- BGG rating
- 7.3
In the Year of the Dragon: The Great Wall of China & The Super Events
- 2–5 players
- 75 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #522
- BGG rating
- 7.3
In the Year of the Dragon
2007
Rules assistance for In the Year of the Dragon
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 75–100 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for In the Year of the Dragon
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
In the Year of the Dragon is a board game released in 2007 for 2–5 players, 75–100 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Stefan Feld and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Variable Set-up, and Events.
Expansions
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About the game
Stefan Feld's 3rd game by Alea is In the Year of the Dragon. Players take on the role of Chinese rulers around the year 1000. The game plays out in twelve rounds, with each round representing one month in a year that seems to go from bad to worse. Disease, drought, and attacks from the Mongols may claim lives, but make sure you have enough money to offer a tribute to the Emperor. The game play is easier than it may appear. Every player has a set of "person" cards. Each round, you choose one action (most of which call on your workers' abilities) to help you prepare for the months ahead. Then you play one person card, recruiting that person and placing him into one of your palaces. Each person brings different skills and abilities to help you ride out the year. (Farmers help you gain rice to survive a drought month, Tax Collectors raise money, etc.) At the end of each round, that month's event is triggered, which may cost you some of your workers, some money, or give you points. Careful planning is the key to surviving "the year of the dragon," but survival alone may not win you the game.
Designers
Publishers
- Broadway Toys LTD
- Ravensburger AG
- alea
- Rio Grande Games
- Filosofia Éditions
Questions and answers
In the Year of the Dragon 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 In the Year of the Dragon is 75–100 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 In the Year of the Dragon 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.
In the Year of the Dragon has a complexity rating of 3.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
In the Year of the Dragon belongs to these categories: Economic and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Variable Set-up, and Events. 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 In the Year of the Dragon are: Stefan Feld. 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 In the Year of the Dragon 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.