Agricola (2007)

How to Play Agricola

Set up the Game

Agricola set up is going to vary a little depending on the number of players with additional spaces that can be used by workers for two, three, four and five players, the more players the more possible actions. Other than this set-up is always the same:

1. Set-up the three main game boards, and place Action Cards on these boards according to the number of players, and Round Cards for each Stage of play randomly and face down in associated Round. There will be four in Stage one, three in Stage two and so on.
2. Place the major improvement board next to the main boards and place the Major Improvement cards on it.
3. Sort the Occupation cards according to the number of players, shuffle and deal seven face down to each player.
4. Shuffle the Minor Improvement cards and deal eight face down to each player.
5. Place the Begging cards face up near the board.
6. Give each player their set of coloured wooden tokens comprising of five family member discs, four stables and 15 fences. Give each player a farmyard board on which they place two wood house rooms in the indicated spaces and one worker disc in each of those rooms.
7. Decide who is going to be first player. Then give that player the First Player Token and two Food tokens, and give each other player three Food tokens.
8. Give each player a game summary card.

Gameplay

Gameplay is actually very simple. Play is split into four phases in each round and after a set number of rounds there is the Harvest Phase. And after 14 rounds and a final Harvest the game ends with scoring.

• Phase One – Round start. Draw a new round card and turn it over.
• Phase Two – Replenish. Place resources on Actions and Action cards. Do remember that if resources have not been taken they still get replenished in subsequent rounds, and that resources such as “take on grain” do not need to be placed on Actions or Action Cards – these are simply taken from supply.
• Phase Three – Work phase. Beginning with the starting player, place a single family member on an Action or Action Card, and take the resources or action(s) associated with it. Remember that you can place only one family member on any Action or Action Card.
• Phase Four – Return home. Once all family members have been placed and actions taken, all family members then return to their home farm.

Repeat this process until the Harvest.

Harvest

After rounds four, seven, nine, 11, 13 and 14, the Harvest takes place. Harvest is split into three phases:

• Harvest Phase One – Field. Players remove one grain or vegetable token from each sown field in their farm containing these resources. Players may also receive additional food from occupation or minor improvement cards that have played.
• Harvest Phase Two – Feeding. Each player must feed each of their family members. The cost is two food per family member, with it reduced to one food for any family member who has not as yet taken an action, (having been born on rounds four, seven, six, 11, 13 or 14).  You can convert each unprocessed grain or vegetable to one food. Fireplaces, cooking hearths as well as some occupations and minor improvements allow players to convert resources to food at a better rate. A player who cannot or does not want to produce the required food must take 1 begging card for each missing food, and players may not give up family members.
• Harvest Phase Three – Breeding. Any player with at least two animals of any kind in their farm at this point receives exactly one addition animal of that type but only if that additional animal can be accommodated.

Agricola Review

I was disappointed not to be able to get my hands on a copy of the full Agricola and bought the family edition feeling it was going to be too simple for my board-game-loving family, but I was really nicely surprised! The game has plenty of complexity without being complicated to play. I think that the suggestion that it takes 45 minutes to play is an underestimate. All of the times we have played so far have taken just over an hour, but it’s an hour of good fun. I’m really happy with my purchase.

Jen A, board-game.co.uk

Agricola is a fascinating design of grueling trade-offs. Players have to manage their limited actions and resources and use these to build something great. Agricola is a heavy game with lots of rules (although the rules make thematic sense and become second nature quickly), so it’s not for the faint of heart.

I like meaty games, and I’m not always in the mood for Agricola. But when I’m in the mood for a heavy worker placement/resource conversion Euro, it doesn’t get much better than this. Just make sure you’re ready to work hard, and you’ll reap the rewards from each play.

FarmerLenny, islaythedragon.com

The content of this article is originally from Board Game Geek and board-game.co.uk. For more information and a better understanding of the game, you can watch the videos below.