# Machiavelli

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 1977
- **BGG Rating**: 7.1
- **BGG Rank**: #3387
- **Players**: 4-8 (Best with: 7)
- **Duration**: 480 min
- **Weight**: 3.18 / 5
- **Designers**: James B. Wood, S. Craig Taylor
- **Artists**: Cathy Chastain, Kaye Catledge, Kurt Miller
- **Publishers**: The Avalon Hill Game Co, Battleline
- **Categories**: Bluffing, Negotiation, Political, Renaissance, Wargame
- **Mechanics**: Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Player Elimination, Simulation, Simultaneous Action Selection, Variable Player Powers

## Verdict
For lovers of betrayal and long-strategy games: Machiavelli is a brutal classic where friendships are tested.Dirty diplomacy and shifting alliancesImmersive historical themeAsymmetric factions varietyMatches can last 8+ hoursPlayer elimination may frustrateFOR GENRE FANS

## Description
Machiavelli is a strategy and diplomacy game that throws you into the heart of Renaissance Italy, where alliances are as fragile as a house of cards. You take control of a local power (like Venice or the Duchy of Milan) or foreign nations (like France or the Ottoman Empire), all vying for control of the peninsula. Get ready to negotiate, betray, and fight—because here, the only rule is to win, even if it means stabbing your ally in the back. The game blends strategic movement, bluffing, and dice rolls to resolve conflicts, with matches that can last for hours (yes, it’s a marathon game for patient friends). The expansion published in Alea magazine adds new historical scenarios to spice things up. Pro tip: trust no one, especially the player who promised to help you last turn.

## FAQ
### How many players are ideal?
Best with 5-8 players — fewer reduces the diplomatic chaos that makes the game shine.

### How complex is it?
Medium weight (3.1/5 on BGG). Rules aren’t complex, but deep strategy requires experience.

### Does it have player elimination?
Yes, and it can happen early. Check with your group if that’s a dealbreaker (or bring popcorn to watch).

### Are expansions needed?
The base game is complete, but the Alea magazine expansion adds extra historical scenarios for replayability.

### Is it like Diplomacy?
Yes, but with more randomness (dice) and a Renaissance Italy focus. If you loved betrayal in Diplomacy, you’ll adore this.