Andrew Meredith

This game is a must have. I finally have a simple game I can break out for gamers, or more importantly for family members who are not gamers and provide a game with simplicity and beauty that they will enjoy. This does not require as much thought as Small World (my normal gateway game) but each decision is important for each individual. Definitely pick up this game.
Each of the decisions is unique, and all decisions add up together in order to total a players Victory Points (which are totaled for the most part while the game takes place.)
I appreciated the cute art, while I was very glad it was not stereotypical Anime style but the French Artist Naiade’s take on Japan.

I have been an Uwe Rosenberg fan since Agricola came out. And while I love Agricola and have a higher chance of getting my wife to play that, Ora et Labora is in my opinion the height of Uwe’s abilities. He took all he learned from Agricola, Le Havre, and Loyang, and perfected it. Gone is the harsh reality of “eeking out a living” on a farm, where you struggle to feed your family while barely making a solid farm. In the case of Ora et Labora, you continually work to use your own buildings and the buildings of your opponents.
The number of resource chits is astounding, and while it may seem a bit dissapointing that the woodies are limited to 1 each, once you’ve played teh game, it is obvious why the publisher decided to do this. If each of the resources was made in woodies, yes, they would be a fantastic addition, but the game’s value would have doubled in price, if not tripled.

While this is not an easy game to learn, it is not as hard as Le Havre. Work your way through a turn, and you’ll be rewarded. This is not a game you’ll need to play one turn and then start over. Simply follow the rules for set-up and play, and when you’ve played through the game, go back and read all the hints that Uwe Rosenberg has personally given you. This is a game with no secret knowledge. The creator himself tells you why you would want a particular building on your lands.

If you have not had a chance to play this game, seriously consider doing so, if you’re into Farming games.
Good luck!

If you’re already into Wargaming, this is a great way to increase your tactical ability. If you are not into wargames yet, this is one of the best ways to start. As you build your army, you can start playing (as opposed to other big wargames that require you have a full 1500+ point army in order to actually “get” how the game plays.

Each army is well balanced, and also has their own style. Honestly, given the constant product support Privateer Press offers, just go with the faction that looks coolest to you. It is important to note that both Hordes and Warmachine are the same system, but use a different magic system each. In Warmachine, you use a Warcaster who allocates out their magic for themselves and the Warjacks (steam powered robots, essentially), whereas in Hordes, an army’s leader is a Warlock who aggrevates the monsters under their control in order to gain magic for their own spells.