
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,272
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Airship City
- 3–4 players
- 75–120 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2018

2017
Rules assistance for Lagerstätten
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Lagerstätten is a board game released in 2017 for 3–5 players, 75–120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Masaki Suga (須賀 正樹) and its main mechanics are Set Collection and Worker Placement.
"Lagerstätten" is the German word for veins of rock rich in fossils, and this term in Japanese is "化石鉱脈" (化石 Kaseki = fossil, 鉱脈 Koumyaku = vein). Lagerstätten, a.k.a. 化石鉱脈, is a worker placement game, themed on excavating fossils, collecting sets of fossil types, and managing your resources (money, fame). During the game, you send workers to action spaces so that they can: Dig to gain rock samples Prepare the samples to uncover the fossils Present a paper at an academic conference to gain fame Exhibit your fossil collection to gain income Sell your set to a collector (based on demand from request cards) to gain income Will you be successful in your career as a paleontologist? ••• 学術的に貴重な保存状態の良い化石を産出する「化石鉱脈」。 あなたは古生物学者となり 太古の生物の謎を解き明かし、研究資金を獲得するため 「化石鉱脈」の発掘調査に乗り出します。 化石の含まれた岩石を発掘し、多くの化石を復元しながら 収集家からの依頼に応えたり、博物館への展示を行うことで 研究資金の獲得を目指します。 また、学会での発表を通して名誉を得れば その後の発掘調査が行いやすくなるでしょう。 あなたは、古生物学者として大きな成功を収めることができるのでしょうか。
Lagerstätten supports 3–5 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 Lagerstätten is 75–120 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 Lagerstätten 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.
Lagerstätten has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
Lagerstätten belongs to these categories: Exploration and Prehistoric. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Worker Placement. 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 Lagerstätten are: Masaki Suga (須賀 正樹). 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 Lagerstätten 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.