.

5-8 Players: Two Royaly and Two PeasantryIf your group has only 5 players, you will have no Knights other than the First Knight. If you have6, 7 or 8 players in your group, you’ll fill 1, 2 or 3 knight positions before anyone becomes a Serf.

First player toexhaust his army

becomesKing/Queen

Second player toexhaust his army

becomesPrince/Princess

Third player to exhaust his armybecomes First Knight. Second from last

player to exhausthis army

becomes Serf.

Last player toexhaust his army

becomesChimney Sweep.

7-10 Players: Two Royaly, One Nobility and Three PeasantryIf your group has only 7 players, you will have no Knights beside the First Knight. If you have 8, 9or 10 players in your group, you’ll fill 1, 2 or 3 knight positions before anyone becomes a Smith.

First player toexhaust his army

becomesKing/Queen

Second player toexhaust his armybecomes Prince/

Princess

Third player toexhaust his army

becomesDuke/ Duchess

Fourth player to exhaust hisarmy becomes First Knight.

Third from lastplayer to exhausthis army becomes

Smith.

Second from lastplayer to exhaust hisarmy becomes Serf.

Last player toexhaust his army

becomes ChimneySweep.

9-12 Players: Two Royalty, Two Nobility and Four PeasantryIf your group has only 9 players, you will have no Knights beside the First Knight. If you have 10,11 or 12 players in your group, you’ll fill 1, 2 or 3 knight positions before anyone becomes aHunter.

First player to exhaust hisarmy becomes King/Queen

Second player toexhaust his army

becomesPrince/Princess

Third player toexhaust his army

becomesDuke/ Duchess

Fourth player toexhaust his army

becomesBaron/Baroness

Fifth player toexhaust his army

becomes FirstKnight.

Fourth from lastplayer to exhaust his

army becomesHunter.

Third from lastplayer to exhausthis army becomes

Smith.

Second from lastplayer to exhausthis army becomes

Serf.

Last player toexhaust his army

becomes ChimneySweep.

11+ Players: Two Royalty, Three Nobility and Five PeasantryIf your group has only 11 players, you will have no Knights beside the First Knight. If you have 12 or moreplayers in your group, you’ll fill the extra Knight positions before anyone becomes a Court Musician.

First player toexhaust his army

becomesKing/Queen

Second player toexhaust his army

becomesPrince/Princess

Third player toexhaust his army

becomesDuke/ Duchess

Fourth player toexhaust his army

becomesBaron/Baroness

Fifth player toexhaust his army

becomesLord/Lady

Sixth player toexhaust his army

becomes FirstKnight.

Fifth from lastplayer to exhausthis army becomes

Hunter.

Fourth from lastplayer to exhausthis army becomes

Hunter.

Third from lastplayer to exhausthis army becomes

Smith.

Second from lastplayer to exhausthis army becomes

Serf.

Last player toexhaust his army

becomes ChimneySweep.

More SpecificallyA) When you have decided on a Feudal Rank Configuration, lay out the appropriate Rank

Tokens that correspond to that configuration. This game is supplied for up to 16 players.The rank tokens have no value, they are used to help everyone keep track of yourkingdom’s hierarchy.

B) Each player is given one gold piece at the start of the game.C) The dealer shuffles the cards and distributes all of them to the players as evenly as

possible. These cards are your armies.1) While cards are being dealt, players must sort their cards from lowest to highest and

keep them in order. (A disorderly hand will greatly slow down game play and ruin the funso organization is key.)

2) Card values should remain hidden but the cards themselves must remain above boardso everyone can see how many cards you have. (There are plenty of strategies in thisgame but subterfuge is not one of them.)

Crimes Punishable by Automatic Serfdom and Army Confiscation:a. Looking at an opponent’s cards without permissionb. Hiding your own cardsc. Announcing or exposing the cards being paid during taxation (ie “I just gave him a

joker!”) or engaging in any other unchivalrous act of sabotage.

3) If a player is taking too long to play, you may institute a 10 count rule and force them topass if they have not played by the count of ten.

Understanding Your ArmyYour army of cards are ranked as follows (suits are not relevant in Feudal Wars):

Card RanksJokerAceKingQueenJack1098765432

At the beginning of the game, everyone has the assumed rank of Knight. The dealer is “FirstKnight” and thus goes into battle first by laying down his lowest card or cards in the center of thetable. Cards of the same rank may be played together. This means if the First Knight has four 3s,he can put them all down together. It is both chivalrous and prudent to play low cards first (thoughit is not required). The next player to the right or left (let the First Knight decide the direction ofplay) may place cards on top of the ones just played but only cards that out-rank them and equalor excel them in quantity. A player may pass his turn even if he has playable cards. It is helpful toannounce the cards you are playing since the circle of players is large and people can’t always seethe discard pile from where they are sitting.

Example Battle:Remember, the cards you play must always outrank the cards previously played and if sets ofidentical cards are being played, you must play at least as many cards as the previous player inorder to stay in the battle.

Suppose the 1st

Knight laysdown two 2s

…like so.

The next player may playa pair (or more) of anycard higher than 2. He

chooses to play three 5’s.

The next player may likewise playor pass. She knows she must

play at least three identical cardsthat outrank a 5. She lays three

7’s.

The next player mayplay or pass. He

chooses to play fourAces.

The next player passes because the only possible play would be four Jokers and he doesn’t havethose. Even if he did have them, he might choose to pass anyway. So, everyone around the circlesays “pass” one after another until the turn comes back to the person who laid down the aces.That player has won the battle, the cards in the discard pile are swept to the side and thatplayer now begins the next battle (using low cards, if he is smart).

Winning WarsAs battles (hands) are played on, armies are exhausted and the first person to exhaust his army(get rid of all of his/her cards) is proclaimed King or Queen.

- The King/Queen is given the crown to wear, one gold piece, a ring to wear and arank token.

Play continues and the next person to exhaust his/her army is made Prince/Princess- The Prince/Princess is given a gold piece, a ring to wear and a rank token.

Play continues and the next person to exhaust his/her army is given the next rank token and a ringto wear if their rank is in the Nobility. The Peasantry do not wear rings. This process continues untilthe last person with cards is made Chimney Sweep.

Note: If the last card played by the outgoing “winner” is too high for others to play on, it is sweptaway and the next remaining player starts a new battle.

Feudal TaxationThe fun part! Now that ranks have been established, you are able to assess taxes and increaseyour wealth or poverty. The dealer shuffles and deals out all the cards as usual. When everyonehas sorted their cards, taxation begins. The peasants must pay a certain number of their veryhighest cards to their corresponding Royal or Nobleman. In return, the Royal or Nobleman will givethem an equal number of low cards. See charts for how many. One gold coin may be paid in placeof one card. This is the only way a peasant can hold on to his most valuable high cards in order touse them in battle. Is it worth a gold coin? You decide! When everyone has finished paying taxes,return all of their rank tokens to the grid so you can hand them out again as the next war is played.The Royals and Nobles may continue to wear their jewels until they have been won by otherplayers. At that time, they must hand them over.

Ending the GameThe game may be played indefinitely but you may wish to set a finish time or a finish goal.Different ways to “win” are:- Have the most gold when time is called.- Be the first to obtain 10 gold doubloons.- Hold the same Royal, Noble or Peasant rank the longest.

Each battle takes about 10 minutes to play (depending on the size of your group) so you shouldallow at least an hour for this game.

Battle On!