# The Wolves ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2022 - **BGG Rating**: 7.2 - **BGG Rank**: #1068 - **Players**: 2-5 (Best with: 3) - **Duration**: 75 min - **Weight**: 2.82 / 5 - **Designers**: Ashwin Kamath, Clarence Simpson - **Artists**: Pauliina Linjama - **Publishers**: Pandasaurus Games, 999 Games, Boardgame Mall, BoardGamePlanet, Evrikus, Games7Days, Gigamic, Giochi Uniti, Hachette Boardgames Benelux, MEBO Games, MINDOK, Portal Games, Skellig Games, Vagabund - **Categories**: Animals, Territory Building - **Mechanics**: Area Majority / Influence, Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid, Modular Board, Take That, Variable Set-up ## Verdict If you enjoy area control games with a strong animal theme and a tactical twist in action management, The Wolves will hook you! It's a territory dispute with a tile-flipping mechanic that makes you think ahead.Thematic area controlClever action mechanicPlayer interactionHigh replayabilityCan have some 'take that'Initial learning curveStrategy dependentRECOMMENDED ## Description Get ready to howl at the moon! In The Wolves, you take on the role of a wolf leader, commanding your pack in a fierce struggle for territory and dominance. The goal is straightforward: build the strongest and most influential pack by hunting prey and expanding your control over the hexagonal map. But beware, the wild is unforgiving, and your rival wolves won't make things easy. Luring members of opposing packs to your side is a valid tactic, so keep an eye on who's lurking nearby. The game shines with an ingenious action-selection mechanism. Each move involves flipping terrain tiles, and the actions you take today shape the options available to you tomorrow. This naturalist's chess match adds an interesting tactical layer, as you need to think not only about the present but also about how to set the stage for future rounds. As your pack grows and conquers new areas, you can also upgrade your wolves' attributes, unlocking more powerful and aggressive abilities. Three mid-game scoring phases keep the tension high, assessing who dominates each region. In the end, points accumulated from hunts and territorial conquests will determine the supreme alpha wolf. It's an immersive experience that captures the essence of the fight for survival and power in the wild. ## How to Play Game Objective You are the leader of a wolf pack. Over the course of a lunar cycle, your goal is to hunt prey through their habitats, recruit Lone Wolves to increase the size of your pack, and fight rival packs for control of territory. To win, you must achieve the highest number of Victory Points (VP). Setup Starting Board: Place the Starting Board Tile (containing the Central Gorge) in the center of the table. Region Board Tiles: Place the Region Board Tiles randomly around the Starting Board Tile. Lone Wolf Tokens: Place 1 Lone Wolf Token on each space that has the corresponding icon. Prey Tokens: Randomly place stacks of two identical Prey on each space with the Prey icon. For 3 players: 1 stack of moose, 1 of deer, 1 of raccoons, 1 of boars, and 2 of rabbits (6 stacks total). For 4 players: 1 stack for each of the 5 Prey types, plus 1 extra stack of rabbits, 1 of raccoons, and 1 of boars (8 stacks total). For 5 players: 2 stacks for each Prey type (10 stacks total). Moon Board: Flip the Moon Board to the side corresponding to the number of players. Region Scoring: Gather the Region Scoring Tokens according to the number of players and randomly place one on each Water Spring space on each Region Board Tile. Scoring Reminders: Place a Region Scoring Reminder Token on the Region Scoring Token with a Crescent Moon. Choose Your Pack: Choose a color and gather 2 Alpha Wolves and 2 Pack Wolves of that color. Place your Player Board in front of you. Player Board Setup: Place your Faction Terrain Tile in the 1st slot at the top. Place the other 5 Terrain Tiles in the remaining slots, ensuring no terrain type is repeated. Place 4 Dens in the designated spaces in the bottom left corner. Place a Lair on top of all numbers in the upper half of the board (except for the smallest number in each section, totaling 12 Lairs). Place 6 Pack Wolves and 2 Alpha Wolves in the designated spaces in the bottom right corner. Wolf Placement: Randomly choose a first player. The first player places 1 Alpha Wolf and 1 Pack Wolf together in an empty space around the Central