Schweinebande

About this board game

Schweinebande is a strategy board game for 2–5 players that takes about 30 minutes to play. Published by Hans im Glück in 2010, it places players in a lively cattle market where careful positioning and valuable animal sets determine success.

The market board displays pigs, goats, donkeys, chickens, and other animals offered for sale. Each player positions their farmers strategically to obtain the most favorable prices or to block competitors from getting what they want. Every placement can affect access to the animals and opportunities available at the market.

Acquiring animals is only part of the challenge. Once animals are in a player’s possession, they must be fed every round. Managing these herds while working toward a valuable matching set creates an ongoing balance between building up a collection and dealing with its demands.

• Compete for animals at a shared cattle market.
• Position farmers to improve prices or hinder opponents.
• Feed acquired animals every round.
• Sell sets of four identical animals for victory points.

As soon as a player has four of the same animal, that herd can be sold for victory points. Not all sets are equally valuable: four donkeys are worth more than four chickens, making the choice of which animals to pursue especially important.

With its compact playing time and direct competition over market opportunities, Schweinebande combines tactical positioning, herd management, and set collection. Players must watch both their own animals and the plans of their competitors as they work toward the most profitable herds.