In Cover Your Kingdom by Grandpa Beck’s Games, players compete to collect the most magic by accumulating clans (sets) of creatures in their kingdoms. This game is quick to learn and set up and plays with 2-8 people, which makes it ideal for gatherings with family and friends. Another aspect that I really enjoyed was the entertainment provided by the wry humor of the cards’ creatures and names. For example, one set of characters is called LepreCon Man, which is represented by a leprechaun with an investment scheme on an easel with the quote “A pyramid scheme? No! I’m a leprechaun, not a mummy!” Just my sense of humor! On to the game play:
There are three types of cards in this game: 1) clanning creatures, 2) wild creatures, and 3) creatures for hire. Each player has their own kingdom board with two different land types (highland or lowland) that the creature clans will inhabit. Each creature card has an icon in the upper left corner showing which land type they must reside in and how many gems (magic) points they are worth. Wild creatures can pair with any other creature to form a clan. Clans always start with two matching cards, which can be added to. Wild cards have higher point values than clanning creature cards. Creatures for hire provide players with special actions when played, have no magic points, and are only good for one action. An example might be the Hypnogriff, which can blindly take 3 creatures from another player’s hand and return three creatures to the discard pile. His comment to the other player is “You are feeling very, very generous!” After the decks of all three of these card types are shuffled and put on the table, players are dealt six cards.
On a turn, players choose one or two actions but must take at least one. These actions are:
Settle: Create a clan in one of the following three ways:
- Pair two of the same clanning creatures from your hand,
- Pair a matching card from your hand with the one on top of the discard pile, or
- Pair a wild creature from your hand with either another creature from your hand or the discard pile.
When pairing a card from your hand with one from the discard pile, take that card from the discard pile. Once you have your pair, put them in the land area on your kingdom board required by the clanning creature. As you form clans, stack each clan crosswise on top of any that are already there.
Recruit: Try to steal a clan that is on the top of another player’s stack. To do this, you need to have a matching clanning or wild creature card that you place beside their stack. The other player can counter with another matching or wild creature. Players can go back and forth with counters until one player wins. If the challenger wins, they take the entire clan and place it on their own board. If the other player wins, they keep their clan.
Hire: Use a Creature for Hire card, take its indicated action, and discard.
Add to one of your clans: Add a matching clanning creature from your hand to the top of one of the clans on your board.
Discard: Discard a clanning creature (not a wild or creature for hire).
After finishing your actions, draw back up to six cards in your hand to end the turn. The game ends when all players run out of cards. Next, players tally how many magic gems they have from clans on their boards and the player with the most Magic wins. The rulebook includes several variations, including two-player rules, advanced rules, and quick-start rules. For 2-8 players and gameplay takes 20-30 minutes.