Caverna: The Cave Farmers
- Designer Uwe Rosenberg
- Publisher Lookout Games , 999 Games , CrowD Games , Devir , Filosofia Éditions
- Illustration Javier González Cava , Klemens Franz
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Start for freeWhat to Expect
You lead a dwarf family, cultivate the woodland, furnish cave rooms and dig mines. Gameplay mixes Worker Placement, Tile Placement and Automatic Resource Growth as you balance farming, animal husbandry and mining. You can expand your family and send farmers on quests to gain bonuses. The game is a redesign of Agricola’s ideas with added cave mechanics and new animals like dogs and donkeys.
Who Is This Game For?
Aimed at experienced gamers (advanced/enthusiast level) who enjoy long planning-heavy sessions. With a playtime around 210 minutes, it suits extended game nights. New players should allow time to learn rules; a solo variant is available.
How It Works
Players allocate workers to actions (Worker Placement) to gather resources, build or claim actions (Turn Order: Claim Action) and place tiles for cave rooms (Tile Placement). Resources can grow automatically over time (Automatic Resource Growth) and there is a Solo/Solitaire mode. Strategic choices revolve around optimizing agriculture, livestock and mining to develop an efficient home board.
What Makes It Special
Designed by Uwe Rosenberg, Caverna keeps elements of Agricola while introducing caves, mines and new animals (wikipedia_extract_en). It received multiple recognitions at the 2013 Board Game Quest Awards, including winner for Best Strategy/Euro Game. The mix of cave tile placement with engine-like resource growth sets it apart.
Awards
2013
- 2013 Board Game Quest Awards Best Production Values — Nominated
- 2013 Board Game Quest Awards Best Strategy/Euro Game — Winner
- 2013 Board Game Quest Awards Game of the Year — Nominated
- 2013 Jocul Anului în România Advanced — Finalist
Pro
- Rich strategic choices through Worker Placement and long-term planning (mechanics).
- Blend of farming and cave/mining development.
- Includes a solo mode for solo play (players.min == 1).
- Varied approaches: agriculture, livestock and mining paths.
Contra
- Very long playtime (~210 minutes) makes it an evening-length commitment.
- High complexity; steeper learning curve for newcomers.
Setting & Atmosphäre
You manage a dwarf family settling a cave and nearby woodlands, converting forest into fields, pastures and mine workings. The theme blends farming, animal husbandry and mining in a slightly fantastical rural setting (wikipedia_extract_en, categories).
Tipp für Einsteiger
Focus your early plays on understanding the balance between farming and cave expansion; use the solo mode to learn cave furnishings without pressure.
Häufige Fragen
Can I play this solo?
Yes. A Solo/Solitaire mode is included (players.min == 1).
How long does a game really take?
The listed duration is about 210 minutes overall, roughly 30 minutes per player; allow extra time for setup and explanation.
What prior experience do I need?
This is a complex worker-placement game suited to experienced players familiar with planning-heavy Euros.
How does this compare to similar games?
Caverna shares gameplay and goals with Agricola but adds cave and mining tile mechanics and different animals.
Is this suitable for families?
Due to complexity and long playtime it’s less suitable as a typical family game; minimum age is 12.
What mechanic makes it special?
The combination of Worker Placement, Tile Placement for caves and Automatic Resource Growth defines its core feeling.
Fazit
Caverna is a deep, strategic experience for players who enjoy heavy worker-placement games and long sessions. Recommended if you value planning and variety; not ideal for quick family play.