Gorge. Players continue clockwise to choose a second starting space, which must be empty and on the opposite side of the Central Gorge from the first. Game Flow The game proceeds clockwise. On each turn, the player performs the following steps: Actions: Perform any 2 Actions (you may repeat the same action). The cost of each action is paid by flipping the corresponding Terrain Tiles or discarding Bonus Terrain Tokens. Moon Check: After actions, check the Moon Board to see if Region Scoring has been activated. Note: If a tile is placed on a date on the Moon Board that shows a moon phase, region scoring occurs at the end of the current player's turn. Actions and How to Play Actions are determined by the type of terrain your Terrain Tiles currently show. To perform an action, you must flip the Terrain Tiles that match the target terrain. Available Actions Move: Moves wolves from your pack. The number of wolves is limited by your Pack Dispersion and the distance is limited by your Wolf Speed. Build Lairs: Marks your presence in a region. By building a Lair, you remove a Lair from your Player Board to improve one of your Attributes and gain rewards (such as Bonus Terrain Tokens or VP). To build, an Alpha Wolf must be in or adjacent to the space. Transform a Lair into a Den: Transforms a Lair into a Den (by spending 2 Terrain Tiles). This must be done in a space adjacent to a Water Spring and with an Alpha Wolf present or adjacent. This grants VP and greater control. Howl: Increases the pack by converting a Lone Wolf into a Pack Wolf of your color. This occurs if the Lone Wolf is within the Howl Range of your Alpha Wolf. Dominate: Swaps an opponent's Pack Wolf or Lair for one of your color. This must occur within the Howl Range of your Alpha Wolf. Hunt: If you have wolves in 3 different spaces adjacent to a single Prey Token, you claim that Prey Token. This can yield Bonus Action Tokens. Attributes Attributes are improved by building Lairs and are divided into: Pack Dispersion: Number of wolves that can move per action. Herd Extension: Number of wolves that can move per action. Wolf Speed: Number of spaces a wolf can move. Howl Range: Range of Howl and Dominate actions. End of Game and Scoring The game ends immediately after the end of the turn in which a tile is placed on the Full Moon space on the Moon Board. Final Scoring To determine the winner, sum the following values: All VP Tokens earned in the three phases of Region Scoring. The highest number of VP revealed in each of the 6 areas of your Player Board (referring to your Attributes and Dens). Tie-breaking Criteria In case of a tie in total VP: The player with the most Region Scoring Tokens wins. If the tie persists, the player with the most wolves on the Main Board wins. Tips for Winning Plan your movement: Since your actions depend on which terrains your tiles are flipped to, think ahead so you don't run out of useful actions. Pay attention to the Lunar Cycle: Study the order of the Regions that will be scored to strategically position your pack before the scoring phases. ## FAQ ### What is the average playtime for The Wolves? The game typically takes around 75 minutes to play, depending on the player count and familiarity with the rules. ### How many players can play The Wolves? It is designed for 2 to 5 players, offering a different experience with each group size. ### What is the complexity level of The Wolves? With a medium weight of 2.82/5 on BGG, it's considered a game with accessible rules but enough strategic depth to keep players engaged. ### Does the game have a lot of interaction or is it more 'multiplayer solitaire'? There's a good amount of interaction, especially with the 'Take That' mechanic where you can influence opponents' plans and compete directly for areas. ### Is the game setup time-consuming? Setup involves assembling the modular board and placing initial pieces, which can take a few minutes, but the 'Variable Set-up' mechanic ensures each game is unique. ### Who is The Wolves most recommended for? It's ideal for those who enjoy area control games with an animal theme and an action mechanic that requires both short-term and long-term planning. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 52.52 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6867695&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/42916/the-wolves?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com