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?
In Sleepers, you are the leader of a resistance network operating in occupied France during World War II.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Enclosure
Surround spaces or pieces to claim territory, capture, or score.
Network and Route Building
Create connected routes that improve reach, delivery, control, or scoring.
Pattern Building
Place elements to create arrangements that satisfy scoring or action patterns.
Tile Placement
Place tiles to build a shared or personal spatial arrangement.
Hexagon Grid
Use a hexagonal map where each space connects evenly in six directions.
Memory
Remember previously revealed information, positions, or sequences.
Read the full game description
In Sleepers, you are the leader of a resistance network operating in occupied France during World War II. Your primary mission is recruit a network of operatives working throughout the country; failing that, eliminating the other networks which are interfering with your own would allow you to build your network without interference. When first recruited, agents are face-down and inactive (sleeper agents); later in the game, they may be activated to perform some task (active agents). The unqualified term agents applies to both active and sleeper agents. Tiles in hand or the bag are merely tiles, bribes and blackmail material which can be used to recruit agents. EQUIPMENT 1 hexagonal board (61 hexes) 30 Agents for each player (different types) OBJECTIVE There are several ways to lose Sleepers: Morale: a player is eliminated once ten of their agents are killed (the enemy spymaster flees the country). Capture: a player is eliminated if they are surrounded by active militia (the enemy spymaster is captured). Attrition: a player is eliminated if they cannot move (no more tiles AND no sleeper agents). There are also several ways to win: Success: make a line of active agents joining any two opposite sides of the board (your network covers the whole country). Liberation: create a doomsday device by making a line of 5 active Scientists (you destroy Germany and free France). Elimination: eliminate all other players.