Squire for Hire

Squire for Hire is that 18‑card mini‑game that makes you feel like a legendary hero’s right hand, but without the sword in your grasp. You start as a random squire, and each turn you try to complete story cards—basically quests—to earn loot (items) that you’ll slot into your bag. Layering comes into play when you cover items with others, which can give you scoring bonuses or simply hide the trash that takes points away. Each item occupies a number of spaces in the bag, so you have to plan where to place what, remembering that identical items next to each other score extra points. When the story deck runs out, the final tally is made: 1 point per item, 1 point per pair of identical items, plus bonuses based on your squire card. Visible trash items deduct 1 point, so it’s good to cover them. The game is quick, 15‑25 minutes, and works well for 1 or 2 players. If you like inventory management, layering pieces, and competing against yourself in solo mode, Squire for Hire is a great light‑strategy challenge. The components are simple: 18 loot cards, 18 story cards, and 2 squire cards. The design is accessible, with no complex math, but the overlap and space‑management demands focus. The board‑gaming community loves the anthropomorphic animal theme and fantasy aesthetic. If you’ve played games like 7 Wonders or Decrypto, you’ll find the set‑collection and tile‑placement mechanics familiar. In short, it’s a compact, fun, and strategic game—perfect for a quick game night or honing planning skills.