Today we have a look at Apiary. Apiary is a fascinating board game that combines worker placement, resource management, and strategic planning. Designed by Connie Vogelmann and published by Stonemaier Games, it takes players on an interstellar journey where they control unique factions of hyper-intelligent bees who have evolved to fill the void left by humans. With its thematic depth and complex mechanics, Apiary offers a rich gaming experience that stands out in the crowded board game market.
Stonemaier also has many other games that we reviewed on BoardGamesLand, such as Wingspan and Vantage. However, Apiary is one of their top games. Let’s delve a little bit deeper and see where Apiary fits in the different types of board games.
Components and Artwork
One of the most striking aspects of Apiary is its exceptional components and artwork. The game features a double-sided game board tailored for different player counts, ensuring an optimal experience whether you’re playing with a smaller group or an entire table. The board is beautifully illustrated with vibrant colors and intricate designs that bring the interstellar bee theme to life.
As shown on the image below, one side of the game board is for 1-3 players, and the other side is for 4-5 players.
Each player receives a unique hive mat and faction tile, which provide asymmetrical abilities and feature stunning artwork reflecting the characteristics of each bee faction. The hive mats are designed to be intuitive, with clear iconography and well-organized sections for resources, workers, and structures.
The custom wooden resources, including fiber, pollen, honey, wax, and water tokens are tactile and thematic, enhancing the overall immersion in the game’s universe. These pieces are painted in bright colors that stand out on the board and are easily differentiated during gameplay.
The Queen Ship miniature adds a delightful 3D element to the game and serves as a centerpiece on the board. However, it can be a bit finicky to fit on its stand correctly. Adding a strip of tape around the end of the rod or gluing it into place can help secure it better.
Apiary also has a well-designed insert that neatly holds sleeved cards and other components, making setup and teardown relatively quick. The insert includes an easy-to-setup resource tray that keeps all the wooden tokens organized and accessible during play.
The Technology tiles in Apiary offer powerful bonuses and abilities that players can develop to gain an edge in the game. These tiles are illustrated with clear symbols and effects, making them easy to understand and integrate into gameplay. Their design ensures that players can quickly grasp the benefits they provide, allowing for strategic planning and efficient resource management.
Also, the Planet Tiles serve as key locations for exploration and resource gathering. Each tile features unique artwork depicting various celestial bodies, adding thematic depth and visual appeal to the game. The distinct designs of the planet tiles not only enhance the game’s aesthetic but also help players easily identify and strategize around the different resources and opportunities each planet offers.
The game’s cards (59 in total) are printed on durable cardstock with a linen finish, ensuring they withstand multiple plays without showing signs of wear. The rulebooks are comprehensive yet clear, making it easy for new players to learn the rules while providing detailed information for more experienced gamers.
Kwanchai Moriya’s illustrations bring a vibrant and whimsical feel to the game while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic that ties all components together seamlessly. From detailed planet tiles to beautifully illustrated seed cards, every element of Apiary is infused with personality and charm.
Overall, Apiary’s components and artwork set a high standard for modern board games. The combination of stunning visuals, high-quality materials, and thoughtful design choices create an immersive gaming experience that is both aesthetically pleasing and functionally robust.
How to Setup Apiary
To set up Apiary, start by placing the double-sided game board in the center of the table and choosing the side based on the number of players. Next, shuffle the planet tiles and place them face-down on their designated spaces around the board. Arrange the resource tray with pollen, fiber, honey, wax and water tokens within easy reach of all players.
Each player selects a faction tile and its corresponding hive mat, ensuring everyone has a unique faction with distinct abilities. Players then take their starting workers and place their Queen Ship miniature on their hive mat. Shuffle the seed cards and deal two to each player; each player keeps one and discards the other. Put the rest into the research area of the board.
Shuffle the technology tiles and place 3 of them face-up for each type in their designated area on the board and put the rest facedown next to each type. Distribute starting resources to each player based on their faction’s abilities as indicated on their faction tile. Finally, ensure all rulebooks, reference sheets, and additional components are accessible for quick reference during gameplay.
The image above shows the whole board game setup.
With everything in place, you’re ready to dive into the interstellar world of Apiary!
Gameplay Mechanics
Apiary’s core gameplay mechanics revolve around worker placement with a unique twist—workers have strengths that increase when they are bumped or retrieved. Each player starts with a hive mat and a few worker bees, aiming to explore planets, gather resources, develop technologies, and create carvings to earn victory points. This classic style of worker placement makes Apiary a good gateway game.
Worker Strength & Bumping Mechanic
Workers begin with a base strength of one, but this can grow through bumping or retrieval. When you place a worker in an occupied space, it bumps the existing worker back to its owner’s hive mat, increasing that worker’s strength by one if that player chooses to. Alternatively, they can place it in the landing area and retrieve it later increasing it to the next level. This mechanic adds a layer of strategic depth—do you increase your worker now for immediate benefits or wait for a perfect retrieve action?
A player can retreat his bee workers to his docking mat, where they gather resources from farms, are placed in the active pool, and level up.
Exploration & Planet Tiles
Exploration involves sending your Queen Ship to various planet tiles, each offering basic resources like pollen, fiber, and water. Strategic positioning is key as players compete for landing on high-value planets, making the exploration phase both competitive and rewarding. On the other hand, the first player who explores a planet receives an exploration token bonus.
Teaching Dances
Unlock powerful abilities by teaching dances to your bees. Each player can teach different dances that provide unique conversions. Timing and resource allocation are crucial, as the proper dance at the right moment can significantly sway the game in your favor.
