
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Namibia Uranium Expansion
- 3–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2010

2010
Rules assistance for Namibia
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.
Namibia is a board game released in 2010 for 3–4 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Brian Robson and its main mechanics are Player Elimination, Auction / Bidding, and Network and Route Building.
In Namibia, players represent mining corporations who are looking to mine commodities - diamonds, gold, silver and copper - and attempt to transport them to ports to sell at the highest possible price. In order to achieve their aims, players have to bribe (via an auction) colonial government officials who control access to the interior and to the ports. 1884: First sources of various commodities have been discovered: gold, silver, copper and diamonds as well. The colonial government has issued concessions to enterprises which shall build up the necessary infrastructure to deliver the commodities and transport them to the coast. Who will place their rigs in the right place? Who will be able to sell the commodities for the highest price? The game board shows a map of Namibia with a hex grid. Access to the interior allows a player to develop the country’s rail infrastructure which is required to move commodities to ports in order to sell and make money. And money buys reputation, which gets more expensive to acquire as the game goes on. Players also need to construct and complete their mines and prospect for ore. However, too much bribery leads to a decrease in reputation which affects a player’s position at the end of the game, but limited access to the transport and shipping infrastructure will seriously impact a player’s ability to make money. Selecting the right time to ship and sell is the key, because the market can be manipulated by other players. The winner will be the player who can make loads of money while keeping a good market reputation. The player with the highest reputation wins. This is the second game of the "Edition Bohrtürme" (after 'Schwarzes Gold') that uses the game pieces of 'Giganten' (Kosmos). It is the winning titles in the categorie "more complex games".
Namibia supports 3–4 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 Namibia is 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 Namibia 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.
Namibia has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Namibia belongs to these categories: Economic, Trains, and Transportation. Its main mechanics are Player Elimination, Auction / Bidding, and Network and Route Building. 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 Namibia are: Brian Robson. 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 Namibia 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.