Courtisans takes place at Her Majesty’s annual royal banquet. Do you have the charm, wit, and cunning to flatter, deceive, and manipulate others to your advantage? Then Bootlickers might just be your game.
But beware, your fellow players may just lure you into a trap.
Whoever wins Her Majesty’s favor the most will be crowned the ultimate bootlicker at the table.
Courtisans is a strategic card game that combines set collection with take-that mechanics. Suitable for ages 8 and up, it can be played with 2 to 5 players.
Rating
| Overall | 9,5 |
| Story | 9 |
| Game system | 9 |
| Replayabillity | 10 |
| Disign & art | 10 |
The Story
Courtisans takes you to the banquet table of Her Majesty. To govern her kingdom wisely, the Queen relies on six prominent families. Each represented by their coat of arms: The Carps; The Hares; The Deer; The Nightingales; The Toads and The Butterflies.
Tension runs high among the noble houses, and trust is in short supply. Each family strives to earn the Queen’s highest favor while driving the others into disgrace. For only one family can become the Queen’s right hand.
Game Rules
Depending on the number of players, several Courtier cards are removed from the game to form the draw pile, which is placed beside the royal banquet mat.
- Each player starts with 3 cards from the draw pile and 2 secret mission cards
- The mission cards placed face down.
Talents of the types of cards:
Nobels: Marked with a +2 icon at the top of the card. These cards score +2 or -2 points depending on whether their family is in favor or out of favor.
Spies: Marked with a mask icon. Must always be played face down, keeping their family affiliation secret. When played at the banquet table, they’re placed face down either above or below the Queen.
Assassins: Marked with a dagger symbol. If played in your own area: remove one of your cards. If played in another player’s area: eliminate one of their cards. If played at the banquet table: all courtiers at the table (face up or down) are “killed.”
Guards: Marked with a shield icon. These cards cannot be eliminated, not by others, and not even by yourself.
Turn Structure:
At the start of each turn, draw 3 cards from your draw pile.
If your pile is empty, reshuffle your discard pile to draw again. You may play your cards in any order you choose, but you can’t repeat the same action in a single turn. Each round, you must perform all different available actions:
• Playing a card to the banquet table Play a card above the mat to bring that family into favor with the Queen. Play a card below the mat to drive that family into disgrace.
•Playing a card in your own area Families in royal favor will earn you points at the end of the game. Families in disgrace will cost you points.
•Giving a card to another player Some cards allow or encourage gifting a handy strategic option.
The game ends when a player draws and plays the final card from the draw pile.
Design & art
The artwork on the cards is beautiful, clearly showing the talent of Noëmie Chevalier. The design is rich and detailed, perfectly fitting the game’s courtly theme.
The playmat is made of fabric, which feels pleasant to the touch, though the colors and coat of arms are slightly less sharp because of the material. If the fabric choice was an ecological decision, it’s certainly commendable, though a higher-quality print would help. Especially for colorblind players, who may find it harder to distinguish between houses.
Box Contents
• 1x playmat
• 1x rulebook
• 20x mission Cards (10 white, 10 blue)
• 90x courtier Cards (15 per family)
Conclusion
Courtisans is a compact family game that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s perfect for younger players or for game nights when time is limited.
The rules are simple, allowing everyone to jump in after just a brief explanation. The hidden spy cards add an exciting layer of tension and surprise to every round.
A delightful and cleverly designed game that balances accessibility with strategy — and looks gorgeous while doing so.
More info: https://www.whitegoblingames.com/product/hielenlikkers-kaartspel/
Text en photografy: Esmeralda Wolf
