- BGG rank
- BGG #2,688
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Pastiche
- 2–4 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #17,423
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Robots on the Line
2015
Rules assistance for Robots on the Line
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Robots on the Line
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Robots on the Line is a board game released in 2015 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Phil Hunter and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Trading, and Pattern Building.
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About the game
You're one of the lucky robot factory workers invited to an exclusive event. Your job? Picking refurbished or out-of-date parts to build robots that meet eager buyers' requirements. Sell your completed robots to earn points and achieve certain bonuses to earn even more points — but hurry because other players may be building a robot to sell to the same buyer first. Can you outsmart your opponents and assemble a four-wheeler robot with two heads, or a robot with six eyes and four hands before they do? In Robots on the Line, robot parts move down two conveyor belts. Players take turns pulling robot parts (heads, bases, arms, hands, batteries, antennas and magnets). Not all robot parts can be taken, however. The line you're pulling from must be switched to ON. Robot parts that aren't taken will be discarded onto the junk pile. Players can pay a dollar to go through the junk pile or they can pay a dollar to turn ON/OFF switches. As players take robot parts, they build robots in front of them. Players can build up to four robots in a game. Trading is always allowed. To finish a robot it must have a torso, a head, and a base with all other segments off the torso ended with the other parts. While you're building, you'll want to look to the buyers to meet their requirements. A requirement might be a robot with four eyes, or a robot that has no wheels, or a robot with three hands. If you meet a buyer's requirement, you sell it for money. If you meet the bonuses, like medical, war, or cleaning, you get even more money. The game ends when all tiles are off the line or when a player has built 3 robots. The player with the most money wins.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
Questions and answers
Robots on the Line 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 Robots on the Line is 45 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 Robots on the Line 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.
Robots on the Line has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Robots on the Line belongs to these categories: Industry / Manufacturing. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Trading, and Pattern 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 Robots on the Line are: Phil Hunter. 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 Robots on the Line 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.