- BGG rank
- BGG #4,701
- BGG rating
- 6.8
The Ruhr: A Story of Coal Trade
- 2–4 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,170
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890
2012
Rules assistance for Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890 is a board game released in 2012 for 2–4 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Thomas Spitzer and its main mechanics are Pick-up and Deliver and Worker Placement.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,569
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Bier Pioniere
- 2–4 players
- 75–100 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,895
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Kohle & Kolonie
- 3–5 players
- 150–180 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,324
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Yinzi
- 2–4 players
- 100–180 min
- Complexity 4.2/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,012
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Panamax
- 2–4 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,967
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Haspelknecht: The Story of Early Coal Mining
- 2–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,621
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Import / Export
- 2–6 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,747
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Import / Export: Definitive Edition
- 2–6 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,057
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Container
- 3–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,210
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Container: 10th Anniversary Jumbo Edition!
- 3–5 players
- 75–90 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #912
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Coal Baron
- 2–4 players
- 60–75 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,776
- BGG rating
- 7.1
The Transcontinental
- 1–4 players
- 75–150 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2022
About the game
Until the second half of the 18th century, most people thought that larger barges could not navigate the Ruhr River. However, the convenient route meant that attempts were conducted to transport the coveted coal resource along the river at the beginning of the industrial revolution. The first coal barges reached Kettwig in spring 1770. A little while later, barges reached the Rhine mouth at Ruhrort. The empty barges were drawn upstream by horses afterwards. However, the Ruhr was not generally navigable in this time. Large dams at mills and low dams for fishing were common. At these spots the coal had to be transferred from one barge to the next. This decreased the quality of the coal considerably – sometimes only "coal dust" reached Ruhrort. Only the building of 14 locks between Witten and Ruhrort changed this. The Ruhr remained an important route for coal until the end of the 19th century. At that time the railway superseded it. In Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890, 2-4 players transport and sell coal along the Ruhr river in Germany as profitably as possible. Progress markers are helping them. The position of each player's Ruhr barge is most important; the player furthest upriver is allowed to conduct his action first in each phase of a game turn.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Spielworxx
Questions and answers
Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890 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 Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890 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 Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890 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.
Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890 has a complexity rating of 3.5 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.
Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890 belongs to these categories: Economic, Nautical, and Industry / Manufacturing. Its main mechanics are Pick-up and Deliver and Worker Placement. 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 Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890 are: Thomas Spitzer. 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 Ruhrschifffahrt 1769-1890 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.