The box art for Pioneer Days board game is awash in sunshine and smiles, depicting a diverse group of characters who seem to be thoroughly enjoying their outdoor adventure. Having learned a fair bit about the realities of westward migration along the Oregon Trail back in school, it’s clear that the historical journey was far from idyllic. It was a harsh trek marked by starvation, disease, and death. The infamous Donner Party, known for their tragic turn to cannibalism, serves as a stark reminder of the desperation faced by many pioneers.
While some individuals undoubtedly found fortune and opportunity venturing westward, particularly during the Gold Rush, the majority encountered hardship. The well-worn adage about those who profited most during the Gold Rush being the ones selling shovels rings true. Despite the grim realities, a romanticized vision of the pioneer days persists, and Pioneer Days the board game wholeheartedly embraces this more optimistic portrayal.
However, Matthew Dunstan and Chris Marling’s Pioneer Days isn’t entirely without its challenges. As players progress, encountering townsfolk, gathering essential supplies, and managing cattle, they must also contend with four distinct disaster progression tracks. These tracks, when triggered, unleash negative effects upon all players. Perhaps disease strikes, forcing everyone to expend precious medicine to keep their accompanying townsfolk alive. Or maybe a raid occurs, resulting in the loss of a significant portion of hard-earned money.
These disasters are more akin to minor setbacks than apocalyptic events. The crushing existential weight found in games like Agricola is notably absent. For many, this lighter approach will likely be a positive aspect, though some players might find it a bit underwhelming in terms of thematic depth. The most interesting facet of the disaster system lies in its somewhat collective progression mechanism.
Pioneer Days is built around dice drafting. Each round begins with a pool of dice equal to the number of players plus one. The color of the die left undrafted at the end of the round dictates which disaster track advances. If a dreaded black die remains, all four disaster tracks progress. Avoiding this outcome would be straightforward, except that the benefits dice offer are tied to their symbols, not their colors.
Drafting a die presents players with a crucial choice: acquire the resource depicted on the die, gain money (also symbol-dependent), or recruit a new townsfolk member. The decision-making process is clear and concise, with each of the three options often presenting compelling advantages depending on the current game state.
Money and resources function in familiar eurogame fashion, enabling various actions and contributing to scoring. Equipment tiles stand out as particularly impactful. These tiles provide passive bonuses, and the most potent among them grant free resources when players draft dice displaying specific symbols. In practice, equipment of this nature can be incredibly powerful, potentially doubling or tripling the efficiency of a single action. In several playthroughs, leveraging these equipment bonuses has paved the way to relatively comfortable victories.
This dynamic raises concerns about a potential first-player advantage, or more accurately, an advantage for the first player who manages to acquire a strong equipment tile early on. While opponents can strategically try to deny a benefiting player dice of a specific color or symbol, this often entails making a less optimal play for themselves. Similarly, other players can rush to acquire equipment themselves, but this is subject to dice rolls and the random availability of equipment tiles each round. While not game-breaking, this element can create an early advantage for an experienced or fortunate player. After a few games, it wasn’t uncommon to sense a slight air of resignation from opponents when a key piece of equipment was snatched up early in round one.
Townsfolk cards offer passive benefits that tend to support longer-term strategies. The game encourages a degree of diversification, but townsfolk can mitigate the drawbacks of more specialized approaches. In one game, for example, accumulating a large amount of gold became viable thanks to townsfolk who facilitated wagon management and enhanced the victory point value of gold.
To enhance replayability and strategic variation, Pioneer Days includes five townsfolk decks, of which only two are used in any given game. Each deck features a subtle thematic focus, allowing for shifts in gameplay emphasis depending on the chosen combination.
However, townsfolk also introduce one of the more frustrating aspects of Pioneer Days. Many cards reference terms and mechanics that are surprisingly undefined in the rulebook. It’s rare to encounter a game requiring so many on-the-fly rule interpretations. A dedicated page in the rulebook clarifying key terms seems conspicuously absent. While the ad hoc rulings made during playtesting seemed logical and consistent, players who demand absolute rules clarity and adherence may find themselves perplexed and frustrated.
Gameplay progresses through rounds of dice drafting, disaster mitigation, and striving for efficient victory point accumulation. Several paths to victory points exist, each with its own nuances, yet they appear to be relatively balanced in viability. Cattle, for instance, yield points at the end of each of the game’s five weeks but require ongoing upkeep. Gold scores at game’s end and occupies minimal wagon space. Townsfolk also demand maintenance but provide points based on resource holdings. Each week, players encounter towns where resources can be spent to gain additional points. The overall scoring system leans towards a “point salad” approach, rewarding both long-term strategic planning and opportunistic tactical decisions.
It’s easy to get caught up describing game mechanics and inadvertently make a game sound dry and unexciting. In reality, Pioneer Days is far from dull, but it is undeniably safe. It’s a well-designed game with appealing (though occasionally inconsistent) artwork. During play, you might find yourself thinking, “yes, that’s a clever touch,” and indeed, it is. This “niceness” is both the game’s greatest strength and its primary weakness. In a two-player game, manipulating the disaster track to hinder an opponent becomes more feasible. However, resources are generally plentiful enough that disasters rarely feel overly punishing. While a fortunate combination of townsfolk and equipment might propel a player ahead, much of this is influenced by the luck of the draw.
Pioneer Days delivers precisely what its cover suggests: a pleasant, low-stakes journey through the 19th-century countryside. The diverse cast of characters injects some personality and variety into the gameplay. The TMG logo on the box hints at player-specific powers, a common feature in their published titles. The looming disaster tracks introduce a touch of push-your-luck decision-making. Playing Pioneer Days is akin to settling in to watch a familiar sitcom. The broad strokes are predictable, yet comforting, and the subtle details frequently elicit a smile.
Review copy provided by publisher
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Score: 7/10
Summary
+Interesting dice-based decision making
+Pseudo cooperation with the disaster track is novel
+Decent variability with townsfolk decks
-Inconsistent artwork
-Some powers seem uneven
-A bit too soft
More Info
2-4 Players
Length: 1 Hour
Learning Curve: 3/5
Brain Burn: 3/5
