Cthulhu Wars
MASSIVE AREA-CONTROL MINIATURES GAME by SANDY PETERSEN (Call of Cthulhu RPG designer!) + PETERSEN GAMES (2015 Kickstarter). 2-8 players play LOVECRAFTIAN FACTIONS (Great Cthulhu, Crawling Chaos = Nyarlathotep, Yellow Sign = Hastur, Black Goat = Shub-Niggurath + expansion factions Windwalker, Sleeper, Tcho-Tcho, Yog-Sothoth, Opener of the Way, etc.) awakening Great Old Ones + summoning cultists to conquer Earth. HUGE MINIATURES (up to 30+ cm tall Great Old Ones). ASYMMETRIC factions with UNIQUE MECHANICS. BGG top-100. Multiple $2M+ Kickstarter expansions.
What is Cthulhu Wars?
CTHULHU WARS is a MASSIVE AREA-CONTROL MINIATURES GAME designed by SANDY PETERSEN (creator of the CALL OF CTHULHU tabletop RPG 1981; designer at id Software on DOOM + Quake) + published by PETERSEN GAMES. Original Kickstarter 2013 (raised $1.4M); base game delivered 2015. Multiple massive Kickstarter expansions since ($2-5M each). 2-8 PLAYERS play LOVECRAFTIAN FACTIONS drawn from H.P. LOVECRAFT's COSMIC HORROR: GREAT CTHULHU (base), CRAWLING CHAOS = NYARLATHOTEP (base), YELLOW SIGN = HASTUR (base), BLACK GOAT = SHUB-NIGGURATH (base). Expansion factions: WINDWALKER = Ithaqua, SLEEPER = Tsathoggua, TCHO-TCHO, YOG-SOTHOTH, OPENER OF THE WAY, and more, plus GATE keeper factions. Each faction AWAKENS GREAT OLD ONES (godlike beings) + summons CULTISTS to conquer Earth. ASYMMETRIC FACTIONS with UNIQUE MECHANICS: Cthulhu is combat-strong tank; Nyarlathotep is trickster + resource-manipulator; Hastur is corruption-based; Shub-Niggurath swarms with millions of young. HUGE MINIATURES (up to 30+ cm tall Great Old Ones — Cthulhu is 30cm; Yog-Sothoth expansion mini is 40+ cm). Iconic collectible aesthetic. GAMEPLAY: 6 turn game. Each turn: (1) Gather Power (economy resource), (2) Take Actions (recruit cultists, summon monsters, build gates, attack, awaken Great Old Ones, cast spells), (3) Doomsday scoring at turn end (score Elder Signs = Doom points). VICTORY: most DOOM POINTS at Game End (turn 6) OR combined game-end scoring. RITUAL OF ANNIHILATION cast when a faction reaches specific Elder Sign threshold. BGG top-100 all-time game. Multiple Kickstarter expansions with prices $150-500 for premium editions. Considered one of the BEST-PRODUCED miniature area-control games. Warning: complexity + long setup + significant table space + $$$$ collector cost.
Quick facts
Category
Board Games
Type
Team sport
Players
2–8
Duration
~180 min
Where played
indoor
Field / court
Massive tabletop
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
2013 Kickstarter + 2015 delivery; multiple expansions since
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Score most Doom Points at end of Turn 6. Doom Points gained via Elder Signs on faction board + game-end scoring.
Rules
Basic rules
6 turns; each turn Gather Power → Actions → Doomsday
Cyclical structure.
Each faction has unique starting Great Old One + cultists + special abilities
Asymmetric play.
Recruit cultists (Power → cultist units)
Building up armies.
Build gates for area control
Gates enable summoning + area presence.
Awaken Great Old One(s) with sufficient Power + cultist sacrifices
Big miniature enters map.
Combat via dice rolls + faction abilities
Dice-based confrontation.
Scoring
Doom Points-based. Highest total after 6 turns wins.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Elder Sign earned (from actions) | 1 Doom Point per Elder Sign |
| Doomsday scoring at turn end | Doom based on Great Old Ones awakened + territory |
| Rituals of Annihilation cast | Massive Doom bonus |
| Cultists on map at Doomsday scoring | Bonus Doom per cultists + gates |
Win condition · Most Doom Points at end of Turn 6.
