
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,295
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Municipium
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2008

Rules assistance for Rum Rebellion
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Rum Rebellion is a board game released in 1983 for 2–6 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Point to Point Movement.
Rum Rebellion - A Colonial Adventure Players move around the board and up the three levels - Convicts transported to Australia, Merchants and Rum Corps members in good standing - to reach the top and be declared Acting Governor or the Colony. There are three levels to the game: Convict Level - Goal is to get a minimum of 6 barrels of rum to purchase a Ticket of Leave and move up to the next level. Player must serve a non-parole period of one full rotation around the board. Along the way he's paid in rum barrels for Good Deeds or by stealing them by committing various crimes. Get caught and risk being sent to gaol. Ticket of Leave Level- Once six barrels have been saved, and the full rotation of the board has been achieved, Convicts can purchase a Ticket of Leave card giving that player one of six occupations. Players move around the Ticket of Leave level. Players now endeavor to collect 15 barrels of rum. Rum Corps Level- Once 15 barrels have been saved, the player moves up to the Rum Corps level, exchanges his convict playing piece for a Rum Corps playing piece and move around the board attempting to win or purchase Vote Cards. (players still collect rum barrels from those players still in the Ticket of Leave level). Vote cards may be purchased outright with barrels of rum. Once 55 votes have been collected, the player attempts a Coup and takes a Win/Lose card. Lose: player loses all 55 of his vote cards Win: player is declared Acting Governor and wins the game.
Rum Rebellion supports 2–6 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 Rum Rebellion is 60 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 Rum Rebellion 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.
Rum Rebellion 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.
Rum Rebellion belongs to these categories: Economic and Political. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Point to Point Movement. 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 catalogue lists Rum Rebellion 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.