Osprey Games are closing in on the launch of their new card game from Nigel Buckle and Dávid Turczi called Imperium. The game will be available to buy from 27th May 2021 but you can still get your pre-orders in for this Historical (and occasionally mythological!) epic right now.

Imperium Classics // Osprey Games

Whilst there are two boxed sts for Imperium out there, the core rules for the game remain the same. Each set contains eight different civilisations, some real and others mythological which all have their own unique way of achieving victory in a game that spans the ages. This means for a game that suits between one and four players, there is already a lot to get your head around!

Imperium Classics introduces the Carthaginian, Celt, Greek, Macedonian, Persian, Roman, Scythian, and Viking whilst Legends allows you to play as the Arthurians, Utopians, Atlantians, Egyptians, Mauryan, Minoan, Olmec, and Qin.

Imperium Legends // Osprey Games

Classics has unique and interesting civilisations to play as but Legends turns that up to another level with slightly more complex factions for you to choose from. As mentioned above, the core rules remain the same but the nuance to each civilisation are what provide Imperium with its replay value.

I love the idea of having to work out the best way to master each faction. You could easily settle in and pick a favourite from the very off but I like the idea of drafting them each time you sit down to play meaning that you get to know each civilisation in turn. As someone who loves the variance offered by the likes of 7 Wonders, Imperium certainly pushes a few buttons.

Learn To Play Imperium

If you're interested in the game then there are a few ways that you can start to learn to play it ahead of release. There is already a Full Rulebook you can download but you can also watch the JonGetsGames Tutorial below which goes through everything step-by-step.

Imperium - Tutorial & Playthrough // JonGetsGames

The game might look daunting, what with its numerous decks and tokens, but it feels like it's one of those games which is going to be easier to dive into than you think. You can also read up on the Osprey Blog about different factions, the basics of gameplay and more.

This game does feel like it could be another big hit from Osprey Games. They have done really well over the past few years with Undaunted, London, High Society, Wild Lands, The King Is Dead and Village Garden just to name a few. Their games not only manage to get the mechanics right but they also look beautiful.

Are you going to be picking up Imperium?