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Book of Dragons
- 1–8 players
- 15–60 min
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- 2018
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- 5.6
Old Men of the Forest
2011
Rules assistance for Old Men of the Forest
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–4 players
- 30 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.5/5
Rules assistant for Old Men of the Forest
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Old Men of the Forest is a board game released in 2011 for 3–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Martin Wallace and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Trick-taking.
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About the game
In Old Men of the Forest, players collect resources that enable them to rescue orangutans – but if you waste resources while doing so, you'll be punished at the end of the game. To set up, shuffle the fifty-card deck (cards in five suits, numbered 1-10 in each suit), then deal each player ten cards. Shuffle the 16-card orangutan deck, then lay out 4 or 5 cards face up, depending on the number of players; each orangutan shows one or more suit cards on it, and a player must possess matching cards to claim that orangutan. Each round, the lead player lays a card on the table, then each player follows, without regard for suit. Whoever played the highest card claims one card played by another player, then either places it on the table before her or uses it (possibly with cards collected earlier) to claim an orangutan. The player discards all cards needed to claim the orangutan, and tucks any remaining cards collected under that orangutan. Each player must claim one card, if possible, adding it to her collected cards or claiming an orangutan. Discard any unclaimed card. After all players are finished, lay out new orangutan cards (if needed), then play another round. Once players have played all ten cards in hand, the game ends. Each player sums the points on the orangutan cards she claimed, then loses one point for each excess card tucked or collected card still on the table. The player with the highest score wins. All profits from sales of Old Men of the Forest will be donated to the Orangutan Foundation UK.
Designers
Publishers
- Treefrog Games
Questions and answers
Old Men of the Forest 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 Old Men of the Forest is 30 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 Old Men of the Forest for ages 10 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.
Old Men of the Forest has a complexity rating of 1.5 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.
Old Men of the Forest belongs to these categories: Card Game and Animals. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Trick-taking. 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 Old Men of the Forest are: Martin Wallace. 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 Old Men of the Forest 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.