—
rating
Ludopedia
7.7
rating
BGG
Our Verdict
RECOMMENDED
Perfect for Hive enthusiasts looking for more strategic layers and piece manipulation.
Highlights
- Adds significant tactical depth
- Innovative movement mechanic
- Compact and easy to carry
Keep in mind
- Increases rule complexity
- Requires base game to play
About the game
What you do in a play session
If you've already mastered the Hive, it's time to introduce a new member: the Pillbug. This expansion adds a pair of tiles that completely shake up the game's positioning dynamics, introducing a manipulation capability that can either save your skin or wreck your opponent's plans. The Pillbug isn't just another piece; it's a movement facilitator.
Basically, the Pillbug can move normally, one space at a time. But the real trick lies in its special ability: it can take any adjacent piece (friend or foe) and 'jump' it over itself into an adjacent empty space. It's like giving a strategic nudge to reorganize the battlefield. But hold on, it's not all fun and games! There are strict rules to prevent abuse: it cannot move the piece the opponent just moved, nor can it move pieces that are already part of a stack. Furthermore, the move cannot break the fundamental 'One Hive' rule or violate the 'Freedom to Move' rule.
The most critical detail is the post-move 'paralysis': any piece physically moved by the Pillbug becomes immobile on the next player's turn. It cannot move, be moved again, or use its special ability. That's the price for the free ride! For those who love chaos, remember that the Mosquito can mimic the Pillbug's abilities, even if the Pillbug itself has been rendered immobile. If the Pillbug is pinned under a Beetle, it remains trapped just like any other piece. It's the perfect dose of extra complexity for those looking to deepen the base game's strategy.
Basically, the Pillbug can move normally, one space at a time. But the real trick lies in its special ability: it can take any adjacent piece (friend or foe) and 'jump' it over itself into an adjacent empty space. It's like giving a strategic nudge to reorganize the battlefield. But hold on, it's not all fun and games! There are strict rules to prevent abuse: it cannot move the piece the opponent just moved, nor can it move pieces that are already part of a stack. Furthermore, the move cannot break the fundamental 'One Hive' rule or violate the 'Freedom to Move' rule.
The most critical detail is the post-move 'paralysis': any piece physically moved by the Pillbug becomes immobile on the next player's turn. It cannot move, be moved again, or use its special ability. That's the price for the free ride! For those who love chaos, remember that the Mosquito can mimic the Pillbug's abilities, even if the Pillbug itself has been rendered immobile. If the Pillbug is pinned under a Beetle, it remains trapped just like any other piece. It's the perfect dose of extra complexity for those looking to deepen the base game's strategy.
Expansion for
Published additional content
Gallery
Box and component photos
Tap any photo to open fullscreen. Photos submitted by the community or publisher.
Rules manual
Official PDF file
Best player count
BGG community vote
2
BEST
Soundtrack
Ambience suggested by Melodice
Loading playlist...
Where to Buy
Prices monitored daily
Finding best prices...
Prices unavailable at this time.
Price history — last 6 months (lowest new offer)
Alert enabled!
Join the BoardGamesBot deals group
Get the best board game deals every day — without message spam.
Join the WhatsApp groupGame details
Mechanics, categories, families and credits
Mechanics
Categories
Families
Publisher
Gen42 Games
Designer
John Yianni
Artist
John Yianni
Community
Data from BoardGameGeek
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy
Do I need the base game to play?
Yes! This is an expansion. You need the original Hive to use the Pillbug pieces.
How many players can play?
Hive is a duel, so it remains exclusively for 2 players.
Does it make the game much harder?
It adds new tactical possibilities and some movement restrictions, so the learning curve goes up slightly, but nothing overwhelming.
What's inside the box?
Just the two Pillbug tiles and the instruction sheet.
How long does a game with the Pillbug take?
The average time remains around 20 minutes, although move analysis might take a bit longer.