Designer Henrik BergÅse Berg Publisher White Goblin Games Players 2-4 Playtime 45 mins Suggested Age 10 and up Expansion Rattus: Arabian TradersRattus: AfricanusRattus: Pied PipeRattus: Academicus Family Rattus Cartus Honors 2011 Golden Geek Best Family Board Game Nominee 2011 Lucca Games Best Family Game Winner Additional Info 42452/rattus http://boardgamegeek.com/forum/220937/rattus/reviews Europe, 1347. A disaster is about to strike. The Black Death reaches Europe, and during the next 4-5 years, the population of Europe will be halved.The players settle in the various regions of Europe, while the plague spreads throughout all of the continent. The players gain help from the various classes of the middle ages: the Peasants provide population growth, the wise Monks keep the rats away, the rich Merchants flee when the plague approaches, the warfare conducted by the Knights spreads the plague to new areas, the Witches control the spread through magic and witchcraft, whereas the Kings avoid the plague by staying in their fortified palaces. But the plague does not make any distinction: when the rats arrive, no one can feel safe. When the plague withdraws and the game ends, the player with the highest surviving population wins. Rattus is a medium-strategy game that takes place in the Dark Ages during the black plague. The players try to hold off the disease.To do this they get help from farmers, magicians, knights, nobles, ... But nothing helps as long as the rats keep coming. February 2010: - 1st international version (Dutch/English/French and Norwegian) by White Goblin Games- 1st German version by Huch&Friends- 1st English version by Z-Man Games The international version will be available (mainly) in Benelux, France, and Norway. The German version will be available in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.We expect that there will be localized versions (Italian, Spanish, etc.) later in 2010. Not decided yet. May 2010:Second international version by White Goblin Games August 2010:Third international version by White Goblin Games October 2010:First expansion for the game is called Pied Piper and is released at Essen 2010. The expansion was sold out in 2 days at the fair.Z-Man Games does an English version of the Pied Piper expansion, Axel does the Polish version of the Pied Piper expansion. January 2011:Fourth international version by White Goblin Games and second edition of the international Pied Piper expansion will be out in March 2011.Second English version by Z-Man Games will be out in March 2011. October 2011:Second expansion for the game called Rattus Africanus will be released at Essen 2011. Z-Man Games will release the first English edition of Rattus Africanus expansion also in october 2011. August 2012:Fifth international version by White Goblin Games will be out in August 2012. Second international version of the Africanus expansion will be released by White Goblin Games. April 2013:Second international version of the Pied Piper expansion will be released by White Goblin Games.
