A sheep learning curve for James!

Two days after games night was postponed due to Chris’ cold, James was summoned  and promised a germ-free night of farm warfare. Agricola was strewn across the table, leaving barely enough room for a huge and rarely seen bar of Ritter Sport chocolate. This was the night the occupation and minor improvement cards were to be added to James’ training in board games. Scarred by the leap from counting apples in primary school to quadratic equations in secondary school, it was with some trepidation James fanned out two extra hands of cards. But the extra/advanced components were much enjoyed.

James had previously had some unexpected success from merely feeding his farmers, upgrading their home and then fencing off the whole farm without putting anything in it. He hoped to find a tactic more in keeping with the game. One with some farming involved.

Chris was soon ploughing and sowing and knocking up a few pastures. James’ masterplans all seemed to require far more rounds than the game allowed and he sweated under an end-is-all-too-nigh cloud of anxiety. Buying a riding plow, James churned up fields furiously as Chris looked on with envy. But James struggled to feed his farmers and picked up the begging cards (though two were negated by the mendicant being employed). Chris produced grain and vegetables and even had a lettuce patch on the side. Then he snatched up a veritable hoard of sheep (left to multiply on the space with the absence of notorious sheep-grabber, Paul).

Sweeping up the fruits of his orchard and his well, James finished neatly, mental arithmetic almost audible as he racked up the points in the final round, while adding a good showing of cattle. But that left more sheep for Chris, who squashed them together, battery-style. Even so, James felt confident of a victory with only a slight worry about Chris’ vegetable department. So it was with some shock that Chris’ score was quite a lot higher! James was happier that his finished gameboard actually featured farming this time, but there were no bonus points for happiness.

Final score: Chris 46, James 31.

Out came Roll Through The Ages, and having feared catching something horrible from Chris a few days earlier, it was Chris who caught a double-dose of well-rolled plague from James. Floundering as James lobbed yet more cracking dice rolls, Chris brought the game to an early end before the gap between scores widened to humiliating levels.

Final score James 21, Chris 19