Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
Byzantium circa 600 CE Take part in the explosive energy and corruption of holy Byzantium as described in the scandalous book “The Secret History” by Procopius. Struggle to seize the throne,as you join the tale of royal intrigue, deceit and conflict.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Area Majority
Compete to have the strongest presence in areas that award control or points.
Grid Movement
Move pieces between adjacent spaces on a regular grid.
Tile Placement
Place tiles to build a shared or personal spatial arrangement.
Secret Unit Deployment
Place or assign units secretly before their positions are revealed.
Read the full game description
Byzantium circa 600 CE Take part in the explosive energy and corruption of holy Byzantium as described in the scandalous book “The Secret History” by Procopius. Struggle to seize the throne,as you join the tale of royal intrigue, deceit and conflict. Your chess tiles may be turned face down or moved through the court which is a six by three square area. Bluffing, and even luck lay before you as you reveal, move, capture, and place your tiles. King’s Ransom is a 2-player strategy game pitting royal rivals against each other. Assemble your noblemen, strike from your secret chamber,then move through court to checkmate your opponent’s king. Light chess variant with luck, a prince, hidden tiles and bluffing.Using the basic mechanics of chess, there’s an additional layer of strategy due to each tile entering play hidden from the opposing player’s view. If you can set traps and lure your opponent into making mistakes, you might be able to snatch their King and ransom him for control of the kingdom! Turn Order: - Flip a face-down tile so it is face up - Move a face-up tile - Announce check, if applicable - Place a new tile face down - Draw a tile from your chamber. Game Components: 40 Tiles