Welcome to the Walnut Grove Game Rules!

Hey there! So you’re interested in learning how to play the Walnut Grove game. Well, you’ve come to the right place! Below, I’ll walk you through all the rules and steps you need to know to start having a blast with your friends. Let’s get started!

Game Objective

The goal of the Walnut Grove game is to build your very own frontier town. You start with a small plot of land and limited resources, but as you play, you’ll gather more and more to expand and develop your town. The player with the most prosperous and well-developed town at the end of the game is the winner!

Setup

Before we begin, there are a few things we need to do to set up the game:

1. Each player chooses a color and takes the matching player board and markers.
2. Place the main game board in the center of the playing area. This will be the central hub where all the action takes place.
3. Shuffle the resource cards and place them face-down in a stack near the game board.
4. Each player starts with a certain amount of coins, depending on the number of players. Place your coins on your player board.
5. Finally, place the neutral settlers and the neutral town pieces on their respective spots on the game board.

Gameplay

Now, let’s dive into the gameplay. The game takes place over several rounds, and each round consists of two phases: the Action Phase and the Income Phase.

Action Phase

In the Action Phase, each player takes turns performing actions. You can choose from a variety of actions, such as collecting resources, constructing buildings, or recruiting settlers. Pay attention to the cost and benefits of each action to make strategic decisions that will benefit your town.

When it’s your turn, simply choose an action from the available options and follow the instructions. You’ll need to spend coins to perform actions, so manage your resources wisely.

Income Phase

After all players have taken their actions, it’s time for the Income Phase. During this phase, players will collect income based on the buildings they have constructed. Different buildings generate different types of resources, so make sure to plan your town layout accordingly to maximize your income.

Once the Income Phase is complete, a new round begins, and players continue taking turns until the game ends.

Game End

The game ends after a set number of rounds, depending on the number of players. Once the final round is complete, it’s time to calculate each player’s final score. Points are awarded for various factors, such as the number of buildings, the size of your town, and the resources you’ve accumulated. The player with the highest score is the winner!

Time to Play!

Now that you know all the rules and steps, it’s time to grab your friends and start playing Walnut Grove. Create your own frontier town, make strategic decisions, and build the most thriving community! Have fun and may the best town win!

Hey there! It’s 1885 and guess what? The American government has opened up more land in the Midwest, which means my wife and I were able to snag a small homestead and build a cozy little house on the prairie. Isn’t that exciting?

Now, our neighboring town of Walnut Grove is just a stone’s throw away, and it’s our go-to spot for everything we need to make our little farm thrive. Those winters can be brutal, so we’ve gotta make sure we’ve got enough food to keep us going and plenty of wood to keep us warm. Trust me, it’s no walk in the park!

The Game Plan

I’ve got everything you need for a fun game of Walnut Grove:

• 1 game board
• 4 player boards
• 50 land tiles
• 8 building tiles
• 21 improvement tiles
• 7 neighborly help tiles
• 30 cardboard coins
• 8 year disks
• 130 wooden cubes
• 24 wooden pawns
• 1 large linen tile bag
• 1 small linen coin bag
• rulebook

Let’s talk about how to play Walnut Grove. It’s a game that is played over 8 rounds, representing one year each. The goal? Expand your farm as much as you can! After the last round, we’ll count up the victory points to determine the winner. So, let’s get started!

Setting up the Game

1. Hey there! Let me tell you about this cool game we’re playing. First things first, each player gets their own player board. Just pick a random one and place it in front of you. Easy peasy, right? But wait, there’s more! You also get:

• I start the game with one black farmer and either one blue or one yellow laborer, depending on the color of the first covered wagon on my board. I place them onto my board.
• I also start with two copper coins, which I place onto the first two barn spaces on my board. In addition, I place one brown cube, representing wood, onto one of the square storage spaces in the wood district in the upper right-hand corner of my board.
• I have a colored player figure with a hat, which I place onto the town board.

All landscape tiles go into the large bag, and all remaining coins go into the small bag.

First things first. Let’s talk about the game setup. To get started, I break up the year discs into two piles – A and B. Then, I shuffle them separately. Once that’s done, I take the pile of B discs and place it face down in the middle of the town board, which we’ll call E. On top of that, I put the face down pile of A discs. Finally, I turn the topmost disc face up.

