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viktor_haagHacienda was Wolfgang Kramer's "gamer's game" release for last year's Essen fair, published in the Hans im Glück/Rio Grande "gamers game" box size (c.f. Amun Re, Oasis, Attila, etc). We put it on the table last weekend with five players, and we all had fun. I emphasize this, because it seems to my hazy memory that it has been some time since we've had a full-table unanimous fun-time agreement on a game.
Hacienda was the first new game we've played since Essen where (a) everyone at the table had fun, (b) nobody thought the new game was too long, and (c) nobody immediately expressed thoughts about ways the designer could have fixed a problem with the game. Railroad Tycoon came closest to these points, but fell down a bit on (b) and (c), in both times I've played it. The only quibble we had was the colour scheme seemed to make the board (and) cards a bit difficult to read, but this also didn't present a problem after the first third of the game (the card and board designs are subtle, but good graphic design makes it legible -- the terrain types have little flourishes that make them easily distinguishable, despite the restricted colour palate, for example).
The rules for play are quite straight-forward. The scoring rules seem a bit baroque at first, but soon become quite apparent. For first timers, it's probably best to talk a lot and ask a lot of questions while you're playing your first half game ("Bob, if you go there, it'll be worth five points to you at the first scoring...").
The game's theme is a bit thin (a hallmark of the German school), but still seemed to fit well with the game itself: players are Argentinean land barons competing with one another for the most expansive ranches, the biggest herds, the best situated land, and the most cash. To do this, players acquire land and animal cards, and then play those cards to place land and animal tiles down on the board.
During the game, players also have the opportunity to make money by placing their animal tiles in herds that stretch out to touch the "market" hexes printed on the map, and by claiming a "harvest" of one of their chains of land tiles. It's important to do this from time to time, as you'll need the money to buy new land and animal cards. You'll also need the money to acquire irrigation (you can purchase water holes that get you points when you put them next to your land and animal tiles) and haciendas (you can increase the point value of a herd of animals or chain of land tiles by building a hacienda on it).
As with Ticket To Ride, each turn you're stuck either acquiring resources for future play (buying cards or features that get you points), or playing resources to expand your holdings (putting land tiles or animal tiles down on the board). And, as with Ticket To Ride, this game is all about tempo. It's likely that when you're done you'll think "I'm not sure I could have done anything differently to get more points", but of course you could have: it's all about making smart purchases at the right time, and maximizing your points by expanding your holdings at the right time and in the right places.
The game comes with two map boards so it immediately has additional play value, and a group of gamers on the 'net has cooked up map-generator software for creating new map boards.
At 34.95 Canadian, this is far and away the best value for my Essen gaming dollar this year: it's cheaper than Reef Encounter, Byzantium, and Caylus. And so far, we've had more fun with Hacienda than any of these other touted "gamer game" titles.
If you liked Settlers of Catan, Ticket To Ride, Carcassonne, or Alhambra, then you really should give Hacienda a look. There's a lot of play value in the box for your money, and it's both cheaper and more accessible than either Caylus (this year's hot game), or Puerto Rico (probably the hottest game of the past few years).
Hacienda was the first new game we've played since Essen where (a) everyone at the table had fun, (b) nobody thought the new game was too long, and (c) nobody immediately expressed thoughts about ways the designer could have fixed a problem with the game. Railroad Tycoon came closest to these points, but fell down a bit on (b) and (c), in both times I've played it. The only quibble we had was the colour scheme seemed to make the board (and) cards a bit difficult to read, but this also didn't present a problem after the first third of the game (the card and board designs are subtle, but good graphic design makes it legible -- the terrain types have little flourishes that make them easily distinguishable, despite the restricted colour palate, for example).
The rules for play are quite straight-forward. The scoring rules seem a bit baroque at first, but soon become quite apparent. For first timers, it's probably best to talk a lot and ask a lot of questions while you're playing your first half game ("Bob, if you go there, it'll be worth five points to you at the first scoring...").
The game's theme is a bit thin (a hallmark of the German school), but still seemed to fit well with the game itself: players are Argentinean land barons competing with one another for the most expansive ranches, the biggest herds, the best situated land, and the most cash. To do this, players acquire land and animal cards, and then play those cards to place land and animal tiles down on the board.
During the game, players also have the opportunity to make money by placing their animal tiles in herds that stretch out to touch the "market" hexes printed on the map, and by claiming a "harvest" of one of their chains of land tiles. It's important to do this from time to time, as you'll need the money to buy new land and animal cards. You'll also need the money to acquire irrigation (you can purchase water holes that get you points when you put them next to your land and animal tiles) and haciendas (you can increase the point value of a herd of animals or chain of land tiles by building a hacienda on it).
As with Ticket To Ride, each turn you're stuck either acquiring resources for future play (buying cards or features that get you points), or playing resources to expand your holdings (putting land tiles or animal tiles down on the board). And, as with Ticket To Ride, this game is all about tempo. It's likely that when you're done you'll think "I'm not sure I could have done anything differently to get more points", but of course you could have: it's all about making smart purchases at the right time, and maximizing your points by expanding your holdings at the right time and in the right places.
The game comes with two map boards so it immediately has additional play value, and a group of gamers on the 'net has cooked up map-generator software for creating new map boards.
At 34.95 Canadian, this is far and away the best value for my Essen gaming dollar this year: it's cheaper than Reef Encounter, Byzantium, and Caylus. And so far, we've had more fun with Hacienda than any of these other touted "gamer game" titles.
If you liked Settlers of Catan, Ticket To Ride, Carcassonne, or Alhambra, then you really should give Hacienda a look. There's a lot of play value in the box for your money, and it's both cheaper and more accessible than either Caylus (this year's hot game), or Puerto Rico (probably the hottest game of the past few years).
