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The Ministry of Meeples We're a couple of young designers keeping you up to date with our projects and sharing our love of g
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12/03/2020

The incredible Semi Co-op have created a wonderful comic for us all about Theurgy!

It really captures the feel of the game and the kind of controlled chaos that can emerge as players summon monsters onto the board and use their effects in combination.

If you're not following Semi Co-op, you should be ;)

You can find out loads more about the game (and *cough* back it) on Kickstarter:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ministryofmeeples/theurgy

11/03/2020
Unfiltered Gamer

Great news if you (a) run on Pacific Time or (b) stay up super late into the early hours of the morning!

Unfiltered Gamer will be running a livestream tonight at 6pm PT (1am GMT) of Theurgy. If you want to see the game being played live and follow along with all the dramatic miracles, monsters, and pilgrimages, then make sure you head on over to their page!

https://www.facebook.com/URandG/

URG is a board game design and review team

We specialize in interactive reviews and outlandish comedy, or lack there of.

11/03/2020
How to Play *Theurgy* | A Walkthrough by One of the Designers | The Ministry of Meeples

Would you like to dive into the detail of how to play Theurgy? Would you like to listen to my, er, hypnotic voice? If so, then check out our How to Play Video!

This video will explain pretty much all of the rules of Theurgy slowly and clearly so that you can get a solid grip on what you'll be doing in the game.

If you're after something a little less detailed, you should check out our website or the Gameplay section of our Kickstarter page :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbt5AzBYVQQ&t=142s

An in-depth guide on how to play *Theurgy*, the area control game of monsters and miracles, by one of the designers. Theurgy is currently live on Kickstarter...

11/03/2020
Theurgy Kickstarter Preview | Roll For Crit

Roll For Crit have done an absolutely amazing preview of Theurgy. If you're wondering about the game's look, how it plays, and the sort of choices that you'll need to make then you should definitely check this out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRxBHxC54qc

In Theurgy, you are a god! Now, it's up to you to convince people that they should believe in you over everyone else. Summon monsters, perform miracles, and ...

10/03/2020
Theurgy

Theurgy: The Area Control Game of Monsters and Miracles is LIVE ON KICKSTARTER!

2-6 players take on the role of half-forgotten gods and compete to have temples built in their honour. You'll perform incredible miracles, summon a horde of fantastical monsters, and curse or bless as you see fit while you attempt to regain your name's former glory.

10/03/2020

"For Theurgy, the rulebook contains not only examples but suggestions on how you should try to learn the game in the first place. It's impressive and refreshing, and it takes you down the road to learning the game that little bit quicker."
- We're Not Wizards

The rulebook for Theurgy has been beautifully designed by Bellafquih Mohammed and Charlotte Dowling.

We've worked hard to make it as user-friendly as possible so that you can start playing Theurgy as quickly as possible!

You can download a PDF copy directly from the KS page itself and by following the link right here :)

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A7558c869-4400-4316-ae59-666e9d9642f0

10/03/2020

It's launch day! Theurgy goes live on Kickstarter at 2pm GMT today!

In the meantime, check out this awesome feature all about Theurgy from Kickstart Gaming.

"From the outset this is a divine experience of stunning artwork, lavish components and epic objectives."

www.kickstartgaming.com/games/theurgy/

07/03/2020
I Play Red

A great preview of Theurgy from I Play Red! Kat does a really grand job of explaining the gameplay nice and clearly, so do check this out as well as the rest of her channel :)

We took a look at Theurgy from The Ministry of Meeples prior to it's Kickstarter launch!

06/03/2020
Theurgy - Board Game Review and Walkthrough

“If you like a more nuanced area control game with a lot of different choices even though there are only four different actions, I think you’re going to enjoy this.”

Check out the latest review of Theurgy from Unfiltered Gamer! Their channel is awesome, so you should definitely take a look at more of their content too :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5Qg5v8vAYs

Theurgy Review and Walkthrough by Unfiltered Gamer Check out Theurgy at: Coming to Kickstarter Very Soon! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Unfi...

