Prime Minister

In 1837, Queen Victoria begins her long reign over the United Kingdom, a country split between Liberals and Conservatives. Liberals strive for social progress, including repeal of the Corn Laws to help feed the working classes, expansion of the electorate to create a real democracy, and Home Rule for Ireland. Conservatives want to slow the pace of change, while advancing their own agenda to maintain order, protect traditional values, and secure the Empire. Her Majesty occasionally interferes in politics, but it’s the Prime Minister who really governs the country and sets the political agenda. 

Ten different Prime Ministers served during Victoria’s reign, with varying degrees of success. Now it’s your turn to experience Victorian political life. When the game is over, how will you be remembered?

As a lowly Backbencher unable to work your way to the top?

As a Party Leader who fell short in the end?

Or will you become the Prime Minister that history remembers?

Gameplay Overview

In Prime Minister, 1 to 4 players take on the roles of talented politicians vying for power and prestige in Victorian-era Britain.

(Prototype Politician Cards)

At the beginning of the game, each player draws a politician card representing one of the ten historical Prime Ministers who served during Queen Victoria’s reign. Each card features unique abilities that you’ll retain throughout the game.  You’ll also have one of three exchangeable player mats for your Politician’s current role: Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, or Backbencher.

 

While always keeping one eye on the upcoming election, players select and debate bills, pursue official appointments, recruit support by hobnobbing with influential Victorians, garner favor with the Queen, and, when the time is right, challenge other players for their leadership roles and seize their player mats.

 

Politician roles and party control of government shift throughout the game, and you’ll rack up victory points as you secure personal and political achievements. Win the game by becoming the first to reach 100 victory points while holding the Prime Minister’s role.

(Prototype Game Board)

 

Play Time, Scenarios, & Solitaire System

A standard game of Prime Minister plays in about 2 to 3 hours and has a clear arc that builds from early to late game.

Alongside the standard game, Prime Minister will come with a playbook featuring at least 10 different scenarios with varying playtimes and player counts. For example, the short scenario Gladstone Liberates Ireland is a 2-player, 45-minute pitched battle between Disraeli and Gladstone over the fate of Ireland. Another tournament-length scenario, A Nation in Crisis, drops four players into an end game situation where each player has victory within a short reach if only they can navigate the shoals of political and national turmoil. These are just a couple of the scenarios that can be played within Prime Minister’s flexible and intriguing game system.

Finally, Prime Minister will also ship with an automated “Clockwork System” that enables solitaire and cooperative gameplay. It comes with its own set of ten “Clockwork Politicians” with different abilities and varying difficulty degrees. Test your skills and hone your strategy in a hundred different head-to-head combinations between human and Clockwork politicians.

 

 

 

 

COMPONENTS

• 200+ Poker-sized Cards
• 10 Tarot-Sized Clockwork Politician Cards
• 5 Player Aids
• 5 Player Mats
• 1 Mounted Game Board
• 1 Game Box
• 52 Wooden Markers
• 1 Rulebook
• 1 Playbook

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Designer: Paul Hellyer

Developer: Ken Kuhn