How to Play

Discworld: Ankh-Morpork

2-4 players 60-60 min 7.3 Board Game Geek Rating

Players compete for control of Ankh-Morpork after Lord Vetinari vanishes. Each faction has hidden victory conditions, creating uncertainty about opponents' goals. The core gameplay involves playing unique character cards to deploy minions and construct buildings across the city map. Cards feature multiple actions that can be combined or chained together. Victory depends on fulfilling your secret role's specific requirements.

Published 2011

Discworld: Ankh-Morpork

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Shuffle card decks separately
Shuffle the Green and Brown cards into two separate piles
2
Create the Draw Deck
Put Green cards on top of Brown cards to form the Draw Deck and deal 5 cards to everyone
3
Prepare Random Events
Shuffle the deck of Random Event cards
4
Choose player color
Each player chooses a colour and takes their components:
5
Place starting Minions
Each player places 1 Minion in The Shades, The Scours, and Dolly Sisters
6
Place starting Trouble Markers
Place 1 Trouble Marker in these 3 areas as well

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Check win condition first
If you've met your Personality card's win condition at the start of your turn, the game ends immediately
2
Play one card
Otherwise, play 1 card from your hand
3
Draw cards
Draw back up to 5 cards (you may have more than 5 cards at end of turn)
4
Money visibility
Money is open information
5
Place a Minion
Place your 1st Minion in any Area; subsequent Minions must be placed in an Area with your Minion or adjacent Area
6
Place a Building
Build only in an Area with your Minion, without Trouble Markers or another Building
7
Assassinate (skull icon)
Remove another player's Minion, Troll, or Demon from an Area containing a Trouble Marker; also remove the Trouble Marker
8
Interrupt (hand icon)
Play at an appropriate time to interrupt something "bad" being done to you
9
Remove Trouble
Remove 1 Trouble Marker from the Board
10
Play another card
Play an additional card from your hand
11
Gain money
Gain the $ amount indicated on the card
12
Text action
Perform the Action described on the bottom of the card
13
Random Event (mandatory)
Draw the top card of the Event Deck; this Action is not optional
14
Dimwell
Once per turn pay $3 to place 1 Minion in Dimwell or an adjacent Area
15
Dolly Sisters
Once per turn pay $3 to place 1 Minion in Dolly Sisters or an adjacent Area
16
Dragon's Landing
Once per turn gain $2
17
The Hippo
Once per turn gain $2
18
Isle of Gods
Once per turn pay $2 to remove 1 Trouble Marker from the Game Board
19
Longwall
Once per turn gain $1
20
Nap Hill
Once per turn gain $1
21
The Scours
Once per turn discard 1 card to gain $2
22
Seven Sleepers
Once per turn gain $3
23
The Shades
Once per turn place 1 Trouble Marker in The Shades or adjacent Area (must have at least 1 Minion)
24
Small Gods
Pay $3 per Minion/Building to protect them from a Random Event
25
Unreal Estate
Once per turn draw 1 card and discard 1 card
26
Bloody Stupid Johnson
Roll die; if that City Area card is in play, discard it and owner removes 1 Minion (Building still counts for control and scoring)
27
Demons from the Dungeon Dimensions
Roll die 4 times; place 1 Demon and Trouble Marker in each Area (Demons block control and City Area powers)
28
Dragon
Roll die; remove all Minions, Demons, Trolls, Trouble Marker, and Building from that Area
29
Earthquake
Roll die twice; remove any Buildings from those Areas
30
Explosion
Roll die; remove any Building from that Area
31
Fire
Roll die; if Building present, discard it and roll again; continue if adjacent Areas have Buildings
32
Flood
Roll die twice; Areas adjacent to River are Flooded; players move Minions to unaffected adjacent Areas
33
Fog
Reveal top 5 cards from Draw Deck to everyone then discard them
34
Mysterious Murders
Roll die and remove 1 Minion from that Area; pass die left and repeat for each player
35
Riots
If 8+ Trouble Markers on board, game ends immediately; highest score wins
36
Subsidence
Each player pays $2 per Building or removes Buildings they cannot pay for
37
Trolls
Roll die 3 times; place 1 Troll in each Area (Trolls act like Minions but belong to no player)

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Win condition met
If a player has met their Personality card's win condition at the start of their turn, they win immediately
2
Commander Vimes victory
If the Draw Deck is exhausted and a player is Commander Vimes, they win
3
Score victory
If the Draw Deck is exhausted and no player is Commander Vimes, determine final score:
4
Break ties
Ties are broken by the player with the highest monetary value City Area card

watch & Learn

Let the pros teach you with these top videos.

Component and card list for base game

Component and card list for base game

Unboxing

Discworld Ankh Morpork by Martin Wallace review - The Quest Report

Discworld Ankh Morpork by Martin Wallace review - The Quest Report

Review

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FULL rules

Looking for the full details? Grab the complete rulebook as a downloadable PDF.

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