- BGG rank
- BGG #320
- BGG rating
- 7.9
1830: Railways & Robber Barons
- 2–7 players
- 180–360 min
- Complexity 4.2/5
- 1986
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,409
- BGG rating
- 5.4
Arabella
2023
Rules assistance for Arabella
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 45–90 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.7/5
Rules assistant for Arabella
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Arabella is a board game released in 2023 for 1–4 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Signe Aasoja and its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil, Network and Route Building, and Stock Holding.
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About the game
Arabella is an 18XX-themed roll-and-write for 1-4 players, set in Estonia. The goal is to collect most victory points but similar to other 18XX games trains, shares and dividends play here an important part. During their turn players choose dice from the common dice pool - the amount of dice chosen and also the value of these dice are important - to perform one action. As an action you can buy shares and trains, build tracks and also run trains for income and dividends. Game ends when one of the players has either reached the end of one of their income tracks or the last 6-train is bought. After that victory points are collected - most of them from fulfilled objective cards but also from shares and unlocked dice/modifiers.
Editions
- Arabellaen2D6.EE (Side Quest Games)2023
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- 2D6.EE (Side Quest Games)
Questions and answers
Arabella supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Arabella is 45–90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Arabella for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Arabella has a complexity rating of 2.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Arabella belongs to these categories: Trains and Transportation. Its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil, Network and Route Building, and Stock Holding. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Arabella are: Signe Aasoja. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Arabella as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.