Bootleggers
- Players
- 3-6
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 6 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 14+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.6 / 5
- Year
- 2004
About the game
Bootleggers is a negotiation-heavy economic game set during 1920s Prohibition, where three to six players run bootlegging operations, building stills, shipping hooch, and paying off the law. Players draft actions simultaneously and then trade goods and favors face-to-face in a lively, unstructured negotiation phase. Success depends as much on deal-making and reading opponents as on managing production and distribution. A full game runs about 90 minutes, though the heavy negotiation can stretch sessions out for talkative groups.
Hobbli's Notes
This is a game that lives or dies by the table's willingness to haggle, threaten, and bluff: when a group leans into the negotiation, Bootleggers can be a riot of dealmaking and betrayal. The Prohibition theme comes through strongly in the mechanics, from bribing cops to running underground speakeasies. The downtime rating is quite high, which reflects how much of the game happens in open, simultaneous negotiation rather than strict turns. It's best suited to groups that already enjoy negotiation games like Chinatown or Republic of Rome.
What we like
- Rich, freeform negotiation creates memorable table dynamics.
- Strong 1920s Prohibition theme throughout.
- Simultaneous trading phase keeps everyone involved at once.
- Rewards cunning deal-making and alliances.
Keep in mind
- High downtime can make turns feel slow for non-negotiators.
- Negotiation-heavy design can be tough for shy players.
- Long for its complexity level.
Who it's for
Best for social, talkative groups who enjoy negotiation and economic games, in parties of three to six.
