# War Chest: Nobility ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2019 - **BGG Rating**: 8.2 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 2) - **Duration**: 30-60 min - **Weight**: 2.33 / 5 - **Designers**: David Thompson (I), Trevor Benjamin - **Artists**: Brigette Indelicato - **Publishers**: Alderac Entertainment Group, Abraxas, CrowD Games, Ghenos Games, Gigamic, Lucky Duck Games, Maldito Games, MTS Games, nostalgia (III), Popcorn Games, Schwerkraft-Verlag, YOKA Games - **Categories**: Abstract Strategy, Expansion for Base-game, Wargame - **Mechanics**: Area Majority / Influence, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, Hand Management, Team-Based Game, Variable Player Powers ## Verdict If you love War Chest, you’ll enjoy the new noble layer and royal proclamations – the expansion adds options without overcomplicating.More strategic varietyUnique variable powersFun team modeRequires base gameExtra learning curveHIGHLY RECOMMENDED ## Description In War Chest: Nobility, the old tale of a general returning to the kingdom on the heir's tenth birthday comes to life as an expansion. The book he brings isn’t a regular book; it’s hollowed out and packed with coins, wax seals, and cards that expand the core mechanics of War Chest. Now you can recruit four new noble units—such as bishops, earls, and heralds—and use royal proclamations to sway the board. The expansion retains the original game's heart: area control on a hex grid, deck‑building, and resource management. Each player still builds their own card pool, but now they have variable player powers reflecting the noble rank they command, creating distinct play styles. Team mode lets two pairs face off, adding a tactical layer where partner communication can turn the tide. The new cards introduce influence effects, letting you dominate strategic regions and score more by holding the majority in key areas. Physical components include a book‑style container with a magnetic flip lid, storing everything elegantly, while the artwork stays true to the medieval theme, full of crests and seals. Playtime runs 30‑60 minutes, perfect for 2‑4 players seeking a light (2.3/5 weight) yet strategically deep experience. If you already love War Chest, Nobility adds variety without overcomplicating; if you’re new to the base game, it’s a solid entry for fans of abstract strategy and war games that value deck‑building and territorial influence. ## How to Play Game Objective Refer to the manual for details on this section. Preparation (Setup) To set up the game, follow these steps: Shuffle the 7 Royal Decree Cards and deal 3 of them face up, visible to both players or teams. The remaining 4 cards are returned to the box. These are the 3 Decrees that will be available to both sides during the game. The Decrees are dealt before the units used in the game. Give each side the 3 Proclamation Seals that match their faction. Add the 4 new Unit Cards to the existing 16, then shuffle the 20 Unit Cards and deal 8 Unit Cards face up on the table (12 Unit Cards for 4 players). Each player selects their armies (refer to pages 12-13 of the War Chest base manual for reference). Gameplay Flow Refer to the manual for details on this section. Actions and How to Play The Nobility expansion introduces a new type of action, adding a fourth option to the three existing types in the base game. This new action is: Discard the Face-Up Royal Coin to Proclaim (use a Royal Decree card) Using a Royal Decree card is called proclaiming. You may discard the face-up Royal Coin to proclaim. To proclaim, follow these steps: Play the face-up Royal Coin from your hand to your discard pile. Choose one of the three face-up Royal Decree cards and place one of your Seals on it. You may not choose a Decree that already has one of your Seals. However, you may choose a Decree that has an opponent’s Seal. Each Decree, therefore, can only be used once by each faction. Execute the ability indicated on the chosen Royal Decree card. You may not choose a Decree if you cannot fully execute its ability. Bolded terms that appear on Decrees — such as move, attack, deploy, etc. — are considered normal actions and, therefore, can interact with units’ tactics, attributes, or restrictions. In a four-player game, each team shares the three Seals they are given. Players on the same team need to decide among themselves how and when to use the available Seals and Decrees. Ability and Decree Interactions: If a unit can move more than one space, it cannot move through a hex occupied by another unit, even if the destination hex is empty. Each part of a multi-hex move must be to an empty hex. The attributes of the Warrior Priest, Berserker, and Swordsman are activated if they are granted an attack by the Sacrifice Decree or Guard Decree, provided they still have a coin on the board after using the decree. These are normal attacks. The attribute of the Pikeman is activated if it is targeted by one of these attacks. However, the Pikeman’s attribute would not prevent a unit with only one coin from attacking them; it would simply mean there would not be a second target for the second coin loss effect. You cannot use the Sacrifice Decree or Guard Decree on the Archer or the Lancer, as these units can only attack using their tactics. You may use the Sacrifice Decree on a unit with only one coin. The unit attacks normally, and then its coin is removed from the game. The unit is destroyed and must be redeployed to be used again. The attribute of the Mercenary is activated if it is recruited using the Enlist Decree. The attribute of the Earl is activated if it is deployed using the Redeploy decree. If an opponent moves your unit, with the Bannerman’s attribute, your unit is not considered to be maneuvering. However, all normal movement rules apply. The attribute of the Herald is activated after the Earl uses its tactic, as the Earl’s tactic generates a proclaim action. When the Herald uses its tactic, the coin is taken from the chosen unit, not from the Herald. You cannot strengthen a unit in this way if it no longer has coins in its supply. The Herald cannot strengthen itself, as a unit is never adjacent to itself, only to other units in adjacent hexes. If multiple attribute effects are activated by a single event, the active player chooses the order in which they are resolved. However, each separate action must be fully resolved before the player can move on to the next. You cannot interrupt one action with another. End of Game and Scoring Refer to the manual for details on this section. Tips for Winning The Earl’s tactic generates a proclaim action, which can be useful for activating the Herald’s attribute and getting a free maneuver. In four-player games, communication and coordination between team members are crucial for deciding how and when to use the shared Seals and Decrees. ## FAQ ### How many players can play? 2 to 4 players, with the option to form two teams of two. ### What is the playing time? Between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on player count and familiarity with the rules. ### Do I need the base game? Yes, Nobility is an expansion and requires the original War Chest to play. ### How complex is the game? Weight 2.3/5 – easy to learn but offers strategic depth for those who dive in. ### What components are included? A book‑style magnetic box, new cards, noble unit tokens, wax seals, and game coins. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 24.97 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=2487719&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/30294/war-chest-nobility?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com