Council of 4
Bribe councils, grab permits and plant your emporiums across three kingdoms before rivals beat you to the best cities.
Who it's for
You like economic euros with some route building and want something a notch more tactical than a typical gateway title. Best with three or four players who enjoy planning a few steps ahead.
Not for you if…
You want a light, chatty evening or a game that explains itself in two minutes. The rules take some digesting and the first game can feel fiddly.
Vibe's take
Crunchy and puzzly, with a steady stream of small clever turns. You watch the councils like a stock ticker and pounce when the right colours line up. Interaction is indirect but real, because everyone is chasing the same cities.
About this game
Council of 4 puts you in the shoes of a merchant in a kingdom ruled by councils of four nobles. You bribe councillors to earn permit cards, then use those permits to plant your emporiums in cities across three kingdoms. Each turn you pick from a handful of actions: corrupt a council, claim a permit, build a shop, or hire help. The twist is that every council works like a little conveyor belt of coloured pawns, so shifting one noble changes what everyone can afford. Bonuses for linked cities, whole regions and the king's favour reward players who think a few steps ahead. Think of it as a medium-weight economic puzzle with a sharp elbows-out race for the best city spots.
Get it
Categories
By the numbers
Players
Duration
40–75 min
Ages 10+
Complexity
2.7 / 5 — MediumBGG Rating
6.4/10
Rank #1,557
3.2k ratings
Published
2015
Designed by
Simone Luciani, Daniele Tascini
Published by
CMON Global Limited, Heidelberger Spieleverlag, Cranio Creations
/pic743228.jpg)
/pic464133.jpg)
/pic8725884.jpg)
/pic7050963.jpg)