
- BGG rank
- BGG #20,009
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Hit the Throttle!
- 2–5 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2010

2008
Rules assistance for The Garlic Vampires
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Garlic Vampires is a board game released in 2008 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 5 and up. It was designed by Wolfgang Dirscherl and its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Secret Unit Deployment.
From the rules: "Creepy things are happening at Eerie Castle! The distinguished Count Gregorius of Eerie Castle has invited the little vampires to a big feast and is serving lush cherry tomatoes with freshly squeezed juice from blood oranges. However the garlic vampires miss their very favorite garlic dish. They are the only vampires in the whole world who like garlic more than anything else! How on earth could the Count of Eerie Castle have forgotten the garlic?! Each player is secretly assigned a vampire. On the way to the castle the vampires have to think carefully about how to move in order to avoid receiving tomatoes (=minus points) rather than their beloved garlic (=plus points). As the vampires don't know which color belongs to whom things can get quite thrilling on the way. The aim of the game is to have collected the most garlic thus having the most points."
The Garlic Vampires supports 2–4 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 Garlic Vampires is 20 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 Garlic Vampires for ages 5 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 Garlic Vampires 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.
The Garlic Vampires belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Children's Game, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Secret Unit Deployment. 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 Garlic Vampires are: Wolfgang Dirscherl. 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 Garlic Vampires 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.