- BGG rating
- 7.8
The Colonists: The Alliance of the Six Cities
- 1–4 players
- 30–90 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #760
- BGG rating
- 7.5
The Colonists
2016
Rules assistance for The Colonists
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 30–360 min
- 12+
- Complexity 4.1/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for The Colonists
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Colonists is a board game released in 2016 for 1–4 players, 30–360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Tim Puls and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Movement, and Tile Placement.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Die Kolonisten: Kaizo Kolonisten
- 1 player
- 30–120 min
- 2017
- BGG rating
- 7.3
The Colonists: Ante Portas
- 1–4 players
- 30–360 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2017
- BGG rating
- 8.2
The Colonists: The Imperial Post
- 1 player
- 180 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 2017
The Colonists: Feudal Lords
- 1–2 players
- 90–300 min
- 2019
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- 2023
About the game
Description from the publisher: In The Colonists, a.k.a. Die Kolonisten, each player is a mayor of a village and must develop their environment to gain room for new farmers, craftsmen, and citizens. The main goal of the game is full employment, so players must create new jobs, educate the people, and build new houses to increase their population. But resources are limited, and their storage leads to problems that players must deal with, while also not forgetting to upgrade their buildings. Players select actions by moving their mayor on a central board. The Colonists is designed in different levels and scenarios, and even includes something akin to a tutorial, with the playing time varying between 30 minutes (for beginners) and 180 minutes (experts). The Colonists FAQ
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Hobby Japan
- Mayfair Games
- Lookout Games
- Cranio Creations
Questions and answers
The Colonists supports 1–4 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 The Colonists is 30–360 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 The Colonists 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.
The Colonists has a complexity rating of 4.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
The Colonists belongs to these categories: Civilization. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Movement, 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 The Colonists are: Tim Puls. 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 The Colonists 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.