AGRICOLA

Agricola, by Lookout Spiele, is one of Uwe Rosenberg’s most popular titles. Not only has it stood the test of time, but Agricola has gone on to define Rosenberg as one of the biggest names in modern strategy board games. In Agricola, 2-4 players compete to build and run the best farm. (It also provides a solo mode.) It’s a medium-weight Euro-style game, with the aim being to score the most victory points over 14 rounds.

First-come, first-served worker placement lies at the heart of Agricola. You start with two farmer workers who can visit various locations. At the start of each round, some of these spots gain extra resources, making them more appealing. If no one visits them, these piles of wood, crops, or animals accumulate. They soon become all the more appealing! You might start the round with a certain plan… but how can you turn down that many free sheep? Each player has their own farm player mat. It’s a grid of squares, and you need to try and fill it. Will you plough fields to grow veggies? Will you extend your farmhouse – and with it, your family of farmers? Will you build fences to keep livestock? There’s a million-and-one different strategies in Agricola!

There’s quite a few plates to spin, as it were. Your options grow as the game progresses. At the start of each new round, a new worker placement card gets revealed. At regular intervals, you need to provide food to feed your workers. Your animals also breed – but only if you have space to accommodate them. Many categories get scored at the end, and if you ignore them you can score dreaded minus points… You also start the game with a hand of Occupation and Minor Improvement cards. If you can afford them, these assist you in an engine-building fashion, offering an infinite modular experience.

Agricola is the kind of fascinating game that never plays the same way twice!