
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,853
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Friese's Landlord
- 2–6 players
- 40 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2013

Rules assistance for Friesematenten: Die Schattenmänner
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Friesematenten: Die Schattenmänner is an expansion for Friesematenten released in 2011 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Friedemann Friese and its main mechanics are Take That, Race, and Auction / Bidding.
Friesematenten: Die Schattenmänner is an expansion for the basic Friesematenten game released by Amigo Spiele in 2010 and cannot be played on its own. "The Shadow Men" includes sixty new cards and forty wooden markers that allow for a variety of new actions. The markers come into play through the cards: Some cards come into play with markers, other cards produce markers during the production step, and some action cards can also introduce markers. The effect of the markers depends on the card on which they are played. Action cards with markers may be executed several times by discarding a marker instead of the card itself to pay for the action. Other cards may have their values (such as victory points or production) changed based on the number of markers on them.
Friesematenten: Die Schattenmänner 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 Friesematenten: Die Schattenmänner 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 Friesematenten: Die Schattenmänner 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.
Friesematenten: Die Schattenmänner has a complexity rating of 2.3 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.
Friesematenten: Die Schattenmänner belongs to these categories: Card Game, Humor, and Economic. Its main mechanics are Take That, Race, and 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 Friesematenten: Die Schattenmänner are: Friedemann Friese. 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 Friesematenten: Die Schattenmänner as an expansion for Friesematenten. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Friesematenten to use it. Check that your edition of Friesematenten is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.