Fence Em In — Rules

Intro

Finally you have bought your farm, and the deed is still warm in your hand! There is an empty field, a rusty hammer and a head full of plans: enclosures to build, cows to settle, corn to sow and a barn that will be the envy of the county.

There is just one problem. Your land-grabbing neighbours had the very same idea, and they have their eyes on the same patch of ground as you. Every enclosure you build is one they cannot. Every field you claim is one less for them.

Out-fence them, out-farm them and show the whole valley whose farm is the best!

Goal

In this game you win by building the most successful farm, measured in points.

Each round you use the shared dice to build a new enclosure on the enclosure board, then take an asset token from the assets board and place its miniature inside the enclosure. Every placement scores points right away, and the asset token you took goes on your farm board where it feeds the endgame scoring categories.

When the game ends (see Game length), the farm board is scored, the three endgame missions are scored, and leftover fertilizer is turned into points. The farm with the most points wins.

Structure of the Game

The game is played in three phases:

1. Setup. Three endgame mission cards are drawn and revealed, the assets bag is filled, the assets board is stocked and the start order is decided.
2. Rounds. Each round the dice are rolled and every player takes a turn in order. On your turn you build an enclosure on the enclosure board, take an asset token from the assets board, place its miniature in that enclosure, score the placement points, and place the asset token in a category on your farm board for endgame scoring. When everyone has played, the assets board is refilled and the player order is set again, with the player with the fewest points going first.
3. Endgame. When the game ends, the farm board scoring categories are summed, the three mission cards are scored, and unused fertilizer is turned into points. The farm with the most points is declared the winner!

Components

The Assets Bag

• The asset tokens are drawn from a shared draw bag.

• The bag starts the game containing these asset tokens based on the player count:

  Players	Nr of asset tokens	Bag content
  2	38	9 chickens, 7 sheep, 4 cows, 7 grain, 7 hay, 1 barn, 1 granarie
  3	50	10 chickens, 8 sheep, 4 cows, 8 grain, 8 corn, 8 hay, 2 barns, 2 granaries
  4	62	13 chickens, 10 sheep, 5 cows, 10 grain, 9 corn, 9 hay, 3 barns, 3 granaries

The asset miniatures

There are eight kinds of miniatures, one for each kind of asset token: cow, sheep, chicken (the animals), corn, grain, hay (the crops), and the barn and the granary.

• Taking one. Each time you take an asset token from the assets board, you also take the matching miniature (step 4 of The Round).
• Placing one. You place the miniature in the enclosure you just built. Each enclosure holds exactly one miniature, and it stays there for the rest of the game.
• Scoring. The miniature scores placement points right away, and some of them give you fertilizer tokens. How much depends on how many miniatures of that type you have already placed, see Placement Scoring when a miniature is placed inside an enclosure.
• Missions. The cells of the enclosures holding a type of miniature are counted by the Support mission cards, for example the cells of enclosed cows or planted corn (see Endgame Missions).
• Barn and granary. These two work like the others, but once the miniature is in one of your enclosures it gives you a bonus on every later placement: the barn gives 1 fertilizer for each cow, sheep or chicken you place, and the granary gives 1 extra point for each corn, grain or hay you place. Each one also has its own category on the farm board (see The farm board).
• Tokens versus miniatures. The asset token goes on your farm board and the miniature goes in the enclosure. Discarding a token because it fits no category does not remove its miniature or the points it already gave.

The enclosure board

The enclosure board is the shared playing field, a square grid of cells. All players build their enclosures on it and place their asset miniatures in them. The size of the board depends on the number of players:

• Each player has a starting cell, marked in the player color. Your first enclosure must cover it.
• Every later enclosure must touch one of your own enclosures along an edge, so your farm grows outwards from your starting cell.
• Enclosures can never overlap, so every cell you take is a cell your neighbours cannot use.

The farm board

Each player has a personal farm board with two areas:

• Score track (top): Two rows of nine squares. The upper row counts ones (1–9) and the lower row counts tens (10–90). Use your 2 cubes to mark your points: one cube on the ones row and one cube on the tens row. A cube placed beside its row counts as 0. If you pass 99 points, start over from 0 and lay your turn order token on its side to show that you have 100 more.
• Placement categories (bottom): Six rows where you place the asset tokens you take in step 6. Each row is a category with up to four slots, filled from left to right. Each slot shows a number of points. At the end of the game each category scores only once: the points of its furthest filled slot, not the sum of the slots.