05/03/2020
Board-Gaming Wrap-Up: February 2020 — The Ministry of Meeples

It doesn't matter how busy we get, we always somehow manage to find some time for playing games!

ministryofmeeples.com/boardgaming-wrapups/board-gaming-wrap-up-february-2020

Theurgy is coming to Kickstarter in under a week (*screams with both excitement and terror*). The last few weeks have therefore been a frenzy of working with animators, graphic designers, manufacturers, and shipping companies in order to get everything sorted before we launch the campaign on March

05/03/2020
Putting Together a Kickstarter Page — The Ministry of Meeples

Our Kickstarter campaign for Theurgy launches in 5 days! So, we thought you might like a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how we've been putting together the project page:

https://ministryofmeeples.com/in-development/putting-together-a-kickstarter-page

Did we mention we have a Kickstarter campaign launching on the 10th March? Only a couple of times? That’s relief. We’d hate to go on about it… In case it’s somehow passed you by, our upcoming game Theurgy will be launching on Kickstarter on Tuesday 10th March at 2pm. We’re both a mix of un...

04/03/2020
Theurgy Preview | Board Games | Zatu Games UK

Thank you so much to Carl from Zatu Games for his preview of Theurgy!

"I was immediately impressed with the game - it has table presence. It looks the part of a meaty mid-weight strategy game that you would plan a games session around. More importantly, it plays the part too. Gameplay is well thought out, thematic, and highly engaging."

If this sounds like your kind of game, make sure you check out our Kickstarter page when we launch next week on the 10th March!

You can also find out more on our website www.ministryofmeeples.com/theurgy and on Board Game Geek.

https://www.board-game.co.uk/theurgy-preview/

I have had the opportunity to play Theurgy ahead of its launch. On a cold February evening, Olly and Charlotte braved the weather to meet me at my friendly local game store.

02/03/2020
sliceandd6's Featured Videos - Twitch

How long has it been... since last you played a game of Theurgy?

We will be livestreaming a playthrough with the wonderful Sliceanddice at 6pm GMT tonight! Join us for monsters, miracles, and laughs here:

https://m.twitch.tv/sliceandd6/profile

Watch sliceandd6's best highlights, recent VODs, and top clips on Twitch. Watch them stream Dungeons & Dragons and other content live!

28/02/2020
AireCon

It was great to speak with Mark from Airecon about Theurgy!

Airecon is an awesome convention running up in Harrogate over the weekend 13th - 15th March. If you want to try out the game or just come and have a chat, you'll be able to find us at stand D8.

Hope to see some of you there :)

Live on Aire with Ollie from The Ministry of Meeples they're showing off their game Theurgy which will be live on Kickstarter during AireCon.

21/02/2020
I Play Red

It was lovely to meet Kat from I Play Red at Dragonmeet back in November! Kat's channel has some great content, so definitely check it out if you've not already :)

We had a chat with Oliver Josiah from The Ministry of Meeples about Theurgy, coming to Kickstarter next month. Recorded at Dragonmeet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWkdOzT3qSY&t=568s

07/02/2020
How To Get Card Effects Right In Your Board Game — The Ministry of Meeples

Are you a fellow first-time designer looking to include cards in your game? Charlotte sheds some light on the process we went through while designing Theurgy and offers some advice :)

https://ministryofmeeples.com/firsttime-designer-wins-and-woes/how-to-get-card-effects-right-in-your-board-game

By Charlotte Dowling When it comes to designing a board game, cards can be both a blessing and a curse. They can add an additional element of excitement (which card will I draw?), they can help players form strategies (how can I get the most out of playing this? which one should I draft?), and the

03/02/2020
The Great Alcatraz Escape — The Ministry of Meeples

Scrolling through Kickstarter, we discovered the super cool The Great Alcatraz Escape - Boardgame.

If you ever wanted to plan your own prison break, then this might just be the game for you! You'll need a well thought out strategy, a healthy dose of luck, and some well-timed treachery if you're going to escape to freedom.

