
- BGG rank
- BGG #655
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Jamaica
- 2–6 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2007

2011
Rules assistance for Burdigala
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Burdigala is a board game released in 2011 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Bruno Cathala and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Roll / Spin and Move, and Dice Rolling.
Burdigala is the Roman name for the city of Bordeaux. The game is about the growth of the city during the Roman times. The board shows a map of the city, with various building sites and streets. At the beginning of the game, a tile is placed on each building site. Each tile shows a building and the reward for completing that building. On the back, it shows the amount of cubes needed to complete the building (2-5). The tiles are placed facedown, so that it is unknown which building is where. Each turn, a player rolls two dice, picks one and moves his architect as many spaces along the streets as the die shows. Then, he adds a cube to a building site adjacent to his architect's current location. For this, he will receive a reward: - If the building is not yet completed, he scores one point for each cube that is still needed to complete it. - If the building is completed, the tile is flipped, and the player gains the reward shown on the tile. In addition, if the building is completed, any other nearby architects will receive an Intrigue card that will give them some benefit. Certain combinations on the dice (rolling seven or rolling doubles) allow the player to take a Corruption token (worth -5 to 0 points) to gain a specific benefit, such as a reroll or a double building action. When there is no more building to be done, the player with the most points wins the game. Languages : English, French, German, Italian, Spanish.
Burdigala 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 Burdigala is 45 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 Burdigala for ages 8 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.
Burdigala has a complexity rating of 1.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Burdigala belongs to these categories: Ancient and City Building. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Roll / Spin and Move, and Dice Rolling. 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 Burdigala are: Bruno Cathala. 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 Burdigala 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.