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Caverna: The Cave Farmers

Caverna: The Cave Farmers is a worker placement game where players manage a family of dwarves, expand their cave, farm, and mine resources to score points. It features a vast array of options and strategies, with no player elimination.

7.94 / 10
BGG Rating
12+
age
2013
published year
1 - 7
player count
1 - 5
Recommended player count
30 - 210 mins
play time

How Complex is Caverna: The Cave Farmers?

3.78 / 5

Caverna: The Cave Farmers has a moderate complexity, with many options and strategies to consider, but the rulebook is well-organized and the game mechanics are intuitive.

How much Luck is involved in the gameplay of Caverna: The Cave Farmers?

1.5 / 5

Luck plays a minor role in Caverna: The Cave Farmers. The game heavily relies on strategic planning and resource management, with minimal random elements such as the order of available actions and the drawn objective cards.

How much Player Interaction does Caverna: The Cave Farmers offer?

2.5 / 5

Caverna: The Cave Farmers has limited player interaction, with players competing for action spaces and resources. However, players can block each other's plans and compete for objective cards, leading to some indirect interaction.

How much Replayability does Caverna: The Cave Farmers offer?

4 / 5

Caverna: The Cave Farmers offers high replayability due to the vast array of options and strategies available, randomized objective cards, and variable setup with different rooms and furnishings.

Why you should play Caverna: The Cave Farmers

Deep Strategy

Caverna is a game that requires a lot of strategic thinking and planning. Players must manage their resources carefully and make decisions that will affect their long-term success.

Replayability

With over 300 different cards and tiles, Caverna offers a lot of replayability. Each game will be different, and players will need to adapt their strategies to the changing circumstances.

Unique Theme

Caverna has a unique theme that sets it apart from other board games. Players take on the role of cave farmers, managing their resources and building their farms underground.

Cooperative and Competitive Elements

Caverna can be played both cooperatively and competitively. Players can work together to build a thriving community, or they can compete to see who can build the most successful farm.

Family-Friendly

Caverna is a great game for families to play together. It's easy to learn, but still offers a lot of depth and complexity.

Beautiful Components

Caverna features high-quality components, including detailed miniatures and beautifully illustrated cards and tiles.

Solo Play

Caverna can be played solo, making it a great option for those who enjoy playing board games alone. The game offers a challenging and rewarding experience for solo players.

Why you should avoid Caverna: The Cave Farmers

Lengthy Playtime

Caverna can take a long time to play, especially with a full complement of players. The game can easily take 2-3 hours or more to complete, which may not be suitable for players looking for a shorter game.

Complexity

While Caverna is easy to learn, it can be quite complex to master. Players who are new to board games or who prefer simpler games may find Caverna overwhelming.

Expensive

Caverna is a relatively expensive game, with a higher price point than many other board games. This may make it less accessible to some players.

Limited Interaction

Caverna is a game that can be played both cooperatively and competitively, but there is limited interaction between players. This may make the game feel less engaging for some players.

Heavy Resource Management

Caverna is a game that requires a lot of resource management. Players must keep track of a wide variety of resources, which can be overwhelming for some players.

Where to find the Rules of Caverna: The Cave Farmers

You can find the community-driven rules summary, player aid, etc., in the Caverna: The Cave Farmers files section on the BoardGameGeek website. You need an account on BGG to download files.

Beginner Strategies for Caverna: The Cave Farmers

These strategies are for players who have either not played or played one or two games of Caverna: The Cave Farmers.

Focus on food production

In Caverna, food is essential to keep your family members alive and to score points. Make sure to prioritize food production early on in the game by building farms, pastures, and cooking hearths.

Expand your cave

As you progress through the game, you'll need more space to accommodate your growing family and resources. Make sure to expand your cave by digging new rooms and tunnels.

Balance your resources

It's important to balance your resources in Caverna. Don't focus too much on one resource at the expense of others. Try to maintain a balance between food, wood, stone, ore, and other resources.

Plan ahead

Caverna is a game that rewards long-term planning. Try to plan ahead and anticipate what resources and actions you'll need in future rounds.

Use your family members wisely

Each family member has a unique ability that can be used to your advantage. Make sure to use your family members wisely and strategically to maximize your resources and score points.

Keep an eye on your opponents

In Caverna, it's important to keep an eye on your opponents and their actions. Try to anticipate their moves and block them from getting the resources or actions they need.

Don't neglect the scoring opportunities

Caverna has many scoring opportunities, including completing rooms, breeding animals, and going on expeditions. Don't neglect these opportunities and try to score points whenever possible.

I hope these strategies help you in your first game of Caverna

The Cave Farmers!

Advanced Strategies for Caverna: The Cave Farmers

Focus on upgrading your rooms

Upgrading your rooms can give you more resources and points. Try to upgrade your rooms as soon as possible, especially the ones that give you bonuses for other actions.

Explore the expeditions

Expeditions can give you valuable resources and points. Try to explore the expeditions as early as possible and plan ahead to complete them.

Use the action spaces efficiently

In Caverna, the action spaces are limited and can be blocked by other players. Try to use the action spaces efficiently and plan ahead to get the actions you need.

Breed animals strategically

Breeding animals can give you more resources and points. Try to breed animals strategically by choosing the ones that give you the most benefits and by timing your breeding to maximize your resources.

Don't forget about the rubies

Rubies are a valuable resource in Caverna that can give you points and bonuses. Don't forget to collect rubies whenever possible and plan ahead to get the ones that give you the most benefits.

Use the dwarves wisely

Dwarves are powerful workers that can give you extra actions and resources. Use them wisely and strategically to maximize your resources and score points.

Keep an eye on the endgame

In Caverna, the endgame can come quickly and unexpectedly. Keep an eye on the endgame and plan ahead to score as many points as possible before the game ends.

I hope these strategies help you in your future games of Caverna

The Cave Farmers!

Mechanics

Tile Placement
Worker Placement
Solo / Solitaire Game
Turn Order: Claim Action
Automatic Resource Growth
Increase Value of Unchosen Resources

Categories

Fantasy
Farming
Economic
Animals

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