- BGG rating
- 7.1
The Dutch East Indies: Adventures on the High Seas
- 1–4 players
- 45–90 min
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,938
- BGG rating
- 5.7
The Dutch East Indies
2017
Rules assistance for The Dutch East Indies
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 45–90 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.9/5
Rules assistant for The Dutch East Indies
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Dutch East Indies is a board game released in 2017 for 1–4 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Martin Looij and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Trading, and Grid Movement.
Expansions
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About the game
It is the 17th century in the East Indies. You are in charge of two ships, and you have a clear mission: Find valuable spices, and bring them back home — but there are a few catches. You have to bring these spices home before any other country does. There are pirates out there who will shoot your ships to smithereens when given the chance. And as for finding those spices, you and your competitors could just trade them with locals and bring them home — or you can battle and try to steal them from one another! The first player to bring home two copies of the four desirable spices wins The Dutch East Indies!
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Designers
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Questions and answers
The Dutch East Indies 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 Dutch East Indies is 45–90 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 The Dutch East Indies for ages 8 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 Dutch East Indies has a complexity rating of 1.9 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.
The Dutch East Indies belongs to these categories: Exploration, Nautical, and Pirates. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Trading, and Grid Movement. 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 Dutch East Indies are: Martin Looij. 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 Dutch East Indies 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.