- BGG rank
- BGG #5,578
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Locomotive Werks
- 3–5 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2002
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,042
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Robber Barons
2005
Rules assistance for Robber Barons
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Robber Barons
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Robber Barons is a board game released in 2005 for 3–5 players and 90 minutes per game. It was designed by Dieter Danziger and its main mechanics are Network and Route Building.
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About the game
Robber Barons was the only full game from the 2005 Winsome Games set (it also included some Age of Steam maps). It is the 4th game designed by Dieter Danziger and published by Winsome, after Transsib, Union vs Central and Lokomotive Werks. The game is played in segments with 3 rounds per segment. At the beginning of each segment, 1 route card per player is turned face up. During each round players may either take one route card or place two cubes. Turn order is reset for each round, with the player with fewest VPs going first. Players accumulate VPs according to the size of their railroad network(s) and by playing their route cards. The game ends at the end of a segment where one of the players has accumulated at least 100 VPs. Robber Barons has some luck, with timing of route card plays being the most important factor, followed closely by strategic railroad building. The game includes two maps and route card decks, allowing the game to be played on US or a German setting.
Questions and answers
Robber Barons supports 3–5 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 Robber Barons is 90 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.
Robber Barons has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Robber Barons belongs to these categories: Trains. Its main mechanics are 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 Robber Barons are: Dieter Danziger. 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 Robber Barons 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.