
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,345
- BGG rating
- 5.3
Charades for Kids
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 1999

Rules assistance for The Last Straw
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Last Straw is a board game for 2–4 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 5 and up. It was designed by B. S. Randle and its main mechanics are Stacking and Balancing.
Bimbado, Packesel, or The Last Straw is an stick stacking game on top of a wooden animal. The elephant, donkey, or camel is placed in the middle of the play area and the game starts with each player receiving the sticks of own color. Each turn, players place 1 stick on the back of the animal. It is not necessary to stack it "on top" of the other sticks. When a player knocks sticks off of the animal, they all go to that players collection. The first player who stacks all of his or her sticks wins.
The Last Straw 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 Last Straw is 15 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 Straw 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 Last Straw has a complexity rating of 1.0 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 Straw belongs to these categories: Children's Game and Action / Dexterity. Its main mechanics are Stacking and Balancing. 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 Straw are: B. S. Randle. 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 Straw 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.