- BGG rank
- BGG #5,035
- BGG rating
- 6.2
504
- 2–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,064
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Material World
1995
Rules assistance for Material World
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 240 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Material World
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Material World is a board game released in 1995 for 2–5 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Kent Mitchell and Alexis Papahadjopoulos and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Area Movement, and Dice Rolling.
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About the game
A game of building caravan/shipping routes to new territories to acquire resources and carefully using them to increase the level of civilization while avoiding or defeating the armed forces of the opponent. The map covers the entire world and the five possible powers are Britain, Germany, France, Russia and the Ottoman Empire.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Strange Magic Games
Questions and answers
Material World 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 Material World is 240 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 Material World 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.
Material World has a complexity rating of 2.9 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.
Material World belongs to these categories: Economic, Wargame, and Transportation. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Area Movement, and Dice Rolling. 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 Material World are: Kent Mitchell and Alexis Papahadjopoulos. 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 Material World 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.