The game is in its last week on Kickstarter, so if it sounds like your kind of thing, head on over to their campaign page asap to pledge your support :)

ministryofmeeples.com/backtoback/the-great-alcatraz-escape

The Great Alcatraz Escape is an asymmetric, semi-cooperative roll-and-move game inspired by the legendary escapes of Frank Morris and the Anglin Brothers from the infamous island prison. If you’re a fan of jailbreak films like The Shawshank Redemption , The Great Escape , or (of course) Escape f

02/02/2020
Puzzle #5 - Wingspan — The Ministry of Meeples

We've wanted to make a Wingspan puzzle for ages, and now we have!

This is one of our trickier puzzles, so make sure you have your brain in gear and a cup of tea to hand before you sit down to tackle it ;)

https://ministryofmeeples.com/puzzles/puzzle-5-wingspan

high difficulty Wingspan has quickly become many people’s favourite two-player game. It’s been the most played game on the ‘What Couples Have Been Playing’ GeekList for the last four months in a row, and you can see why. It has beautiful components, an unusual theme, and, overall, just such ...

01/02/2020
Board-Gaming Wrap-Up: January 2020 — The Ministry of Meeples

Our January was filled with industrious woodland critters, architecturally-minded dragons, and brutal Victorian murders. It was a good gaming month!

ministryofmeeples.com/boardgaming-wrapups/board-gaming-wrap-up-january-2020

By Oliver Josiah Lowestoft is freezing! I don’t whether it’s the sea air or our central heating, but Charlotte and I have been wrapped up in blankets, hugging hot water bottles, and huddling around the fire until the early hours in a bid to keep the cold at bay. Of course, there are certainly wo...

27/01/2020
The Haunted and the Hunted: Solaris & Not Alone — The Ministry of Meeples

Haunting hallucinations and predatory aliens feature in this month's Board Game Book Club post!

I take a look at the classic 1960s Sci-Fi novel *Solaris* and the 2-7 player bluffing and deduction game *Not Alone*.

ministryofmeeples.com/bookclub/the-haunted-and-the-hunted-solaris-amp-not-alone

By Oliver Josiah Solaris , the 1960s science fiction novel by Stanislaw Lem, and Not Alone , by designer Ghislain Masson, are both wonderfully atmospheric. In each, a strange alien presence stalks the unfortunate members of a scientific expedition as they struggle to maintain their sanity on

26/01/2020
Theurgy Board Game by The Ministry of Meeples Kickstarter Preview

"It's all presented brilliantly, the artwork, even in its prototype form works extremely well to give an ethereal appearance to proceedings and everything from the monsters to the gods themselves fit in to the theme. It's so close to being the finished product because the soul of the game is already there. There's clearly a huge amount of thought that has gone into everything here."

Thank you so much to We're Not Wizards for their thorough and thoughtful review of Theurgy - we're delighted with what they have to say! :D

You can read the full review here:
https://werenotwizards.blogspot.com/2020/01/theurgy-board-game-by-ministry-of.html

If everything goes according to plan, Theurgy will be up and running on Kickstarter this coming March. You can find out more about the game on our website and BGG page:

https://ministryofmeeples.com/theurgy
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/295368/theurgy

We're Not Wizards Tabletop Blog Board Game Reviews, Previews

22/01/2020
How To Teach Your Game Like a Pro — The Ministry of Meeples

We've recently been spending a lot of time teaching Theurgy at board game conventions. We're definitely better at it now than when we first started, so we thought we'd make a blogpost about what we've learnt. Hopefully it will help a fellow designer out there :)

ministryofmeeples.com/firsttime-designer-wins-and-woes/how-to-teach-your-game

For the past year, we’ve been introducing family, friends, and fellow gamers to our upcoming game Theurgy . Between us, Charlotte and I have played Theurgy literally hundreds of times – and that’s no exaggeration. Fortunately, because it’s such a great game (wink wink), we’ve not gotten bo...

