The First Tsar

The First Tsar: Ivan the Terrible is a thematic sequel to the popular board game Rurik: Dawn of Kiev.

In this board game you will lead the boyar families competing for power and honor in the 16th-century Tsardom of Russia. Over four decades, you’ll collect income from estates and equip troops, trade with foreigners and fortify cities, seek privileges and carry out royal assignments. Use your influence on the tsar, bribe his minions, and perhaps it is your family that will succeed in taking the Russian throne in the next century.

The game is played over four rounds, each one representing approximately a decade of Ivan the Terrible’s reign. At the beginning of each round the players send their boyars to the Kremlin chambers, choosing their actions for the current decade.

Then the players perform the chosen actions:

receive income from cities;
place boyars and warriors on the map and move them;
gain and complete construction, trade and military projects;
exchange goods;
acquire new titles and estates.


At the end of the round, the players with the most influence in the four regions receive additional rewards.

An important element of the game is the Tsar’s favor,
which is used to resolve all ties.

At the end of the game, the player with the most victory points wins.