Agricola

Overview

Set in 17th century Europe, players are farmers developing their homesteads. Over 14 rounds, players place family members as workers on action spaces to collect resources, build rooms, plow fields, plant crops, raise animals, and expand their families. Each action space can only be used once per round, creating competition for key actions. After rounds 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 14, harvests occur requiring players to feed their families. The player with the most points at the end wins.

Components

• 5 Farmyard boards (with example on reverse)
• 3 Game boards for actions (1 with Family game variant on reverse)
• 1 Major Improvements board (scoring summary on reverse)
• 360 Cards: 169 Occupation (yellow), 139 Minor Improvement (orange), 10 Major Improvement (red), 14 Round cards, 16 Action cards, 5 Begging cards, 5 Summary cards
• Wooden pieces per player: 5 family members, 4 stables, 15 fences
• Resources: 33 Wood, 27 Clay, 15 Reed, 18 Stone, 27 Grain, 18 Vegetable
• Animals: 21 Sheep (white), 18 Wild Boar (black), 15 Cattle (brown)
• 33 Field/Stone house tiles, 24 Wood/Clay hut tiles
• 36 Food markers, 9 Multiplication markers
• 1 Starting player token, 1 Scoring pad

Setup

1. Place the 3 game boards in the center. Reveal round cards 1-14 in order.
2. Each player takes a farmyard board, 2 family members (placed on the farmyard), fences, and stables.
3. Place resources and animals in the general supply.
4. Deal 7 Occupation cards and 7 Minor Improvement cards to each player (in the full game; skip in Family game).
5. Place Major Improvement cards on the Major Improvements board.
6. Starting player takes the starting player token.

Turn Structure

Each round follows these phases:

1. Replenish Phase

Add resources to accumulating action spaces. Reveal the next Round card.

2. Work Phase

Starting with the starting player, each player places one family member on an unoccupied action space and takes that action. Continue clockwise until all family members are placed.

3. Return Home Phase

All family members return to farmyards.

4. Harvest (after rounds 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14)

Three sub-phases:

• Field phase: Remove 1 grain/vegetable from each sown field.
• Feeding phase: Pay 2 food per family member (1 per newborn). Take 1 Begging card per missing food.
• Breeding phase: If you have 2+ of any animal type, gain 1 of that type.

Actions

Resource Actions (accumulating)

• Take Wood, Clay, Reed, Stone, Food (resources accumulate each round)

Farm Actions

• Plow Field: Add a field tile to your farmyard
• Sow: Plant Grain or Vegetable on empty fields (1 grain becomes 3 on field; 1 vegetable becomes 2)
• Build Fences: Enclose pastures to hold animals (each pasture holds 2 animals, doubled with a stable)
• Build Stables: Place on pastures to double capacity, or alone to hold 1 animal

Building Actions

• Build Rooms: Extend your house with matching material (Wood/Clay or Stone)
• Renovate: Upgrade house material (Wood to Clay to Stone)
• Build Major/Minor Improvement: Play improvement cards for benefits

Family Actions

• Family Growth: Add a new family member (requires an empty room)
• Family Growth (even without room): Available in later rounds

Other Actions

• Starting Player: Take the starting player token + a bonus
• Day Laborer: Gain food
• Grain/Vegetable Seed: Take 1 grain or vegetable

Scoring / Victory Conditions

At game end, score each category:

Category	-1 pt	1 pt	2 pts	3 pts	4 pts
Fields	0-1	2	3	4	5+
Pastures	0	1	2	3	4+
Grain	0	1-3	4-5	6-7	8+
Vegetables	0	1	2	3	4+
Sheep	0	1-3	4-5	6-7	8+
Wild Boar	0	1-2	3-4	5-6	7+
Cattle	0	1	2-3	4-5	6+

Additional scoring:

• -1 point per unused farmyard space
• +1 point per fenced stable and per Clay hut room
• +2 points per Stone house room
• +3 points per family member
• Points from Improvements and Occupations
• -3 points per Begging card

Highest total wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Begging cards: -3 points each at game end. Taken when you cannot feed family during Harvest.
• Animals without pastures: You can hold 1 animal per unfenced stable or in your house (1 animal as a “pet”).
• Cooking: With a Cooking improvement (Fireplace, Cooking Hearth), animals and resources can be converted to food at any time.
• Baby in harvest round: Newborns only need 1 food in their first harvest.
• Family game: Play without Occupations and Minor Improvements for a simpler experience.
• Solo game: Compete against yourself for a target score.
• Each action space can only hold 1 family member per round.
• The starting player action also provides a small bonus (typically food or resources).

Player Reference

Harvest Schedule

Harvests occur after rounds: 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14

Harvest Steps

1. Harvest fields (take 1 grain/vegetable from each sown field)
2. Feed family (2 food per member, 1 per newborn)
3. Breed animals (2+ of a type = +1 of that type)

Feeding Requirements

• 2 food per family member
• 1 food per newborn
• Missing food = 1 Begging card per missing food (-3 VP each)

Key Conversions (with appropriate improvements)

• Grain to food (via baking)
• Animals to food (via cooking)
• Vegetables to food (via cooking)