- BGG rating
- 6.5
Cowtown: Cattle Rustler Card
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #30,015
- BGG rating
- 4.8
Cowtown
2012
Rules assistance for Cowtown
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for Cowtown
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cowtown is a board game released in 2012 for 3–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Richard Borg and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Cowtown: Cowtastrophe Card
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2012
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About the game
In the card game Cowtown, you want to move cows into the right herds so that you can score points and empty your hand. At the start of each round, each player receives a hand of six cards, then four more cards are placed face-up on the table; the deck includes cards in four colors, numbered 1-10 twice, along with two "Cowtown" cards of each color. Cowtown cards are always played on the table immediately in order to give the little dogies a place to settle. On a turn, you play a card from your hand onto a stack on the table. The card you play must be one higher than the top card on a stack. (Cowtown cards are effectively numbered 0.) If you can play multiple cards in numerical order – a Horn-to-Tail Sequence – you can do so; in addition (or alternatively) you can play multiple cards with the same number – a Stampede – onto different stacks when those stacks have the same lower number. Playing a three-card Horn-to-Tail Sequence or a Stampede is worth 1 "scorecow". Whenever you play a card of matching color onto a stack, you're safe, but if you play at least one card of a different color – a bullish play – then you must draw and discard the top card of the deck. If that card shows a red bull's eye, then you've been kicked and must draw a card. Lay a 10 on a stack and you close that barn, getting to take another turn or pass one of your cards to another player. The round ends as soon as one player is out of cards or the deck runs out. The player with the fewest cards earns 4 scorecows, the player with the next fewest 2 scorecows, and everyone other than the player with the most cards earns 1 scorecow. After four rounds, whoever holds the most scorecows wins!
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Eagle-Gryphon Games
Questions and answers
Cowtown supports 3–6 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 Cowtown is 30 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 Cowtown for ages 7 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.
Cowtown has a complexity rating of 1.0 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.
Cowtown belongs to these categories: Card Game and Animals. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. 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 Cowtown are: Richard Borg. 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 Cowtown 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.