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Ur: 1830 BC
2001
Rules assistance for Ur: 1830 BC
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 180 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.9/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Ur: 1830 BC
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ur: 1830 BC is a board game released in 2001 for 3–6 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jeroen Doumen and Joris Wiersinga and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding and Tile Placement.
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About the game
This game isn't a true 18xx game, in the sense that it's officially sanctioned by Francis Tresham. However, it shares a good number of characteristics with the 18xx series of games, while still being different enough to be a different game. The game is about diverting water from rivers into irrigation channels and supplying the life-giving water to sections of land. In 18xx, there are private companies; in Ur, there are independent nations. In 18xx, there are companies with shareholders and a majority-controlling president; in Ur, there are countries with landowners and a majority-controlling King. Once a Kingdom has enough land purchased in it, it begins to build water infrastructure in the form of reservoirs and pumps. These structures draw the water away from the rivers into irrigation channels which are drawn straight on the board. Like 18xx, the technology increases as the game progresses, making channel diggers obsolete and bringing out more efficient waterworks. When a section of land is irrigated, the owner earns a small degree income and the kingdom it's located in earns a much larger income, which can then be given to the landowners or kept in the Kingdom's coffers for future upgrades. The game is finally over when all the incoming water is used, forcing the southern tribes to invade, or a kingdom cannot fulfill its obligation to buy more ditch-diggers and falls into revolution. The player with the largest personal holdings (land and money) is the victor.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Splotter Spellen
- All-Aboard Games
Questions and answers
Ur: 1830 BC 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 Ur: 1830 BC is 180 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 Ur: 1830 BC for ages 14 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.
Ur: 1830 BC has a complexity rating of 3.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Ur: 1830 BC belongs to these categories: Ancient and Civilization. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding and Tile Placement. 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 Ur: 1830 BC are: Jeroen Doumen and Joris Wiersinga. 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 Ur: 1830 BC 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.