
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,771
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Bullfrog Goldfield
- 2–5 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2011

2010
Rules assistance for The Last of the Independents
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 Last of the Independents is a board game released in 2010 for 3–6 players, 90–120 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Patrick Stevens and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Area Majority / Influence.
Ever wonder what happened to Studebakers, Packards, Ramblers, and all the rest of the “orphan” brands? Last of the Independents is a Euro-styled resource management game that simulates the building, engineering, and promotion of cars by the smaller independent American automobile companies in the post-WWII era. It depicts some of the difficult challenges executives faced as they vied against each other and the “Big Three.” Design, engineer, and advertise your way to commercial success in the wide-open car market of the Golden Age of automobiles.
The Last of the Independents supports 3–6 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 The Last of the Independents is 90–120 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 Last of the Independents 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 Last of the Independents has a complexity rating of 1.7 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 Last of the Independents belongs to these categories: Card Game, Economic, and Industry / Manufacturing. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Last of the Independents are: Patrick Stevens. 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 Last of the Independents 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.