The categories are:

1. All of the same type: every token in the row is the same type. 1, 3, 6, 8 points.
2. None of the same type: no two tokens in the row are the same type. 1, 2, 4, 7 points.
3. Alternating animal and crop: the tokens alternate between animals (cow, sheep, chicken) and crops (corn, grain, hay). You may start with either. 1, 3, 5, 7 points.
4. The leftovers (no restrictions): any token. 1, 2, 3, 4 points.

The Barn token and the Granary token are best suited in either None of the same type or in the Leftovers.

See Asset Token placement on farm board for the full table.

Endgame Missions

Three mission cards are drawn at the start of the game and revealed to all players: one Enclosure card and two different Support cards. All three cards apply to every player when the game ends.

• Enclosure card (one of two): Small enclosures each add 1 point (below threshold: 10 cells for 2 players, 7 for 3, 5 for 4). Large enclosures each add 1 point (at or above threshold).
• Support card 1 and 2 (two different cards from six): More than 12 cells of enclosed cows adds 5 points. More than 12 cells of enclosed sheep adds 5 points. More than 12 cells of enclosed chickens adds 5 points. More than 16 cells of planted corn adds 8 points. More than 16 cells of planted grain adds 8 points. More than 16 cells of planted hay adds 8 points (do not use this card in a 2 player game).

Setup for the first round

• The game is played by 2–4 players.

• Draw one Enclosure card and two different Support cards and reveal them (see Endgame Missions). Do not use the planted hay Support card in a 2 player game.

• Fill the assets bag with the asset tokens for the player count (see The Assets Bag).

• Each player gets one farm board, used to keep score and to place asset tokens on for endgame scoring.

• Each player also receives one box of enclosure fences, 2 cubes to place on the score track of the farm board, and one turn order token, all in the player color.

• Place the enclosure board in the middle of the playing area. Each player has a starting cell on the enclosure board, marked in the player color.

• Place the round dice board and the assets board on either side of the enclosure board.

• Place all fertilizer tokens near the round dice board.

• Draw asset tokens from the bag and place them on the assets board, filling from left to right and top to bottom.

  Players	Nr of asset tokens
  2	10, 2 each on 1-5
  3	15, 3 each on 1-5
  4	20, 4 each on 1-5

• Then the players decide the start order: each player rolls a die. The lowest value goes first and the others follow from low to high. Players with the same value re-roll among themselves to settle their order.

The Round

Each round the dice are rolled once (step 1). Then every player takes a turn in player order (steps 2–6). After the last player the round ends (steps 7–8).

1. Roll Dice: The first player rolls 3 dice; all players use the same dice. Each die has the values 1-5 and a sixth side that gives a choice. If a die lands on the choice side, the first player chooses either to take 1 fertilizer token and re-roll that die, or to set that die to any value from 1-5. If the player chooses the re-roll and it lands on a six again do the choice above again.

2. Select Enclosure Dice: On your turn choose one die as the Width of your enclosure and another die as the Height, both in cells. The remaining (third) die determines which asset tokens you can choose later in the round — so plan both your enclosure placement and your desired asset token.

3. Place Enclosure on Board: Place your enclosure as a rectangle of Width × Height cells on the enclosure board. It must lie fully on the board, must not overlap any other enclosure, and must share at least one cell edge (not only a corner) with one of your own existing enclosures. On your very first turn it must instead cover your starting cell. If no combination of dice gives you both a legal placement and an asset token matching the third die on the assets board (see step 4), you pass for this round: skip the rest of your turn.

4. Select Asset Token: Take one of the asset tokens on the assets board that matches the value of the third unused die. Also take the miniature that the asset token represents and place it inside your last created enclosure. Keep the asset token for step 6.

5. Score placement points: Score points for the miniature you just placed according to the table in Scoring.

6. Place asset token for endgame scoring: Place the asset token you took in step 4 in one of the categories on your farm board (see Asset Token placement on farm board). If the token fits no category with a free slot, discard it.

