My first experience with Agricola was a very bad one. Note to folks: if you want someone to like a game, you should probably not throw them into it without explaining the rules. Especially if you're going to use the advanced rules and the Komplex deck.
"I have to feed TWO food to each of my family members?"
"Yes, so you get three begging cards this turn."
"Hey, we've run out of begging cards."
"I guess we need to make note of how many extra cards you'd get."
"How do I get food?"
"You'll figure it out."
"What do you mean I get negative points for not using up all the spaces on my farm? And for not having animals?"
"What are these cards in my hand?"
"You'll figure it out."
So I scored -15 points in the end. Or was it more negative than that? I was very sad and frustrated, and stayed away from Agricola for years.
One day much later I ran into Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small, and thought, this seems like an easier game. Shorter, concentrating on raising animals (which is very cute), and without the pressing need for feeding your people. And so I began to play it (mostly solo, using this simple yet effective variant). I enjoyed it immensely and got much better at the game.
Meanwhile, I was playing other Uwe Rosenberg games, starting with Le Havre, and continuing with Ora et Labora and Le Havre: The Inland Port. And I thought: perhaps I should try Agricola again. After all, it's quite popular, and... perhaps I could start slowly with a solo game in family mode and build up from there. To encourage enjoyment I also got Agricola: The Goodies Expansion for the shaped supply meeples, and some more decks for variety's sake.
So last night I started my first solo game, using the family version. And it was quite fun! At first my greatest concern was food, but I got the hang of feeding my family and even built up to all five members in a 5-room stone house! My biggest stumble was forgetting to include some cows and leaving some crops in the last game instead of eating them all.
I'm quite fond of my first farm.
The game didn't even take that long, at least not solo. I'm so pleased.
"I have to feed TWO food to each of my family members?"
"Yes, so you get three begging cards this turn."
"Hey, we've run out of begging cards."
"I guess we need to make note of how many extra cards you'd get."
"How do I get food?"
"You'll figure it out."
"What do you mean I get negative points for not using up all the spaces on my farm? And for not having animals?"
"What are these cards in my hand?"
"You'll figure it out."
So I scored -15 points in the end. Or was it more negative than that? I was very sad and frustrated, and stayed away from Agricola for years.
One day much later I ran into Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small, and thought, this seems like an easier game. Shorter, concentrating on raising animals (which is very cute), and without the pressing need for feeding your people. And so I began to play it (mostly solo, using this simple yet effective variant). I enjoyed it immensely and got much better at the game.
Meanwhile, I was playing other Uwe Rosenberg games, starting with Le Havre, and continuing with Ora et Labora and Le Havre: The Inland Port. And I thought: perhaps I should try Agricola again. After all, it's quite popular, and... perhaps I could start slowly with a solo game in family mode and build up from there. To encourage enjoyment I also got Agricola: The Goodies Expansion for the shaped supply meeples, and some more decks for variety's sake.
So last night I started my first solo game, using the family version. And it was quite fun! At first my greatest concern was food, but I got the hang of feeding my family and even built up to all five members in a 5-room stone house! My biggest stumble was forgetting to include some cows and leaving some crops in the last game instead of eating them all.
I'm quite fond of my first farm.
The game didn't even take that long, at least not solo. I'm so pleased.