Now, let’s talk about laborers and buildings. The number of laborers you’ll need per building depends on the number of players. If there are 1 or 2 players, you’ll need 2 laborers per building. If there are 3 players, you’ll need 3 laborers per building. And if there are 4 players, you’ll need 4 laborers per building.

Next, let’s talk about tiles and buildings. Like laborers, the number of tiles you’ll need per building also depends on the number of players. For 1 or 2 players, you’ll need 2 tiles per building. For 3 players, you’ll need 3 tiles per building. And for 4 players, you’ll need 4 tiles per building.

Lastly, let’s talk about resources and buildings. Just like with tiles and laborers, the number of resources you’ll need per building depends on the number of players. For 1 or 2 players, you’ll need 2 resources per building. For 3 players, you’ll need 3 resources per building. And for 4 players, you’ll need 4 resources per building.

And that’s it! That’s how you set up the game. It may seem a bit confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be building your town in no time. Have fun!

Alright, let’s get started! I’m going to explain how to play this game in a way that’s easy to understand. So here we go:

The game starts with the youngest player. Everyone takes turns in a clockwise direction. Each player gets to choose either the Church (I) or the Town Hall (J). Once they’ve made their choice, they place their player figure on an empty starting space in front of the building they chose. It’s important to fill up the spaces in order, starting with the one closest to the street that goes around town.

Now let’s talk about how the game is played:

The game is divided into eight rounds, which represent eight years. Each year is made up of four seasons, and the players go through them one by one. During each season, different actions take place:

• Spring – New Additions: In this season, players get to expand their farms. They do this by drawing landscape tiles and adding one or two of them to their existing holdings.
• Summer – Work and Harvest: This season is all about putting the farmers and laborers to work on the land. They produce goods during this time.
• Fall Business in town: I move my playing figure around town and choose a building to visit.
• Winter The cold season: Farmers and laborers come back home feeling cold and hungry. They need food and warmth.

Remember: I can play out the spring, summer, and winter seasons all at the same time. But, in the fall, the order of turns matters.

Spring

I expand my farm in the spring.

In summer, I’ll draw a certain number of landscape tiles from the bag. The number of tiles I draw depends on the number indicated in the spring (violet) section of the year disc. It could be 2, 3, or 4 tiles.

Next, I get to choose a certain number of tiles from the ones I drew. The number of tiles I can choose depends on what is indicated, either 1 or 2. I then have the option to place these chosen tiles next to either my player board or the landscape tiles I’ve already placed.

Any remaining tiles that I didn’t choose, I must return to the bag.

Note: The landscape tiles have three attributes: landscape types, fences, and available production spaces. It’s not necessary to place the tiles in a way that matches up all the landscapes and fences, but there are benefits if you do.

The first tile I place must be adjacent to one of the five landscapes shown on my player board. After that, all the subsequent tiles must be placed next to either my player board or the tiles I’ve already placed.

Summer

In this game, you and I will take on the roles of farmers, using our farmer and laborers to work and harvest during the summer season.

First, I need to place each of my farming figures onto a land area. These land areas are made up of different landscapes, which can be as small as a single field or as large as multiple landscapes. We can use the landscapes on our player boards as well.

Remember: We can only place one figure per land area. However, we can have multiple figures on the same landscape tile, as long as they are in different land areas. We can also place figures on multiple land areas of the same color, regardless of the colors of the land areas and figures placed on them.

In the fall, I found myself faced with a fascinating scene. The yellow laborer was hard at work in a small forest area. You see, this area is only big enough for one worker, and as a result, he produced just one brown good. Surprisingly, there were two empty storage spaces available, so he placed his creation there.

Meanwhile, the blue laborer was stationed in a much larger pasture, three times the size of the forest. The pasture was lush and abundant, and under normal circumstances, the blue laborer would produce three white goods. However, this year, white goods were a bonus, which meant he produced four instead! The land couldn’t contain all four goods, so he cleverly placed the extra one in the barn, making use of its extra space.

Not to be outdone, the black farmer gathered three yellow goods from the remaining storage spaces in the land. Just like the other workers, he used the available spaces to store his goods. It was a busy day indeed!

Now, here’s an important note to keep in mind: you have the ability to move goods from the land areas to your barn whenever you like. However, there’s a catch – once a good is in the barn, it cannot be moved back out to the land areas. Similarly, you are not allowed to move goods between land areas of the same type. These rules keep the game fair and balanced.

