- BGG rank
- BGG #1,228
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Botswana
- 2–5 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 1994
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,919
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Ferkelei
1995
Rules assistance for Ferkelei
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Ferkelei
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ferkelei is a board game released in 1995 for 2–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Commodity Speculation, and Stock Holding.
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About the game
Players do essentially two things in Ferkelei: Shift their portfolios of stock in show pigs, and play cards to award prize money to pigs (or cause them to lose money or not to win). Many stock-based games have these features, but this game has a significant bandwagon effect. As one color of pig became active, many players would accumulate its stock, and the stockholders would naturally do things that helped each other, without forming explicit alliances. Then the color would play out, or other players would quash it or play the negative pig, and the game would move on to another color. The effect is like successive waves of popularity being washed out or dashed. More about the mechanics for those who are interested: On each turn, the player may exchange one stock chip for another or buy one. (At the start, nobody has cash to buy, so they only have their initial two chips available for exchange.) Then the player plays as many cards of one color as they like (from zero to five, except zero is not allowed if one has five or the draw pile is empty). Playing the cards can cover up competing pigs and/or bring one's favored pig to the fore, awarding it prizes depending on how far it has reached and how many times it appears on the board. Re-implemented by: Merchants, with a number of changes
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Schmidt Spiele
Questions and answers
Ferkelei 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 Ferkelei 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 Ferkelei 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.
Ferkelei has a complexity rating of 1.7 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.
Ferkelei belongs to these categories: Animals. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Commodity Speculation, 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 Ferkelei are: Reiner Knizia. 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 Ferkelei 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.