Review: Die verrückte Vogelscheuche – importunate scarecrow

Scarecrow has never been our friend. It always was the exact opposite. We always played, but as soon as he came around and rustled by his straw hat, he immediately spoiled all the fun. Today, however, all our negative impressions must  be set aside, because magical raven appeared on the field. Goodies hidden under bales of straw are out of reach for both us and scarecrow, we do not have enough strength to lift them. This time magic will have to help us.

And ready for harvesting grains we must be in board game Die verrückte Vogelscheuche, named in English part of the rules as Crazy Scarecrow. Game was created by Klaus Zoch (Bausack) and embellished by illustrations of Johann Rüttinger. In 2014, all this work was published under flag of German company Noris Spiele.

Neither large nor small box is adorned with beautiful illustrations, where we see that scarecrow in a blue dress, hiding among various plants. On his shoulder sits magic raven sits in a red hat. These two main actors can also be found inside the box, where are hiding their large wooden figurines. Bag with them is shared also by two dice – one with polka dots and the other with colors.

To play the game, you will also need an inseparable parts of a big cardboard sheets. Four collecting bins, each with six positions, are just simply punched out. But you have to be careful, because a lot of other pieces form components for building a total of seven bales of hay with opening in the upper side (such small coin boxes), that players always puts on a colorful stand (also found in those cardboard sheets). They help players to recognize different hays throughout the game. But it is not even over, because you also find round tokens representing grain and magic stars.

At the beginning of the game, players will place individual hay bales on a colored bases and make a circle out of them all. Before that, monkey magic tokens have to be hidden in some of them. Each player gets one basket and three magical tokens. Grain tokens are all put in the middle area. Along with them, also scarecrow starts at the center. Magical Raven is then placed on a bale with green bottom and everything can begin.

Each turn begins the same way – with a pair of rolls. The first is to be performed separately with spotted dice. Its number will determine, how many grain tokens may player insert into any hay bales. Only then can he roll the other dice and see, where he can move the rook. If he arrives on hay, that has silhouette of a scarecrow on its side, player can take scarecrow figure to him.

After moving bird, player has two choices – either do nothing and pass the turn to his rivals or try to look into a hay bale (pick up a cardboard construction). If he decides to do this, there are two outcomes possible. In the event, some grains are hidden there, he can take them. But if it is empty or stashed inside together with monkey magic token, he must on the contrary sacrifice one of already accumulated tokens and throw it into the hay.

All players collect grain. However, players can also act outside hit turn, if he is in possession of a scarecrow figure. In this situation, before revealing contents of the hay bale, he is allowed to move raven figure to one of the adjacent stacks and hurt active player. The player, whose turn it is, is forced to reveal this hay stack content instead. Game then proceeds until one of players reaches a predetermined number of grain tokens – six. This player is the winner.

Die verrückte Vogelscheuche is a children’s game, which is interesting primarily by offering three levels of difficulty. We have described rules of already complete full variant, intended to experienced children eight years old. But less experienced players might start with simpler versions few years earlier. The game then gradually loses magic tokens and later scarecrow figure, so players just roll the dice and move the rook. Even this is fun.

At that moment, it would seem, that everything is purely a matter of luck. But even the very simplest version has four candidates for the victory and is not completely without control. Each color on the die correspond to two straw bales (locations), so the player can in most situations (when your raven does not sit on other place of same color) can choose. So if you follow the course of the game and remembers, where the grain is, you can at least choose preferable option to move to. And also placement of tokens can be tactical.

With second version, scarecrow arrives in battle and with him maliciousness. Having an overview of situation under piles of straw is essential here. Accordingly, players can choose what to do, when they are holding scarecrow – to use it to scare away the crow or not, depending on what current position holds under hay stack as a reward for active player. Further expanding the rule adds magic, tension and puts even greater emphasis on memory. Position of monkey magic tokens changes after each unveiling!

Game is really simple and can set just the version they can handle parents for their offsprings. Four years old will probably have no problem with shifting raven based on dice. However, game is for them attractive especially because it has a beautiful 3D components and a large wooden figurines. In fact, this makes the game really stand out.

Number of target grain tokens can be used to determine game length. In default setting, when trying to gain six chips, everything is already over in fifteen minutes. But increase can stretch the five for about any other five minutes. Whole game is fun with all the numbers, because it is only movement and attack. There is no element, which would have been significantly influenced by number of players.

Die verrückte Vogelscheuche is a beautiful game for all kids, who love to play (and what children does not?). With three of the difficulties, they may grow with the game ever since four years and gradually include new rules to game, adding stress on memory and bit of opponents attacking.Parents also seem surprisingly happy, when playing this game. Die verrückte Vogelscheuche is a game, that gets to kids and let extraordinary processing turn into great gameplay.

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Review: Die verrückte Vogelscheuche – importunate scarecrow

Die verrückte Vogelscheuche is children game, which is almost beyond any reproach. Luck is indeed present, but because you can play it with children from four years old. Foundation are always in the ability to remember contnents of hay bales - grain tokens are hidden there and players are adding more every turn. But you can also play purely on luck, if children do not yet have such an overview. Gradually, you can add more rules and enjoy game with even more options. All this will keep the attention of children for fifteen minutes, which is an ideal time for a game with children of any age. Processing is absolutely exemplary and game looks great on the table. Die verrückte Vogelscheuche is a safe bet for every family with children.

Klady:

+ beautiful spatial processing, large figurines
+ three levels of rules
+ gradually increasing emphasis on memory
+ players can thwart each others turns
+ all the information is available
+ even in the simplest version has options
+ optional length, with a very favorable base

Zápory:

- nothing

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