- BGG rating
- 7.6
Merchant of Venus: The Variant Mini Expansion
- 1–6 players
- 180 min
- 1990
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,693
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Merchant of Venus
1988
Rules assistance for Merchant of Venus
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–6 players
- 180 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.8/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Merchant of Venus
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Merchant of Venus is a board game released in 1988 for 1–6 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Richard Hamblen and its main mechanics are Trading, Roll / Spin and Move, and Dice Rolling.
Expansions
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About the game
Merchant of Venus makes players take on the roles of space traders chasing wealth and fortune. Each player moves their ship through interconnected systems on a fixed map, discovering new alien worlds to trade with. As players start to make money delivering commodities, their earnings can be used to purchase equipment and construct their own infrastructure. The player who first acquires enough total value in cash and port/factory deeds wins the game. The game uses a basic roll-and-move mechanism for movement, but modifies it with engine ship upgrades that let the players skip certain spaces during movement. When players reach cities and spaceports, they can buy and sell commodities. Different species are randomly distributed throughout the universe at the start of the game, and players will only uncover which species lives where through exploration in the course of the game - the layout of which species lives where works to offset the rigidity of the fixed map by making different routes through the map profitable each game. The prices a player receives for selling their cargo is determined by the species that lives in the system, and what commodities a port offers for purchase is determined by a unique and dynamic supply-and-demand mechanism. With their money, players can replace their spaceships with better models, or build factories (which create better commodities) and spaceports (which speed up trading). They can also buy upgrades for their ships (like shields, lasers, or engines). Variations included in the rulebook allow for interplayer combat and solo play, and the exact target wealth players have to acquire in order to win is decided on before each play.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- The Avalon Hill Game Co
Questions and answers
Merchant of Venus supports 1–6 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 Merchant of Venus is 180 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 Merchant of Venus 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.
Merchant of Venus 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.
Merchant of Venus belongs to these categories: Economic, Exploration, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Trading, Roll / Spin and Move, 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 Merchant of Venus are: Richard Hamblen. 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 Merchant of Venus 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.