GamingReviews

Takenoko: A Review

Irrigation Channel

The player takes an irrigation channel from the reserve.  Irrigation can be put into play immediately or stored in subsequent rounds.  If a player has an irrigation channel in his reserve, it can be used at any time during his turn; this does not count as an action.   Irrigations are placed on the border of two plots and form a network that always starts from the corner of the special “pond tile.”

A plot is irrigated if it has at least one of the following conditions:

  1. It is adjacent to the special “pond tile,” in which case irrigation is automatic.
  2. At least one of its six edges hosts an irrigation channel.
  3. It has a watershed improvement.

When a plot is irrigated fro the first time, a section of bamboo of its color is added.  A plot is eligible for this first shoot only once.  If an irrigation channel irrigates to plots simultaneously, a a section of bamboo is added to each.

Gardener

The player moves the gardener in a straight line, any number of plots in the direction of his choice.  The gardener is only allowed to move over plots, not empty spaces between plots.   he grows a section of bamboo on the plot where he finishes his move as well as on all directly adjacent plots of the same color.

If a plot has bamboo at a height of four sections, then no section is added, because four sections in the maximum size of a bamboo shoot.

Remember:  Sections never grow in non-irrigated plots even if the gardener finished his move on the plot or on an adjacent lot.

Panda

The player moves the panda in a straight line, any number of plots in the direction of his choice.  The panda is only allowed to move over plots not empty spaces between plots.

The panda eats a bamboo section from the plot where he finishes his movement.

The player keeps this bamboo section on his individual board.  It can be used to fulfill a Giant panda objective.

Details on movements:  The Panda and Gardener can cross or end their movement on the special “pond tile.”  They cannot cross an empty space between two plots and must stop before the empty space.  To benefit from their action, a player must move them at lest one space.

Objectives

The player draws an objective card of the category of their choosing and adds it to his hand.

Remember:  a player can only have a maximum of five cards.  If a player has five cards in their hand they cannot draw a sixth card.  They must complete at least one objective before drawing again.

Plot Objectives:  These cards represent three or four adjacent plots.To fulfill this objective, the configuration shown on the card must be reflected in the bamboo garden.  To be a valid combination it must be entirely composed of irrigated plots.

Gardener Objectives:  These cards represent either:  a bamboo shoot of four sections, with a specific improvement, a bamboo shoot of four sections, without improvement, a group of several bamboo shoot of three sections without any improvement constraints.  To fulfill this objective, the configuration shown on the card must be reflected in the bamboo garden.

Panda Objectives:  These cards represent two or three bamboo sections.  To fulfill this objective the player must have the required sections on their individual board.  These sections must be put back into the reserve after the objective is completed.

Improvements

The improvements can be built into a plot (in which case they are printed on the plot) or can be added if a player has acquired an improvement chip thanks to the “Clouds” weather condition.  If a player has an improvement in his reserve, it can be used at any time during his turn; this does not count as an action.

Improvements can only be added to plots were bamboo has not yet grown (this means plot which were just placed, plots which are not irrigated,  and plots where the panda has just eaten everything!).

Each plot can have one and only one Improvement (whether built-in or added), and if not possible to change it later.

Enclosure:  The enclosure protects the bamboo in its plot.  The panda can move across or stop here, but he cannot eat any bamboo there.

Fertilizer:  Fertilizer increases the growth of bamboo on its plot.  Each time the bamboo grows, two sections are added instead of one (subject to the usual four sections maximum).

Watershed:  the watershed provides the bamboo in its plot all the water it needs.  Therefore this plot does not need to be irrigated and automatically benefits from the addition of first growth related to irrigation.  A watershed cannot be used as the beginning of a new irrigation system.

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Steve "Megatron"

Co-Creator @GeekCastRadio | Creator @AlteredGeek | Voice Actor | Podcaster, Husband | Father | Web/Graphic Design | A/V Editor | Geek of Games, Tech, Film, TV.

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