Squire for Hire

About this board game

Squire for Hire is an 18-card tile-laying inventory-management game for 1–2 players that takes about 25 minutes to play. You are a newly hired squire, responsible for carrying the loot your famous adventurer earns while quests are completed and baddies are defeated.

Each player receives a random squire card and takes turns resolving story cards. To complete a story, you must either have enough item value in your bag or use an item by covering it with a new loot card. If you succeed, choose one of two loot cards and add it to your growing inventory.

• Build your bag: Place at least one complete item within empty or full squares when adding loot.
• Manage your inventory: New loot can cover any number of other items, provided each covered item is covered completely.
• Plan for scoring: Keep useful items available while arranging matching items side-by-side for extra points.

Once the story deck is exhausted, players calculate the value of their bags. Every regular item scores 1 point, while each side-by-side pair of identical items adds another point. Your squire card can provide additional points for meeting its specific conditions.

Visible junk works against you, reducing your score by 1 point per junk item, so covering it whenever possible is an important part of your plan. Decide when to preserve vital items, when to spend them to complete a story, and how to make the most efficient use of limited space.

With its compact card count and tactical placement decisions, Squire for Hire offers a quick contest for 1–2 players, plus a solo mode where you can use all the cards to challenge your own high score.