12/01/2020
Puzzle #4 - Azul — The Ministry of Meeples

We have a new board game puzzle for you!

Charlotte and I have been playing a fair amount of Azul recently. In our latest game, we found ourselves in an interesting situation... Can you work out the best move?

https://ministryofmeeples.com/puzzles/puzzle-4-azul

Medium Difficulty Azul is a light, puzzly, tile-drafting game in which players take on the role of tile-laying artists competing to decorate the walls of the Royal Palace of Evora. Players score points at the end of each round according to how they have placed their tiles on their wall, and bonus

02/01/2020
6 Things We’ve Learnt While Building a Playable Board Game Prototype — The Ministry of Meeples

Designing a board game is long process of trial and error – hopefully these six lessons will help you make the process more trial than error! 😉

https://ministryofmeeples.com/firsttime-designer-wins-and-woes/6-things-weve-learnt-while-building-a-playable-board-game-prototype

by Charlotte Dowling It’s well established that designing a game takes a long time. A really long time – and a lot of effort. Luckily for us, when Ollie first had the idea for Theurgy he was right in the middle of his master’s degree in Philosophy at the University of Oxford. So, you know, he ...

01/01/2020
Board-Gaming Wrap-Up: December 2019 — The Ministry of Meeples

"Hmm, I wonder what Ollie and Charlotte at the Ministry of Meeples have been playing recently."

Is this you? Of course it is. Now you have your answer ;)

ministryofmeeples.com/boardgaming-wrapups/board-gaming-wrap-up-december-2019

By Oliver Josiah Happy New Year! I hope December has treated you kindly and that you’re off to a great start with your new year resolutions. Mine is to start running again – I like telling people that I can run 5k without breaking a sweat but all that sitting down at gaming tables has meant that

01/01/2020
HandyCon7 — The Ministry of Meeples

New Year, New Event!

Happy New Year everyone :) Charlotte and I have started 2020 strong by organising ourselves an exhibitor's stand at Handycon 7 - a really lovely board gaming convention in Maidenhead taking place on 17th - 19th January.

We'll be demoing Theurgy all day Saturday and then taking the day off to raid the games library on Sunday. Let us know if you can join us!

https://ministryofmeeples.com/events/handycon7

Seeing as we enjoyed HandyCon so much back in August, we decided to return as exhibitors! We’ll be demoing Theurgy throughout Saturday (you can book a place on the Game Finder or just rock up on the day) and coming back on Sunday just to game with everyone.

30/12/2019
Tyrannical Emperors: Dark Domains and The Final Empire — The Ministry of Meeples

"When you are the ruler over an expansive land home to countless citizens, that power comes at a price. Theirs."

The next dual recommendation for our Board Game Book Club is Brandon Sanderson's The Final Empire and Laboratory H's Dark Domains.

Do you enjoy a bit of evil? 😈

https://ministryofmeeples.com/bookclub/tyrannical-emperors-dark-domains-and-the-final-empire

When you are the ruler over an expansive land home to countless citizens, that power comes at a price. Theirs. Brandon Sanderson’s The Final Empire and Laboratory H’s Dark Domains have a lot in common. Magic systems, assassins, domain building, fate, and—of course—lots and lots of evil. Not ...

25/12/2019

Our new logo ;) Hope you've all had a lovely day!

16/12/2019

Here's what's in the box for Theurgy - in 15 seconds 😂

03/12/2019

We had a great time at Dragonmeet on Saturday! It was lovely to meet so many of you and we were absolutely thrilled with how positive everyone was about Theurgy. Thank you so much to all of you who came and said hi, and we're now buzzing for the next stages of development!

Update: I've just sent out our monthly newsletter. If you signed up at Dragonmeet and haven't recieved anything, it's most likely because I'm very poor at reading people's handwriting. Sorry! Please do subscribe via our website so that you don't miss out :)

03/12/2019
Board-Gaming Wrap-Up: November 2019 — The Ministry of Meeples

Where did November go? One minute you're sitting down to a game of Root and then the next thing you know it's December....

ministryofmeeples.com/boardgaming-wrapups/board-gaming-wrap-up-november-2019

Board-Gaming Wrap-Up: November 2019 By Oliver Josiah November’s been packed with gaming conventions, trips abroad, birthdays, and babies. Yes, that’s right, Charlotte has just become… an auntie! Her little niece is only a couple of weeks old now, but we thought we wouldn’t waste any time in ...

