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Shipwrights of the North Sea
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Saqqara
2012
Rules assistance for Saqqara
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Saqqara
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Saqqara is a board game released in 2012 for 3–5 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Shem Phillips and its main mechanics are Trading, Auction / Bidding, and Commodity Speculation.
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About the game
Game description from the publisher: Welcome to Saqqara (Egypt), the date is about 2125 BC, just before the Heracleopolis revolt. Set in ancient Egypt in a time of chaos and revolts, Saqqara is a game with lots of bluffing, speculation and development for 3-5 players. The players assume the role of monarch in ancient Egypt and attempt to influence the country's government and economy. They send merchants to the market to collect goods to develop their province, recruit workers to build pyramids, and claim fertile land on the banks of the Nile. The player who succeeds in developing his province best by cunningly making use of the privileges of the pyramids and claiming a large area on the banks of the Nile wins the game and becomes Egypt's new leader. Watch out for beggars, thieves and sneaky bluffing monarchs from other provinces. They want the same as you: power over Egypt.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- White Goblin Games
Questions and answers
Saqqara 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 Saqqara 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 Saqqara 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.
Saqqara 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.
Saqqara belongs to these categories: Bluffing, Ancient, and Mythology. Its main mechanics are Trading, Auction / Bidding, and Commodity Speculation. 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 Saqqara are: Shem Phillips. 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 Saqqara 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.