- BGG rank
- BGG #387
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Chinatown
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,622
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Augsburg 1520
2006
Rules assistance for Augsburg 1520
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 25–75 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.7/5
Rules assistant for Augsburg 1520
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Augsburg 1520 is a board game released in 2006 for 2–5 players, 25–75 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Karsten Hartwig and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,089
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Waterfall Park
- 3–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #30,751
- BGG rating
- 5.3
Lucky Loop
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #326
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Shogun
- 3–5 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2006
- BGG rank
- BGG #696
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Vikings
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,561
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Strasbourg
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,146
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Age of Renaissance
- 3–6 players
- 120–300 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 1996
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,728
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Hermagor
- 2–5 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2006
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,507
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Greenland
- 1–3 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,954
- BGG rating
- 6.5
The Pillars of the Earth: Builders Duel
- 2 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,188
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Colonia
- 3–6 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,451
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Craftsmen
- 2–5 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 2013
About the game
From Alea: The game is about Jakob Fugger, who was probably the wealthiest man of his time. “Jakob the Rich,” as he was named in his time, owned so much money that he loaned money to a host of counts and kings. Often, they were not able to repay him in cash, so they awarded him special privileges, such as trade rights and offices. 2 to 5 players ages 12 and up assume the role of the merchants from Augsburg and try to get what they can -- by means of auctions -- from the nobility, thus increasing their wealth and particularly their social status. The game play uses a simple bidding mechanism. Each round, players offer cards of varying values in a series of five auctions. Once a bid is made, players either raise the bid, call, or drop. The winning player may choose from a set of possible actions that increase abilities (and more importantly, points). After a number of rounds (dependent on the number of players), scores are tallied. It's that simple. This is a game by Karsten Hartwig, whose other game “Chinatown” was already published by Alea. Game length varies -- depending on the number of players -- between 25 to 90 minutes. The difficulty level is a 4 on the Alea 1-10 scale (the same as Ra). Besides the players’ tableaus and a game board, there are 90 game cards and various game chits. This game is #3 in the Alea medium box series.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Ravensburger AG
- alea
- Rio Grande Games
Questions and answers
Augsburg 1520 supports 2–5 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 Augsburg 1520 is 25–75 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 Augsburg 1520 for ages 12 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.
Augsburg 1520 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.
Augsburg 1520 belongs to these categories: Economic and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding. 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 Augsburg 1520 are: Karsten Hartwig. 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 Augsburg 1520 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.