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Warlords: China in Disarray, 1916-1950
- 3–7 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 1986
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,170
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Shanghai Trader
1986
Rules assistance for Shanghai Trader
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 180–300 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.6/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Shanghai Trader
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Shanghai Trader is a board game released in 1986 for 3–6 players, 180–300 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Dave O'Connor, Steve Barnes (I), Peter Wyche, and Steve Utick and its main mechanics are Trading and Tile Placement.
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About the game
Shanghai Trader is a game of wheeling and dealing, vice and corruption set in Shanghai. As an adventurous trading baron, you must rip off the economy for as much as you dare and escape the city with the largest international bank account before civil disorder ends the game and your life. In making your fortune, you will have to establish a trading empire by hiring a number of different workers. However you always run the risk of being shanghai'ed to Old Chinatown, where all manner of skullduggery occurs. You will have to collude with other players, attend special events, or even resort to hiring the services of special contractors to... 'trouble' ...your rivals.
Mechanics
Publishers
- Hobby Japan
- Panther Games
Questions and answers
Shanghai Trader supports 3–6 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 Shanghai Trader is 180–300 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 Shanghai Trader 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.
Shanghai Trader has a complexity rating of 2.6 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.
Shanghai Trader belongs to these categories: Economic and Political. Its main mechanics are Trading and Tile 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 Shanghai Trader are: Dave O'Connor, Steve Barnes (I), Peter Wyche, and Steve Utick. 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 Shanghai Trader 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.