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Bazaars of Ubar
2023
Rules assistance for Bazaars of Ubar
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45–75 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Bazaars of Ubar
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Bazaars of Ubar is a board game released in 2023 for 2–4 players, 45–75 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Tim Armstrong (II) and its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Square Grid, and Turn Order: Time Track.
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About the game
The Bazaars of Ubar is a fantastical engine-building game that takes players to the mythical marketplaces of Ubar - the Atlantis of the Sands! Draft trade tiles from a common area, paying for them with time, in a marketplace where the costs shift like the sands from game to game. Make clever use of tradewinds to activate your drafted tiles again and again. Manage the space on your ship to carry only the most precious cargo as you make your way to floating bazaars to sell your goods. Watch for fluctuating values in the markets to make sure your goods bring in the most gold and ensure your victory as the shrewdest trader in The Bazaars of Ubar! During setup, Trade tiles are laid out in a grid in the center of the table. On a player's turn, they take a trade tile from the center area and, paying a time cost for it. The time cost is spent by moving their ship along the path toward the next bazaar. After taking a trade tile, a player adds it to their tableau adjacent to previously taken tiles - activating the newly taken tile and previously taken tiles in their tableau according to the direction of the trade winds on their tile. Trade tiles allow players to earn new goods from the supply or trade goods they already have for more desirable goods. When a player's ship reaches a bazaar, they may sell any number of the goods they have in their ship (to marketplaces with fluctuating values that vary from game to game). When all players have reached a bazaar, the trade tiles in the center are cleared and a new grid of trade tiles created. When all players have reached the third bazaar, the game ends and the player with the most gold from selling their goods wins!
Designers
Publishers
- Grey Fox Games
Questions and answers
Bazaars of Ubar supports 2–4 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 Bazaars of Ubar is 45–75 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 Bazaars of Ubar 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.
Bazaars of Ubar has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Bazaars of Ubar belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Economic, and Arabian. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Square Grid, and Turn Order: Time Track. 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 Bazaars of Ubar are: Tim Armstrong (II). 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 Bazaars of Ubar 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.