Resource Management
Efficiently collecting and using three primary resources—pollen, fiber, and water—is essential. These resources fuel your hive’s growth, allowing you to teach dances, build farms, and recruit specialists. Balancing short-term needs with long-term goals is the heart of Apiary’s resource management.
Hibernation & Flow Structure
Workers have a limited number of actions before they must hibernate after level 4, adding urgency to each decision. Hibernating workers are removed from the board and hibernation tokens are placed in the hive’s hibernation chamber. Managing hibernation timing is crucial to maintain action efficiency and keep your strategy on track.
Creating Carvings
Creating carvings within your hive earns victory points and provides different endgame scoring. Strategically choosing these carvings is vital to maximizing their benefits and steering your path to victory. For example if you have a carving that gives you 4 points per planted seed card and no seed cards it is best to choose something else.
Multiple Paths to Victory
Apiary offers diverse strategies, from exploring planets and developing technologies to creating intricate carvings. Each game is rich with strategic choices, ensuring every game is unique.
In summary, Apiary’s gameplay mechanics offer deep strategic gameplay that rewards careful planning and adaptability. Combining worker placement with increasing strength, hibernation timing, resource management, exploration, teaching dances, technology development, and carving creation ensures a rich and engaging experience.
Can You Master the Dance of the Bees
One of Apiary’s most unique and captivating aspects is its innovative “Dance” mechanic. In Apiary, teaching and performing dances is not just thematic but a crucial strategic element that can dramatically influence the game.
Teaching a dance requires careful planning and resource management. Once a dance is taught, it provides ongoing advantages that can turn the tide in your favor. Each player has the potential to make different dances, adding asymmetry and strategic depth.
When a player teaches a dance they first need to select a dance tile and modify it with dance tokens. They can choose any dance tokens they want, resulting into some very strange conversions like spend seed card and water for 2 victory points and another seed card effectively allowing players not only to gain points but to cycle through their seed cards. Another example is moving back on the queen track in favor of some other more expensive resource like honey.
The Dance mechanic adds surprise and adaptability, requiring players to monitor opponents’ progress and anticipate their next moves. This dynamic interaction keeps everyone engaged throughout the game.
The thematic integration of dancing bees ties beautifully into the game’s narrative and enhances immersion. Mastering the Dance of the Bees challenges players to think ahead, adapt, and leverage their unique faction abilities.
So, can you master the Dance of the Bees? This question will keep you returning to Apiary, eager to explore new strategies and discover all the possibilities this innovative mechanic offers.
Asymmetry and Replayability
One of Apiary’s standout features is its asymmetry. With 20 unique factions, each offering distinct abilities and starting conditions, no two games feel the same. This asymmetry also extends to the hive mats, which offer different layouts and bonuses. The combination of faction abilities and hive layouts provides endless strategic possibilities and encourages players to experiment with different approaches.
The variety of planet tiles and seed cards that come into play further enhances replayability. Each planet offers unique combination of resources and challenges, while seed cards provide additional goals and rewards. The dynamic setup ensures that no two games unfold in the same way, keeping players engaged and coming back for more.
Strategic Depth
Apiary offers deep strategic gameplay that rewards careful planning and adaptability. Players must balance short-term gains with long-term goals, manage their resources efficiently, and anticipate their opponent’s moves. The bumping mechanic adds an element of interaction as players can indirectly influence each other’s plans by displacing workers from valuable action spaces.
The game also features multiple paths to victory. Players can focus on exploring planets for resources, developing their hive, planting seed cards, or creating intricate carvings within their hives. This diversity of strategies ensures that players can tailor their approach based on their faction’s strengths and the evolving state of the game. It is a fun and strategic euro board game that incorporates resources and various components, enhancing the overall enjoyment and depth of the gameplay.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Stunning Artwork and Components: Beautiful illustrations and high-quality wooden resources, complemented by a well-designed insert for easy setup and storage.
- Deep Strategic Gameplay: Unique worker strength and bumping mechanic, offering multiple paths to victory and diverse strategies to explore.
- High Replayability: With 20 unique factions, each offering distinct abilities, alongside a dynamic setup featuring various planet tiles and seed cards, ensuring every game feels fresh and engaging.
- Innovative Dance Mechanic: Unlocks powerful abilities through teaching dances, adding strategic depth and requiring players to adapt to dynamic challenges.
- Engaging Theme: In an immersive narrative, hyper-intelligent bees navigate the vastness of space, with thematic integration deepening the experience and enriching their cosmic journey.
Cons
- Initial Learning Curve: Rules can be daunting for new players. It requires a few rounds to grasp the mechanics fully.
- Component Issues: Some minor issues include fitting the QueenShip on its stand. It may need minor DIY fixes.
- Analysis Paralysis: Deep strategy may slow down decision-making. It is noticeable in larger groups or with new players.
- Space Requirement: Requires significant table space. Player board are expandable so table space management is crucial.
Overall, Apiary offers rich strategic gameplay and high replayability, making it a standout addition to any board game collection despite a few minor drawbacks.
Final Thoughts
Apiary stands out among modern board games thanks to its unique theme, engaging mechanics, and beautiful presentation—all hallmarks of Stonemaier Games’ commitment to quality innovation within the industry itself!
This game reminds us of First Rat, as both share a similar concept of anthropomorphized animals working towards a goal. In this case, we have bees, while First Rat features rats. This thematic similarity creates a connection between the two games. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran looking for the next big challenge or a casual enthusiast seeking something extraordinary, share with friends and family alike—you won’t disappointed to add this gem collection today!
Overall rating: 9/10
