Roll Through the Ages
Officially Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age
AWARD-WINNING PIONEER of the 'ROLL-AND-WRITE' subgenre — designed by MATT LEACOCK (creator of Pandemic) + published FRED DISTRIBUTION 2008. 2-4 players build a CIVILISATION on a paper scoresheet by ROLLING 3-7 CUSTOM D6s (workers, food, goods, coins, skulls) then writing/erasing on player pad — building CITIES + MONUMENTS + DEVELOPMENTS while dodging DISASTERS. Winner of 2009 SPIEL DES JAHRES nominee + MENSA SELECT AWARD.
Quick facts
Category
Dice Games
Type
Individual
Players
1–4
Duration
~45 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
Designed 2008 by Matt Leacock; published by Fred Distribution (Newark, DE), later Gryphon Games; Iron Age sequel 2014; genre-defining early roll-and-write.
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Build the HIGHEST-SCORING civilisation via CITIES + MONUMENTS + DEVELOPMENTS, minimising DISASTERS.
Rules
Basic rules
Each turn: roll DICE equal to CITIES you have built (start 3, up to 5); may re-roll dice 2x (Yahtzee-style)
Signature dice-count = cities.
SKULLS cannot be re-rolled — pile up as DISASTERS
Signature no-re-roll on skulls.
AFTER rolling: use WORKERS to build cities/monuments; FOOD to feed people; GOODS to gain coins + development; COINS to buy developments
Signature 4-resource cycle.
SKULLS: 2 = DROUGHT (lose 2 food); 3 = PESTILENCE (all lose 3 points); 4 = INVASION (all lose 4 points); 5 = REVOLT (steal 1 goods each opponent)
Signature 2-5 skull disasters.
MONUMENTS worth 5-40 points; first to complete each type = 2× bonus
Signature monument race.
DEVELOPMENTS: paid with coins, grant permanent bonus (bigger caravans, extra dice, granaries)
Signature developments purchase.
GAME ENDS: (1) LAST MONUMENT BUILT or (2) LAST DEVELOPMENT PURCHASED; then final scoring
Signature end-game trigger.
Scoring
Sum: monument points + first-build bonuses + development VPs; subtract 'unfed' penalty. Highest wins.
Win condition · Highest score wins civilisation age.
Equipment
7 CUSTOM D6 DICE — faces: workers, food (grain, +2 food + a skull), goods (varied types), coins, skulls (disasters)
Signature 7 custom d6.
PLAYER PADS (paper, tear-off) — CITIES + MONUMENTS + DEVELOPMENTS boxes to fill in
Signature roll-and-write pads.
PENCILS + ERASERS
Standard writing tools.
DICE CUP for rolling
Standard dice cup.
REFERENCE SHEET for monument + development costs + point values
Standard reference sheet.
Terminology
- Roll-and-write
- Genre pioneered by RTtA — roll dice + write results on paper pad.
- Monument
- High-value scoring project (Pyramids, Great Wall, Colossus, etc.).
- Skull
- Disaster die-face — non-rerollable + triggers negative event at 2-5+.
- Development
- Purchased tech granting permanent bonus.
- Unfed
- Cities without food = -1 point each turn.
Major competitions
Casual home gaming; no formal championship
n/a · Global home gaming · since 2008
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Eagle-Gryphon Games (publisher, current)
Founded 2000 · USA
Fred Distribution (original publisher)
Founded 1998 · USA
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Matt Leacock (designer)
- Rick Soued (Eagle-Gryphon Games publisher)