7. Next Player / Round Check: You are done for this turn. The next player takes the same steps (using the same dice). If you are the last player, the round ends.

8. New Round: Refill the assets board. Asset tokens that were not chosen by any player in the previous round stay on the board — only the slots that were picked are refilled from the bag. Check Game length: if the game has ended, go to Endgame Scoring. Otherwise set the player order again: the player with the fewest points goes first and the others follow from low to high points. Players with the same points roll a die as in Setup; the lowest value goes first among them.

Using Fertilizer

If the active player has fertilizer tokens they have access to some special actions. They can use fertilizer during their active turn. They can use fertilizer up to two times per turn.

Scoring

Placement Scoring when a miniature is placed inside an enclosure

Image	Asset token	Condition	Fertilizer tokens
	Cow	3, 3, 4, 5, 7	0
	Sheep	1, 2, 3 then 3 each.	every pair = 1
	Chicken	1, 1, 2, 2, 3 then 3 each	2
	Grain	2 each.	0
	Corn	2, 2, 2, 3 then 3 each	1
	Hay	1 each, 1 animal in farm +1, 2 animals in farm +2, 3 animals in farm +3	every pair = 1
	Barn	2 each, first barn grants: placing any cow,sheep,chicken add 1 fertilizer	2
	Granary	1 each, first granary grants: placing a grain add 1 point	1

The numbers are the points for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd… miniature of that type that you place in an enclosure. Once you pass the listed numbers, each further miniature of that type scores the number after then, or the last number if there is no then (the cow keeps scoring 7).

Sheep pairs. Each time the sheep you place is your 2nd, 4th, 6th and so on, you also take 1 fertilizer.

Hay pairs. Each time the hay you place is your 2nd, 4th, 6th and so on, you also take 1 fertilizer.

Hay bonus. If you have at least 1 animal in your farm when you place the hay you score +1 point (2p in total) for that hay. If you have at least 2 animals the bouns is +2 instead (3p in total), and for when there are at least 3 animals add +3 (for a 4p in total).

Barn bonus. Once your first barn miniature is in one of your enclosures, you take 1 extra fertilizer each time you place a cow, sheep or chicken. The barn miniature gives no bonus for animals you placed before it.

Granary bonus. Once your first granary miniature is in one of your enclosures, you score 1 extra point each time you place a grain. The granary miniature gives no bonus for crops you placed before it.

Only your first barn and first granary give a bonus. Further barns and granaries only score their own points and fertilizer.

Asset Token placement on farm board

In step 6 you place the asset token in one category on your farm board. Each category has up to four slots that are filled from left to right. At the end of the game each category scores once, with the points printed on its furthest filled slot. The slots are not added together: three chickens in All of the same type score 6 points, not 1 + 3 + 6.

The leftovers accept any token, so use it when a token does not fit another category. If the leftovers is full and the token fits no other category with a free slot, the token is discarded and scores nothing at the end of the game. Its miniature stays in the enclosure and the placement points are kept. This is unlikely, since you place 10 tokens in 23 slots.

Ending the Game

Game length

The game ends at the end of the round in which any of these happens:

• 10 rounds have been played.
• The bag runs out of asset tokens when the assets board is refilled.
• All players pass in the same round (see Place Enclosure on Board).

Then go to Endgame Scoring.

Endgame Scoring

When the game ends a final scoring round is done:

• Score each of the six farm board categories once, with the points of its furthest filled slot, and add them up.
• Evaluate all three mission cards and add their points to the total.
• Score points for unused fertilizer: 1 point per 3 fertilizer tokens.

The player with the most total points wins! If several players are tied, the one with the most farm board points wins. If they are still tied, they share the victory.

Tactics

You are all competing for the same limited space, so every turn is a small puzzle with several things to weigh at once:

• Dice are shared, choices are not. All players use the same three dice, but you decide which two make your enclosure and which one is left over to pick your asset token. A great enclosure may leave you with a poor choice of asset tokens, and the other way around.
• Claim space or block it. A well-placed enclosure closes off ground your neighbours were counting on. But walling yourself in leaves you with no room to grow.
• Plan for the missions. The three endgame mission cards apply to everyone. Decide early which of them you can reach, and which ones your neighbours are heading for.
• Asset tokens do not last. Asset tokens nobody picks stay on the board, and the player order changes every round: the player behind on points goes first. Think about what you want to grab and what you can afford to leave.
• Fertilizer is flexible. It lets you re-roll, adjust dice, refresh the assets board or move an asset token, and it is worth points at the end. Spend it when it wins you a good turn, otherwise save it.
• Balance short and long term. Chase the points of each placement, but keep an eye on the farm board categories and the endgame missions where the big points are.

