Saxon Shore simulates the warfare and politics of Britain after the Roman withdrawal in the fifth century AD. This was a time where the local Britons were beleaguered by waves of settlers from Ireland, Scotland, Scandinavia, and the European mainland. These settlers fought the Britons and one another in an attempt to establish permanent kingdoms. It was a time of economic breakdown, when the Roman coinage was replaced with a system of barter, and also a time of spiritual confusion, with the Christian church coming to dominance in an age of superstition and violence.

In Saxon Shore, two to five players struggle to become the dominant kingdom of the British Isles. A player can win by fulfilling one of several victory conditions:

1. Eliminate all other players.
2. Build four cities.
3. Control eight provinces producing resources.
4. Control any ten provinces.