Agricola light

INTRODUCTION
Farmerama is currently one of the most browser games. By widespread television advertising, the term is even non-players (like me) familiar. Out of curiosity I had the online game then looked at him as well, but quickly found that it is not for me. Still, I find it (as a great Brettspielfan) nice that in this way a new game by Ravensburger arose. Please do not Spikes me, but I dare now to say that it is the first browser game, it has actually made it into a box. Takes a look at you fall on an addition to equipped with big eyes animals a name. Uwe Rosenberg. The name is likely to be especially frequent players familiar. The same issue of the forth game Agricola was written by him and appear excited since. Do you have to worry about now that Farmerama is only a lightweight Agricola? Here I may as well give an all-clear. No, Farmerama and Agricola have until the issue, little in common. But now I try to explain in the following.

THE MATERIAL
1 Aktionsrad
160 plates of fodder plant (carrots, hay, oats, corn) and water
25 follies
4 farmland tableaux
16 animals (sheep, pig, cow, horse)
4 scoreboards
16 points Gazette
33 cards
1 Reserve ornamental garden
3 platelets (special for solo play)
1 Instructions (German, French, Italian, Dutch)
2 playmaking overviews (German, French, Dutch)

The material is nicely designed and the board makes a very strong impression. Very nice, I also found that some zip bags inserts, with which one can pre-sort the material. For me as a games-sort fetishists that were indeed a few too little, but it's no problem to retrofit the game.

THE RULES
Each player receives a Farm tableau. On this one wheel is attached, indicating in which farm area currently which action must be executed. Do not worry, remains variable. The water drops that a player gives, he can turn the wheel to an area further. This may at any time, during or after the train happened. In addition to the tableau, each player has a set of cards for the actions. Each player selects a card and places it face down in front of him. The cards are revealed simultaneously. Now all players simultaneously cause through their actions. A common wheel in the middle indicates in how many times the action is allowed to run. A distinction is made whether the only or if multiple players have selected the action. If several players have chosen the same action, it is checked whether and who is allowed to take one to the provided follies. This he puts in his ornamental garden from and takes the pictured it a reward from the general supply (platelets, bring Victory Points to be considered only at the end of the game) After the actions are performed. Specifically, they are:

- Sowing: Depending on the number of specified actions, the player must take a feed-tile from his storage and place it on a bed. The wheel on his board indicates this area in which he may discard the plate. Then he puts another from the general supply, which he places on it for each planted platelets. That is sort of the income that the player obtained by seeding.

- Harvesting: Here again, the wheel on the panel in front of three areas in which the player may harvest. Depending for available action the player may harvest a field. That is all the two lining plates thereon in his personal stock take.

- Feeding: This action may carry out as many times as the player. He allowed all the animals from his stable feed (sheep, pig, cow, horse). To this end, he gives the fodder cards given from the general supply and places the animal on the marked by the wheel on his board box. An animal must be fed naturally only if it is still in the stable and can be guided to the pasture. If an animal already standing in the pasture it is not fed again. At the wheel of the player boards, there is a pacifier symbol. Every time this points to a field, stands on the animal in the pasture, this is placed in the barn. For the player may move the VPs marker of the corresponding animal one space upwards.

- Water: The wheel in the middle indicates how much water the player is allowed to take for the action from the stock.

- Seeds: The player checks, of which feed flakes (including water). He has not a single copy in his personal stock. Of these, he takes each one from the general supply. After that he is allowed to perform the action once sowing.
Following a new round begins. The universal wheel in the center is rotated further, so that the number of change for the actions sowing, harvesting and water. The decorative tiles are replenished. If this is not possible, the game ends, otherwise another round is played by the same rules.

At the end of the following points are added:
- The marked points on the panel for the pasture to the stable guided Animals
- The number of platelets in their own food supply / in the bed
- The victory points from the tiles in ornamental garden
- Rates shown in the table points for animals that are still on the width

The player with the most points wins.

There is a "professional version" is different in the following points:
- The award of ornamental plates is modified and preferably not those who are farthest behind
- Water can now be used to increase the number of sowing and harvesting campaigns
- There are five other follies, which are sorted out in the basic version

For casual gamers
I've already read more often in various commentaries on Farmerama that so many casual gamers feel slain. Even in my rounds with said player group saw me in explaining once at large, unintelligent eyes. Whether here now, among other things, the many material on the table with the same leads to a kind of shock rigid to fall I do not know exactly. However, once you're in the game itself, even the greatest skeptics will quickly informed that the gameplay is actually quite simple. And so the second round is the same much faster by hand. Then Farmerama unfolds as a pleasant game that a lot of pleasure in the family or with friends. One can comfortably play in front of him and is, unless one is constantly making serious errors, have the chance of winning. Unfortunately, the game is then over far too soon. Which one can counteract However, where one increases the ornamental garden stacking something.

FOR MANY PLAYERS
What can be said for high volume players? This genre will be relatively disappointed. Not because the game itself does not work, but because it is to develop a good strategy to a few possibilities. In the end, you do the same actions over and over again sowing, harvesting, feeding. This may one still keep the first games entertained, but at some point simply lack of depth. Only when you are sitting with casual players at the table, you will prefer Farmerama turn, as the millionth batch settlers. Otherwise, it interferes with a, that you can actually do what you want, you will notice points Technically hardly any differences. Why invest at all, for example, the lining in animals? The food itself is almost as much value as the animal itself (points technically). And since even among the forage on the field it is worth even alternating perform only sowing and harvesting. An Example. To put a sheep on the pasture I have to give two hay and two carrots flakes and turn the wheel with enough water to heave the sheep on the first space with ten victory points. I use these plates to three sowing (Average number of sowing campaigns) perform I have 7 points and then even more platelets for sowing left, which I can use next round immediately, whereas the fed simply are gone. Then I can do it not even the sheep left in the game again to make it back to the barn there is then even only 6 points, which are to bring (1 less than when I had sown). While a horse is worth more (the first step 13 points), but also requires 6 feed plate. The same Sä example from earlier would bring us all 9 points and we would still have left to continue to sow and harvest the platelets. The whole is more obvious, the more one comes to animals. For each additional victory point stage of an animal is always a less value. The first step in sheep still worth 10 points, the game points to increase in the second only to 9 and the third by 8 points. And so it is a front, as if the entire game only sowing and harvesting must to win. How much fun is a course preparing another question.

CONCLUSION
A nice game in a beautiful presentation that will satisfy experienced players not quite. However, for a nice game in the family, it is just right. But then one should not have anyone here who calculates everything to the smallest detail. Otherwise the game increased, which can lead to resentment. Who wants to have a direct influence on his opponent is at Farmerama incidentally also misplaced. Here everyone plays for himself and to get most of the action in granting and decorative plates a little bit in the way. On a positive note, however, that virtually no luck needed to win. So all numbers are always open. This one will not be surprised, but even nice to plan ahead. Only the pull of new ornamental garden platelets causes an unpredictable component comes into play (from the other players apart times). For casual players, the short game play and for experienced players the lack of various tactics likely negative regurgitation. On average, I give the game 3.5 out of 5 stars. Casual gamers are allowed here liked to add a star to pull experienced players a star.