Quick answer
Set up the island of Oshra, choose your faction, and take turns claiming influence to become the next Emperor. This guide walks you through the first game in under 10 minutes.
Understanding the factions
Hidden Leaders pits four factions against each other: the Hill Tribes, the Imperial Army, the Water People, and the Undead. Each faction has a unique goal and special abilities. The Hill Tribes want to weaken the empire, while the Imperial Army aims to consolidate power. The Water People seek balance, and the Undead simply want chaos. Knowing your faction's win condition is key to planning your moves.
How to play Hidden Leaders step by step
- Set up the game board and factions: Unfold the board showing Oshra. Each player selects a faction (Hill Tribes, Imperial Army, Water People, or Undead) and takes the corresponding player board, influence tokens, and faction cards. Shuffle the Emperor's Children cards and place them face up near the board. Common mistake: Forgetting to read your faction's special ability card before the first turn. Do this now so you know your win condition.
- Understand the turn structure: On your turn, choose one action: play a faction card to trigger its effect, or move one of your influence tokens to a territory adjacent to your current position. You may also discard a card to gain an extra influence token. After your action, draw a new Emperor's Children card (if available) to add to your hand. Checkpoint: Keep an eye on your hand limit – you can only hold three Emperor's Children cards at once. Discard if needed before drawing.
- Win by claiming the throne: The game ends when one player has placed all their influence tokens or when the Emperor's Children deck runs out. The player with the most influence on the throne territory (the central space) wins. Ties are broken by total influence on the board. Common mistake: Ignoring the throne territory until the end. Build influence there early, as it's often the deciding factor.
What's in the box
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Hidden Leaders: The island of Oshra is in turmoil. Following the death of the Emperor, the conflict between the Hill Tribes and the Imperial Army escalated. While the Water People try to maintain balance between the old rivals, the Undead aim to escalate the war. All hope rests on the six children of the Emperor: Who of them will claim the throne? This backstory sets up the political intrigue and faction goals you'll navigate during the game.
Hidden Leaders
