Prime Minister

About the game

What is 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, taking on the role of a historical politician. Will you make your mark as a Backbencher? Stir up trouble as a wily Opposition Leader? Or successfully govern the world’s greatest empire as Prime Minister? In Prime Minister, 1 to 4 players vie for political power and prestige by campaigning for public support, selecting and debating bills, pursuing official appointments, recruiting influential Victorians as supporters, garnering favor with the Queen, and, when the time is right, challenging other players for their leadership roles. Gameplay is partly cooperative with shifting alliances, but only one player can win by holding the Prime Minister’s seat at the game’s end. In addition to the standard multiplayer game, Prime Minister includes a dozen scenarios of varying length and a “Clockwork" system featuring automated opponents for solitaire play. -description from publisher

How it plays

Mechanics

On the shelf

Categories

Questions players ask

Questions to bring to BoardGameBrain

• How do setup and the first turn work in Prime Minister?
• When does scoring happen and what ends the game?
• How should the table resolve an unusual timing or rules interaction?