Silk Board Game First Impressions

Silk is a game about wrangling silkworms for their silk.

But keep them away from the Ookami!

The Imomushi silkworms can live only in the cold peaks of the Akaishi Mountains, and they produce the most delicate and expensive silk in the world. Very few people can withstand the hardships of the lonesome life a shepherd of giant silkworms leads.

It is a solitary existence that requires great dedication and strength of character to bear the pressures that stem from competing with the few other shepherds who fight over the scarce but desirable feeding grounds while keeping the fearsome Ookami at bay.

Silk Game Play

This is a brief overview of the game, far from comprehensive but enough to give you an idea of how the game works.

The board is set up with tiles in a grid depending on the player count. There is then 2 phases of setup and players add a Nursery, Silkworms Shepard and a Mastiff to the board.

Then players take turns which start with adding a Silkworm to the board, then they roll 2 D6s. These dice will show which 2 actions to take on a turn as shown on the action board.

Actions

1 – Raise a Silkworm – Place from supply onto a tile

The first player to empty their Silkworm reserve flips the relevant improvement tile and gains the Silk shown on it.

2 – Move Sheppard/Mastiff – Orthogonally one space. Walls block the Mastiff but both can wrap around the board like Pacman.

When moving into spaces pieces bump other pieces into orthogonal spaces. A Sheppard can bump Mastiffs and Silkworms, A Mastiff can bump Ookami and Silkworms and the Ookami can bump a Sheppard.

Silkworms can’t wrap around the board and are returned to the player’s reserve instead as they’re lost in the mountains.

3 – Build a Wall – Put a wall between two tiles and gain silk depending on how long the wall is.

If the wall is now 5 pieces long, flip the improvement marker and gain the silk. Also, if an enclosure of 3 tiles, flip that improvement marker and gain the silk shown.

4 – Build a Nursery – In an intersection, next to a Sheppard. If you construct all 4 Nurseries, flip the improvement marker and gain the silk.

5 – Graze – Earn Silk for the number of silkworms on a tile, times by the value of that tile, then flip it to its barren side.

6 – Move Ookami – Bump a Sheppard but if she lands on any Silkworms she sends them to her Den.

Play goes clockwise

Game End

If someone scores enough Silk points or the last wall is built or all tiles are Barrent the game ends

The player with the most Nurseries connected to an enclosure controls it and scores the number of tiles in that enclosure times the number of Nurseries.

Score each tile as if you had taken the Graze action then players lose 1 point per Silkworm in Ookami Den.

Most points win.

Theme

It’s odd but it works. You have all the silkworms you need to keep safe from the Ookami or losing them in the mountains.

It would also make sense that these shepherds are fighting for space in the same area. there is only a bit of good feedin’ land and they all want it.

Setup & Rulebook

The setup is very awkward. The board changes for the player count which is good but the size of the board is something you need to look up.

Also, the player setup is really tough to remember. Who places what where and in which order and when. There are also placement rules… It’s a whole thing.

The rulebook is a Devir rulebook, OK but lacking clarity. Just like most of the games I’ve played from them they could really use crib sheets. (Especially in this one)

Components & Artwork

The components are nice. The tiles and meeples are all good as well as the walls which are shaped better than just wooden sticks.

The art is cute, I really like it.

Ease of Teaching & Accessibility

Much like setup, teaching is quite tricky. Without the crib sheet, you’re asking people to remember a lot of rules about placement, moving and who can bump who. Too much for a gateway game.

But, it’s all open information so it is accessible. It may be confusing for new players with so much to remember.

Silk Summary

There are quite a few medium-weight, 45-minute euros on the market so it’s tough to stand out. Roll for the Galaxy is up there for me.

Even medium-weight games that take longer like Five Tribes or lighter games that take as long, like Jamaica, are trying to get your attention.

It’s different though, and tactical with a lot of choices with the die roll you get. You can modify the die roll by paying silk to do so but as silk is points… is it worth it?

Niggley rules aside it is worth a try, maybe make yourself some player aids?

Jesta ThaRogue

Note: The copy I played was a review copy generously provided by Devir Games, big thanks to them for this game.