Playing area
Called
Massive tabletop
Dimensions
Very large table (~120cm × 90cm)
Home tabletop; requires huge table for map + massive miniatures + cards + tokens.
Equipment
Cthulhu Wars base game ($200-250 USD)
4 factions + Great Old Ones + map + all core rules
Faction expansion boxes ($100-200 each)
Additional playable factions (Windwalker, Sleeper, Yog-Sothoth, etc.)
Kickstarter Collector Editions ($350-500)
All content + exclusive miniatures + upgrades
Strategies
Awaken your first Great Old One quickly for power
GOO turns you from cultists into monster.
Faction-specific: Cthulhu goes deep water, Hastur controls, Yog corrupts
Play to faction strength.
Elder Signs = Doom; hoard them
Score doom cards.
Build gates aggressively for area control
Gates = power + summoning.
Rituals of Annihilation for endgame swing
Massive Doom potential.
Terminology
- Great Old One (GOO)
- Godlike miniature; each faction has unique GOO.
- Cultist
- Basic unit; recruited via power.
- Elder Sign
- Doom Point tokens; core scoring.
- Doom Point
- VP equivalent; win condition.
- Gate
- Structure controlling area + enabling summoning.
- Ritual of Annihilation
- Massive endgame spell; huge Doom bonus.
- Cthulhu / Nyarlathotep / Hastur / Shub-Niggurath
- 4 base factions.
- Doomsday phase
- End-of-turn scoring.
- Power
- Resource; gathered each turn.
- Awakening
- Summon your Great Old One via power + cultist sacrifice.
Major competitions
Petersen Games conventions + expo demos
annual · USA · since 2015
BGG.CON demos
annual · USA · since 2015
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Petersen Games (publisher)
Founded 2012 · Utah, USA
BoardGameGeek (community tracking)
Founded 2000 · USA
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Sandy Petersen (US) — Designer + creator of Call of Cthulhu RPG (1981) + DOOM/Quake designer
- Arthur Petersen (US) — Sandy's son + co-designer
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Buy Cthulhu Wars base game ($200-250)
Big investment but great production.
- 2
Play as Cthulhu first (most straightforward)
Big combat power.
intermediate
- 1
Master 4 base factions before expansions
Deep asymmetric play.
advanced
- 1
Add faction expansions
Additional factions unlock 8-player games.
Frequently asked
What is Cthulhu Wars?+
MASSIVE AREA-CONTROL MINIATURES GAME by SANDY PETERSEN (Call of Cthulhu RPG designer!) + PETERSEN GAMES (2015 Kickstarter). 2-8 players play LOVECRAFTIAN FACTIONS (Great Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep, Hastur, Shub-Niggurath + expansion factions) awakening Great Old Ones + summoning cultists to conquer Earth. HUGE MINIATURES (up to 30+ cm tall Great Old Ones). ASYMMETRIC factions with UNIQUE MECHANICS. BGG top-100. Multiple $2M+ Kickstarter expansions. Considered one of the BEST-PRODUCED miniature area-control games.
Cthulhu Wars vs Rising Sun vs Blood Rage — which area-control?+
3 EXCELLENT AREA-CONTROL MINIATURES GAMES. CTHULHU WARS ($200-250): Lovecraftian horror, 6 turns, huge miniatures, most asymmetric, most expensive + longest. RISING SUN ($100-120): Feudal Japan + Shinto, 3 seasons, negotiation-heavy, cheaper. BLOOD RAGE ($80): Viking + Ragnarok, 3 ages, drafting mechanic, cheapest. RECOMMENDATION: BLOOD RAGE for gateway ($80 accessible). RISING SUN for negotiation lovers. CTHULHU WARS for collectors + heavy area-control fans with money + table space. All 3 are excellent but CW is a bigger investment.
Sources & provenance
- Petersen Games — Cthulhu Wars— Petersen Games
- BoardGameGeek — Cthulhu Wars— BoardGameGeek