
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Saltlands: Lost in the Desert Expansion
- 1–6 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2016

2016
Rules assistance for Saltlands
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Saltlands is a board game released in 2016 for 1–6 players, 90–120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Gergely Kruppa, András Drozdy, and Gombos Gergely and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Grid Movement, and Modular Board.
The Earth has dried out and civilization with it. Some of the survivors have managed to eke out a living on the Saltlands: plains left behind by a once great ocean. Adapting to their environment they use land sails with wheels on these flats. But the Apocalypse is not done with the Saltlands, from the west a storm of raiders, a terrifying Horde on gas guzzling machines approaches in search of their lost God. Only those among the first to escape have a chance! In Saltlands, the first group of players to find and reach an exit point wins, leaving the rest to the Horde. There are no fixed teams, players can decide to co-operate or backstab each other as they see fit. Each player starts the game with a single captain but may increase his crew as the game progresses. Each crew member represents an extra life and an action each turn. Players move with their land sails according to the wind direction: being able to criss-cross slowly upwind or speed in the fastest direction, sailing on a broad reach. Each player can choose which group of raiders to move at the end of their turn until all raiders have moved. This allows players to help each other or force confrontation with the raiders. Players can fight the raiders and take their vehicles as an alternate mode of transport.
Saltlands supports 1–6 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 Saltlands is 90–120 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 Saltlands 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.
Saltlands has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
Saltlands belongs to these categories: Fighting, Exploration, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Grid Movement, and Modular Board. 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 Saltlands are: Gergely Kruppa, András Drozdy, and Gombos Gergely. 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 Saltlands 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.