As we approach the season of fall, I want to offer you a helpful hint. It’s best to use the goods stored in your barn first before depleting the goods out on the land areas. This strategy ensures that you make the most of your resources and stay prepared for the colder months ahead.

Fall: A Season of Abundance and Strategy

In the fall, I get to explore the city, selling stuff, hiring people to help me, and buying materials for my projects. It’s so exciting!

Who gets to go first? Well, it all depends on where our playing figures are on the game board. The player with the figure farthest from the town hall gets to go first, followed by the rest of us based on where our figures are.

But in the first year, things are a little different. The player with the figure on the starting space in front of the church gets to go first.

When it’s my turn, I can move my figure along the street to any empty building I want. Once I get there, I can take the action that building offers. However, if the building has a sign in front of it, that means I have to pay a cost to use it.

If you don’t have enough money, you can’t move into the building. Each player can only use a building once, and then it’s the next player’s turn. You can move around the whole town and end up back where you started if you want. You can also choose to pass and not move or use a building.

But remember, you can’t use a building if another player is already there. Svenson’s and Soebuck’s are the only exceptions, as they can accommodate two players.

When you pass by the Town Hall or the Church Bazaar, you have to pay one coin from your barn. If you can’t or don’t want to pay, you can take a neighborly help tile from the supply and put it in front of you, “3 goods” side up.

You can give back the tile anytime by returning any 3 goods to the supply. If you get another neighborly help tile later, you also flip the first tile (that hasn’t been paid back yet) over. It can’t be returned anymore.

So you’ll always have just one neighborly help tile that you can give back. Any flipped-over neighborly help tiles you have at the end of the game are worth -2 points each.

So, there are these five different types of buildings, and each one does something different. Let me break it down for you:

A Post Office & Church: When you have one of these buildings, you get two free goods. You can take any two goods you want from the supply and put them in your barn. It’s like a little bonus for you.

B Lodge, Hotel, Saloon: Now, these buildings are a bit different. You have to pay to build them, but once you do, you get to choose a laborer. The laborer joins your team, but they won’t actually start working until after winter. And the nice thing is, since they join later, you don’t have to worry about feeding them this year. So, it’s a win-win.

C Carpenter & Johansen’s Mill: These buildings also cost money to build, but they come with a cool feature. You get to pick a building tile, like a hut or a barn, and add it to your player board. If you choose the barn, it increases your storage space for goods by two. So, you can keep more stuff. And if you choose the hut, it helps keep you warm in the winter by reducing the amount of firewood you need. Pretty handy, right?

Welcome to D Svenson’s & Soebuck’s! Pay for the construction and pick an improvement tile. Put the tile on your player board where it fits. These tiles give you extra victory points when the game ends.

Come on over to the General Stores! Sell one of each type of goods mentioned (up to three goods). Take the goods from your barn or land area storage and give them back to the supply.

Get a random coin from the bag for each sold good. Put them face-down in your barn. If you don’t have enough space, put the extra coins back in the bag. And guess what? If you sell the good that matches the season on the year disc, you get an extra coin!

When winter arrives, all of us farmers and laborers head back to our cozy huts and gather around the warm campfires. During this time, there are a few things we need to take care of:

In order to provide sustenance for my workers, I must ensure that each laborer receives the appropriate food. Just like their colorful attire, each laborer has a specific appetite. The yellow workers require grain, the blue workers crave fish, and the white workers enjoy dairy. These foods are represented by goods of the corresponding color.

Under normal circumstances, each laborer only needs one good to satisfy their hunger. However, during the winter season, the laborers of the color indicated by the winter section of the year disc have a heartier appetite. They will require two goods instead of one. It’s a bit perplexing why the winter season makes them so ravenous, but that’s just the way it is.

To ensure that my workers are well-fed, I must take the necessary goods from my barn or from storage areas on the land. If I don’t have enough food to feed my laborers with, I have to ask for help from my generous neighbors. For each missing food, I must plead for a neighborly help tile.

Providing enough food for my workers is essential for their well-being and keeping the farm running smoothly. It’s a delicate balance, one that requires careful planning and resource management. But when everything falls into place and my workers are satisfied, the rewards are bountiful.

Let’s talk about keeping the campfires going. You know those fire symbols on the year disc? Well, for each one, you need to give up a wood. If you have any laborers living in covered wagons, you’ll need to give up an extra wood for each campsite they occupy. Just take the wood from your barn or land area and return it to the supply. But here’s the thing: if you don’t have enough wood to keep all your laborers warm, you’ll need to take a neighborly help tile for each wood you’re missing.

