Il Vecchio
- Players
- 2-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 3 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 60 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 10+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.6 / 5
- Year
- 2012
About the game
Il Vecchio transports players to 15th-century Florence under the rule of Cosimo de Medici, where rival families vie for power by dispatching family members across Tuscany. You'll recruit followers, gather money, claim provinces, and curry favor with the squirearchy to secure council seats and noble ranks in Florence, all through an action-retrieval system where used family members must be laid down before they can act again. Timing is everything, since a middleman must be present at a location alongside one of your active family members to take that location's action. As the Medici's power gradually fades, tracked by a diminishing pile of crest tiles, players race to accumulate the most power points before the game ends.
Hobbli's Notes
This is a clever, understated design from Rüdiger Dorn that layers action-retrieval, area influence, and set collection into a satisfying Renaissance power struggle. The requirement to have both a middleman and an active family member in place creates real tension around timing and positioning. It's a meatier game than its 60-minute playtime might suggest, rewarding players who enjoy planning several moves ahead.
What we like
- Action-retrieval system rewards careful timing and positioning.
- Rich thematic depiction of Renaissance Florentine power struggles.
- Designed by acclaimed designer Rüdiger Dorn.
- Multiple viable paths to victory through provinces and city council.
Keep in mind
- Dice rolling introduces some luck into an otherwise strategic game.
- Many interlocking systems can feel fiddly for newer players.
- Moderate downtime as players plan multi-step turns.
Who it's for
Recommended for strategy gamers aged 10 to 12 and up, in groups of two to four, who enjoy worker placement and area-influence games with a historical theme.
