- BGG rank
- BGG #3,732
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Hats
- 2–4 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,641
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Merchants of Dunhuang
2020
Rules assistance for Merchants of Dunhuang
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 20–35 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Merchants of Dunhuang
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Merchants of Dunhuang is a board game released in 2020 for 2–4 players, 20–35 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Gabriele Bubola and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Modular Board.
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About the game
Dunhuang was a major transit point on the Great Silk Road. Caravans loaded with spice, silk, jewels and gold cross the city, a city that never sleeps. In the middle of this organized chaos, rich and powerful merchants are gathering supplies and goods to sell them and increase their influence. You are one of them. With the help of the local people of Dunhuang, you’ll try and become the most prestigious merchant of the city. But you’re not alone in this business… To begin the play, set up eight character tiles on the table, all of which have different skills. The character tiles are double-sided with different characters on each side, so 16 characters in total for the huge amount of combinations. Goods cards have a value from 1 to 10, with only one card with value 1 and ten cards with value 10. On your turn: Move the "camel" on the current character tile to the next tile. If you want to move more, pay coins to move further. Pick up the goods card on the tile to add it to your shop (in front of you) or your warehouse (your hand). Use the character skill on the tile or collect three coins. Depending on the the number of goods in your shop, you can take the corresponding majority token. The game ends either: (1) When no more cards are in the deck, at which point a majority token is worth 1 victory point, and the majority of each goods in their warehouse(hands) is worth points equal to the goods' value, or (2) When any player has four different goods in hand and has collected four majority tokens, at which point they win the game immediately. —description from publisher
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Hobby World
- Mandoo Games
- Magellan
- Board Game Rookie
- Arrakis Games
- Blackrock Games
- HANALL M&C
Questions and answers
Merchants of Dunhuang 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 Merchants of Dunhuang is 20–35 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 Merchants of Dunhuang for ages 8 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.
Merchants of Dunhuang has a complexity rating of 1.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Merchants of Dunhuang belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Modular Board. 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 Merchants of Dunhuang are: Gabriele Bubola. 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 Merchants of Dunhuang 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.