Oh, and don’t worry about heating unoccupied campsites – you don’t need to pay wood for those!

Once winter is over, the year comes to an end. If you hired any new laborers in the fall, they’ll join the game now. The old year’s disc is removed from the game board and the next one is turned over.

At the end of the eighth year, it’s time for final scoring.

Oh, and this winter, the blue laborers are extra hungry. They’ll need 2 blue goods each!

The Game’s End

So, here’s the deal: the game ends when we reach the eighth year, and that’s when we start tallying up the points to see who’s in the lead. The thing is, those points are based on how well you’ve built up your farm. It’s all about the development, you know?

Hey there! Let me break down the victory point system for you in a simpler way. It’s really important to understand how you can score big in this game. So pay close attention!

First off, you’ll earn 1 victory point for every area that’s completely surrounded by a fence. And don’t worry, the land within the fence doesn’t have to be all the same type. Just make sure it’s all enclosed.

Next, you’ll get 2 victory points for each farmer and laborer you have. These hardworking folks are worth their weight in gold, or should I say victory points?

Now, let’s talk about your huts and barns. Each one of these buildings will get you 1 victory point, including the ones you started the game with. So make sure to build ’em up!

Speaking of gold, you’ll earn 2 victory points for each gold coin and 1 victory point for each silver coin. But sorry, copper coins are worth absolutely zilch. Don’t waste your time with those!

Keep in mind that there’s a bit of a downside too. You’ll lose 2 minus points for any flipped-over or unreturned neighborly help tile. So try to keep those in check.

And finally, we have improvement tiles. These can really boost your score. For each improvement tile you have on your farm, you’ll earn victory points. It’s simple – each tile is worth 2 victory points, including the tent itself. So make sure to improve your farm as much as you can!

Step Stool: Every barn and hut you possess will grant you an extra victory point (including the initial one).

Hello there! Let’s talk about the “Safe” action in the game, shall we? It’s a really important move to consider when you’re strategizing. I’m going to break it down for you in a way that’s easy to understand.

So, when you choose the “Safe” action, every single one of your coins becomes more valuable. That’s pretty cool, right? Each and every coin you have is worth an extra victory point. It doesn’t matter if the coin is worth a little or a lot – the victory point bonus is the same, no matter what.

Now, some might wonder why this is such a big deal. Well, let me tell you. In this game, victory points are how we keep score. The more victory points you have, the better you’re doing. So, getting extra points for each coin you have can really make a difference. It’s like a secret weapon that can help you win the game in the end.

But here’s the catch – the “Safe” action is a bit of a gamble. It’s a risky move, but it can pay off big time. You see, if you choose the “Safe” action and someone else chooses a different action, like “Attack” or “Steal,” then your victory points will stay safe. But if two or more players choose “Safe,” things get interesting.

If two or more players choose “Safe,” their coins don’t just stay safe anymore. Nope, they have to prove it! They have to decide who has the most valuable coins and settle it with a little competition. They’ll compare their coin values and see who comes out on top. The player with the highest total coin value gets all the bonus victory points.

So, the “Safe” action is all about making your coins more valuable. It’s a way to give yourself a little boost, to make every coin count. And hey, who doesn’t want to score more victory points? Just remember, if you choose “Safe” and others do too, you better be ready to back up your claim. Good luck!

Warehouse: In my barn, every item is worth 1 victory point. It’s like a treasure chest of victory!

Gateway: I want to talk to you about something important called “Gateway.” Did you know that your biggest area of land, which is made up of the same type of landscape, is very valuable? In fact, it’s worth 1 victory point for each tile that is part of that area.

Horses: When you have fenced-in areas, each of them adds 1 extra victory point to your total.

Fountain: I want to let you in on a little secret – each of your farmers and laborers are worth an additional victory point. Pretty cool, right?

The player with the most victory points wins the game. It’s as simple as that.

Now, let’s say there’s a tie. In that case, the winner is the player who has the most goods cubes left in their barns and storage spaces. It’s all about making the most out of what you’ve got!

Solo Game

Here’s the exciting part – Walnut Grove can also be played solo. If you’re up for the challenge, your goal is to reach at least 25 points to claim victory.

If you consider yourself an experienced player, aim for 30 points. And for the true experts out there, set your sights on 35 points or more. Are you ready to test your skills?