Or you can skip all of that and build the quirkiest farm in the valley, just to annoy the others.

Appendix: Example of Play

This example follows the first three rounds of a 2 player game between Alice and Bob. The dice, tokens and choices are made up to show how the rules work together.

Setup

• The assets board is filled with 10 asset tokens, 2 in each of the columns 1 to 5:

  Column	1	2	3	4	5
  Tokens	chicken	sheep	cow	chicken	sheep
  	corn	grain	corn	barn	granary

• To decide the start order each player rolls a die. Alice rolls 2 and Bob rolls 4, so Alice goes first.

Round 1

Alice rolls three dice: 4, 2 and 3.

• Alice uses the 4 as Width and the 2 as Height, a 4 × 2 enclosure with 8 cells that covers her starting cell. The remaining die is a 3, so she takes the cow from column 3 and places the cow miniature in her enclosure. The cow is her first cow: 3 points. She places the cow token in the first slot of Alternating animal and crop on her farm board.
• Bob uses the same dice. He uses the 2 as Width and the 3 as Height, a 2 × 3 enclosure with 6 cells that covers his starting cell. The remaining die is a 4, so he takes the barn from column 4 and places the barn miniature in his enclosure. The barn scores 2 points and gives him 2 fertilizer. He places the barn token in the first slot of Buildings on his farm board.

End of the round: the cow and the barn are gone from the assets board. Only those two slots are refilled from the bag, with a grain in column 3 and a corn in column 4. The other tokens stay.

Score: Alice 3, Bob 2. Bob has the fewest points, so he goes first in round 2.

Round 2

Bob rolls 3, 1 and 5.

• Bob uses the 3 as Width and the 1 as Height, a 3 × 1 enclosure with 3 cells that touches his 2 × 3 enclosure along an edge. The remaining die is a 5, so he takes the sheep from column 5. It is his first sheep: 1 point, and because he already has the barn miniature he also takes 1 fertilizer. He places the sheep token in the first slot of None of the same type.
• Alice uses the same dice. She uses the 3 and the 5 as Width and Height, a large 3 × 5 enclosure with 15 cells that touches her first enclosure along an edge. The remaining die is a 1, so she takes the corn from column 1. It is her first corn: 2 points and 1 fertilizer. She places the corn token in the second slot of Alternating animal and crop since she had an animal in the first column.

End of the round: a cow is drawn into column 5 and a sheep into column 1.

Score: Alice 5, Bob 3. Bob still has the fewest points and goes first in round 3.

Round 3

Bob rolls 4, 3 and 3. He wants a second sheep, which is in column 1 or 2, and he has no 1 or 2. He spends 2 fertilizer to re-roll one of the 3s and gets a 2. The dice are now 4, 3 and 2.

• Bob uses the 4 as Width and the 3 as Height, a 4 × 3 enclosure with 12 cells that touches one of his own enclosures along an edge. The remaining die is a 2, so he takes the sheep from column 2. It is his second sheep, which scores 2 points. The sheep completes a pair, so he takes 1 fertilizer, and the barn gives him 1 more, 2 fertilizer in total. He places the sheep token in the first slot of Alternating animal and crop, since None of the same type already holds a sheep.
• Alice uses the same dice. She uses the 3 as Width and the 2 as Height, a 3 × 2 enclosure with 6 cells that touches one of her own enclosures along an edge. The remaining die is a 4, so she takes the chicken from column 4. It is her first chicken: 1 point and 2 fertilizer. She places the chicken token in the third slot of Alternating animal and crop, since a chicken (animal) follows a corn (crop).

End of the round: Alice has 6 points and Bob has 5 points, and both have 3 fertilizer. Bob has the fewest points and goes first in round 4.

The farm boards after three rounds