Stats:
No. of players: 2-4
Amount of time to play: 45-60 min
Age requirements: 10+
Set-up time: 5 minutes

Courtier is an area control game in which you place influence on the board to complete petitions for victory points. If you can outmaneuver your opponents, you can win.

Courtier Rules Description:

Courtier uses cards to place and manipulate influence markers on courtiers. Petitions list the courtiers you must control to complete them and the VPs they are worth. You gain control of a courtier by having the most influence cubes on them.

To setup the game you must prepare the queen’s fashion deck. This will put the card that ends in the game somewhere in the second half of the twelve card deck.

You start the game with 15 influence markers and one secret petition. Then you deal out hands of five cards face-up. Players then bid influence to choose the hand they’ll start the game with.

On your turn you have three options: play a card, discard as many cards as you like or gain one influence from the reserve.

There are two types of cards, influence and power. When you play an influence card it allows you to place influence on the board (usually on a specific courtier). Power card effects vary but usually let you manipulate influence that is currently on the board.

The courtiers are divided into eight coteries. If you control a coterie you gain its special power. You have control of a coterie by having the most influence cubes in it. It doesn’t matter if you control courtiers or not.

After you take one of the three actions you must refill your hand to five cards. You can draw the top card from power or influence deck. Or you can purchase a card that is face-up next to it for one influence. You refill your hand one card at a time so you can react to what you draw.

To finish your turn may claim a petition (if able). Once claimed you remove all influence cubes from the courtiers on the petition to their owners. Then you reveal the next queen’s fashion card and follow the instructions on it.

If the fashion card says the queen is arrested the game ends and the player with the most VPs wins the game.

Quick Review of Courtier:

Courtier is an area control game that uses card to place and move the control markers. Controlling specific people lets you finish petitions for VPs and controlling an area grants you special abilities. You must pick you battles wisely, claim as many petitions as you can and get a bit lucky to win this game.

The components for this game are excellent. The art looks good and falls in line with other game from the Tempest line. The rules are well written and easy to follow.

I like the way the courtier and coterie control interacts. It is important that you can gain control of a coterie without controlling a courtier. And while often one player will control both it is not necessary. This helps avoid having a player that can easily get petitions and have extra powers.

Another thing I like is the way the game flows once a petition is completed. Removing the influence cards adjusts power in an area and fashion cards can add cubes to the board to further change the game. Again this helps keep someone from dominating the VP race.

The only thing that I am not wild about is how swingy the game can be. Since you are relying on cards to place influence cubes, getting the cards you need is not a sure thing. And as much as the fashion cards change the game sometimes that change just helps one or two players.

Courtier is a fun game and makes a good introduction to area control games. It is a bit too random for my taste, but only slightly. I would definitely play this game any time I was asked, but I might not suggest it on my own. I just like other area control games better. Like I said I would suggest this if I was teaching a new gamer this type of game. So if you are looking for an area control game that is easy to teach and introduce, pick this up.

Score and synopsis: (Click here for an explanation of these review categories.)
Strategy 4 out of 6
Luck 5 out of 6
Player Interaction 5 out of 6
Replay Value 4 out of 6
Complexity 3 out of 6
Fun 4 out of 6
Overall 4 out of 6