- BGG rating
- 7.0
Die Zwerge: Albae Expansion
- 2–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,676
- BGG rating
- 6.8
The Dwarves
2012
Rules assistance for The Dwarves
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Dwarves
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Dwarves is a board game released in 2012 for 2–5 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Michael Palm and Lukas Zach and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Cooperative Game.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.2
The Dwarves: Combined Might
- 2–5 players
- 75 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2013
- BGG rating
- 7.1
The Dwarves: The Saga Expansion
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2015
- BGG rating
- 6.8
The Dwarves: New Heroes Expansion
- 2–5 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rating
- 7.0
The Dwarves: The Triumph of the Dwarves
- 2–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 2016
- BGG rating
- 8.3
The Dwarves: Djerun Character Pack
- 2021
- BGG rating
- 7.7
The Dwarves: Goimgar Character Pack
- 2–5 players
- 2021
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About the game
Based on the first novel of the Die Zwerge tetralogy [Eng. The Dwarves] by author Markus Heitz, the goal of the cooperative game Die Zwerge is to keep evil from flooding Girdlegard. During set-up, players choose one of the dwarves from the novel, each of which is equipped with a unique special ability and different stats for fighting, crafting, and movement. Before each player's turn, the forces of evil usually break through one of the four big gates – which are guarded by different dwarven tribes – and further the spread of the Perished Land. On his turn a player spends two action points to use two of five actions. He can: Fight against the advancing enemies (orcs, trolls, and älfar [Ger. albae], i.e. dark elves). Travel to other locations. Lobby the dwarven council to give advantages to all players – and without the favor of the dwarven council, everyone suffers disadvantages. Solve a minor quest for rewards. Take on the current major quest, revealing the next major quest if successful. Completing these quests is the only way to win the game. For most of these actions, a player must succeed in a dice-driven challenge. If the players cannot control the flood of evil while simultaneously solving the major quests in time, they will lose. Collector's edition: additional: New box cover 5 hand painted dwarf miniatures 10 cards Albae expansion 60 page artbook 5 art prints of the dwarfs A3 poster "The smiting of Keenfire" stein with motive "Krasnolud" coaster "DIE ZWERGE" numbered COLLECTOR’S EDITION certificate.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Pegasus Spiele
Questions and answers
The Dwarves supports 2–5 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 The Dwarves is 60–90 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 Dwarves 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.
The Dwarves has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
The Dwarves belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Wargame, and Novel-based. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Cooperative Game. 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 Dwarves are: Michael Palm and Lukas Zach. 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 Dwarves 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.