- BGG rank
- BGG #1,927
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road
2013
Rules assistance for Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road is a board game released in 2013 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Gerhard Hecht and its main mechanics are Race, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, and Contracts.
About the game
In Kashgar: Händler der Seidenstraße, the players trade different spices that are coming over the silk road from Asia to Europe. Each player has control over three caravans. In the beginning, each caravan consists of three cards that are spread out vertically so that the top part of each card is visible; each card stands for a caravan member with different abilities. On their turn, a player performs only one action, choosing one of the cards on top of the three families and executing one action shown on that card. Then the card is put at the back of its caravan. To use the same caravan member again, a player must first use all the other cards on top of that caravan row. These actions can influence the player's stock of spice, gold and mules. To keep track of that stock, each player has their own board with wooden markers that are moved accordingly. Actions can also bring new members to the caravans and can enable the player to fulfill one of four delivery request cards from the middle of the table. Finally, there are actions that mix things up a bit, such as by getting rid of a caravan member or even influencing other players' caravans. The game ends when one player has earned 25 points by collecting character cards and fulfilling delivery request cards. The core mechanism of Kashgar could be called "open deck-building". The game plays quickly with little downtime. After having learned the different actions of the cards, players can start trying out different strategies and combinations of caravan members, caravan sizes, etc.
Designers
Publishers
- KOSMOS
- Grail Games
Questions and answers
Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road 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 Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road 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 Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road 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.
Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road 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.
Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road belongs to these categories: Card Game and Economic. Its main mechanics are Race, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, and Contracts. 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 Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road are: Gerhard Hecht. 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 Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road 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.