Learn Men-Nefer
Learn the game in 5 short steps. Everything links to the full rules.
Welcome to Men-Nefer
In Men-Nefer, you help build and shape ancient Egypt’s capital. Over three eras, place Apprentices in five Houses of Life, take actions, and prepare for each Harvest.
Score Prestige Points from Contracts, the Necropolis, the Obelisk, pyramids, and your journey through the Duat. The highest total after Era III wins.
1–4 players, including solo against Imhotep; 60–120 minutes. Continue to the setup checklist.
The board
The numbers are explained in Teach the Game.
- Five Houses: Great Pyramid, Necropolis, Temple and Obelisk, Nile, and Sphinxes.
- Sun and Moon spaces: place an Apprentice at a House, then later move it to the Moon side when you specialise.
- Personal board: tracks, pieces, Food and Heka, Papyri, Crafts, and Tablets.
- Duat Meter: your Heart and Feather move toward one another.
- Shared board: pyramid tracks, City Contracts, markets, and scoring areas.
A turn
During each era’s Sowing, take nine turns. On each turn choose one:
- Visit a House — pay Food, place an Apprentice, and resolve its linked Tablet.
- Specialise — move an Apprentice to a Moon space, advance its Scarab, and take a track action.
- Obtain an Action Tablet — pay its cost, place it, and take a market action.
Each choice is limited to three times per era. See the full timing and Food rules.
Harvest
At the end of each era, resolve the Harvest in order: roll up Papyri and move the Feather; score the Duat; complete and score Contracts; score Necropolis, Obelisk, Great Pyramid, and Queens’ Pyramids.
Check the scoring sequence so earlier movement is counted before later scoring.
Win the game
After the third Harvest, add final scoring and compare Prestige Points. Tied players compare the values of the spaces holding their Heart and Feather; if still tied, they share the victory.
The full harvest rules list every scoring source. For solo play, use Imhotep’s official priorities.