Merchant of Venus

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Merchant of Venus

Players	1–6
Age range	12 and up
Setup time	15 minutes
Playing time	2–6 hours
Random chance	Medium
Skills required	Dice rolling, Counting, Social skills

Merchant of Venus is a board game, published in 1988 by Avalon Hill, set in an unexplored part of the galaxy during a reawakening of galactic civilisation. Players move around the board as traders discovering long forgotten pockets of civilisation and buying and selling goods. The name is a pun on the Shakespeare play Merchant of Venice.

[edit] Aim

The aim of the game is to acquire a set amount of wealth ($1000, $2000, $3000 or $4000). The first player to hold the required amount in cash and deeds is declared the winner.

[edit] Strategy

The length of the game impacts on the strategy. In short games well developed trade routes will not develop whereas in longer games extensive trade routes will develop.