28/11/2019
Theurgy Board Game — The Ministry of Meeples

We're super excited to be able to share some artwork and info for our upcoming game, Theurgy!

In case this is the first time you're hearing about it, Theurgy is a 2-6 player area control strategy game in which players take on the role of supernatural deities and compete to have temples built in their honour.

We recieved our super fancy prototype from the manufacturer this week and couldn't resist breaking it out to play immediately.

We'll be taking the game to a number of conventions around the UK over the next few months, starting with Dragonmeet on Saturday 30th Nov - hope to see some of you there!

ministryofmeeples.com/theurgy

Theurgy is a 2-6 player area control strategy game in which players take on the role of supernatural deities and compete to have temples built in their honour. Spread the word of your mythological religion, lead your followers on holy pilgrimages, and unleash epic combinations of monsters and miracl

25/11/2019

In Theurgy, players summon fantastical beasts to terrorise their rivals' followings. These monsters bring a lot of fun to the game, but more importantly they gave us the opportunity to commission some incredible artwork from Ben Flores.

So, because we're desperate to show off, here's a preview of a few of our monster cards!

What's more, the illustrations you see here are just rough work - they're not even the finished pieces. For that, you'll have to back us on Kickstarter when the time comes ;)

Graphic design by the wonderful Saltybot.

For more on Theurgy, join our facebook group:
facebook.com/groups/theurgygame

17/11/2019

We've been working on our leaflets for Dragonmeet! The front will be the cover art for the game, and here's what we've got for the back of the leaflet. Look okay?

12/11/2019
Puzzle #3 - Carcassonne: Hunters & Gatherers — The Ministry of Meeples

Here's a brainteaser for the Carcassonne fans out there!

https://ministryofmeeples.com/puzzles/puzzle-3-carcassonne-hunters-amp-gatherers

medium difficulty Carcassonne: Hunters & Gatherers is a light, strategic tile-placement game in which players compete to hunt, fish, and gather in the meadows, rivers, and woodlands of stone age Carcassonne. The simplicity of the rules make it a great gateway game - my dad introduced

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What are a couple of young graduates to do...?

It’s probably fair to say that, during our time at university, we spent too many hours playing games and not enough hours studying. Personally, I know almost all of the Agricola cards inside out, but I’d be lucky to remember the titles of any of the books I was supposed to read... Ah well, thirty grand well spent. Those evenings around the dinner table hogging all the wheat and crossing rivers with giant mechs were some of the best of our lives.

We may have graduated, but we don’t intend to let the fun come to an end. Sure, our friends have strategically moved out across the country but, as they’re discovering, we’re not above turning up unannounced in the middle of the night if it means we have a shot at trying to survive a zombie apocalypse one more time. We’re young, and sleep is for those too tired to roll a pair of dice.

We decided to set up the Ministry of Meeples as a way of sharing our love of games with a slightly larger crowd. We’ve also, like many a game enthusiast before us, embarked on a project to design and publish our own game. We’re every excited about it - we’ve been taking a prototype to conventions and gaming groups all around the UK - and we’re planning to launch on Kickstarter in March 2020. Keep your eyes open for Theurgy, it’s going to be awesome! Part of the purpose of this page is to keep you up to date with Theurgy’s progress, including the artwork and graphic design we’ve commissioned.

We’ll also post some of our blog series to this page, including Board Game Book Club and Back-to-Back: What We’re Backing on Kickstarter. If you want more, check out our website at www.ministryofmeeples.com. We hope you enjoy our content as much as we enjoy making it! And who knows, maybe, if we’re lucky, we’ll meet across a table sometime...?