
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,452
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Multinational
- 2–6 players
- Complexity 2.6/5

1962
Rules assistance for Squatter
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Squatter is a board game released in 1962 for 2–6 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Robert C. Lloyd and its main mechanics are Trading, Roll / Spin and Move, and Commodity Speculation.
"The Australian Wool Game" In Squatter, 2 to 6 Players play as Australian sheep farmers (known colloquially as Squatters) as they work to become the most successful farmer. Each player starts with a sheep station, consisting of 5 Natural Pasture paddocks, fully stocked with 3 'pens' of sheep per paddock. Throughout the game players will earn money by buying and selling their sheep as well as from selling wool once per 'year' (circulation of the board) at the 'Wool sale' space. Players will spend this money to Improve and Irrigate their pastures. As players make their way around the board they will encounter many challenges and face the tribulations of Australian farmers including treating Foot Rot, being injured by a tractor and most devastating of all, droughts. The game ends once one player has Irrigated all of their pastures and stocked each of them with 6 pens of sheep, 30 pens in total, becoming the most successful farmer and winning the game. The game has no player elimination element and everyone stays in the game until the end. Squatter is a quintessential Australian game, becoming an icon of Australian culture and a staple in many Australian homes since it's release at the Royal Melbourne Show in 1962 on the Australian Wool Bureau stand. Squatter has sold over 500,000 copies and is the most successful board game ever developed in Australia.
Squatter 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 Squatter is 90 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 Squatter 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.
Squatter 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.
Squatter belongs to these categories: Animals, Economic, and Farming. Its main mechanics are Trading, Roll / Spin and Move, 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 Squatter are: Robert C. Lloyd. 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 Squatter 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.