- BGG rating
- 7.4
Fences: Seasons
- 2–6 players
- 40 min
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,502
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Fences
2018
Rules assistance for Fences
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 40 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Fences
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Fences is a board game released in 2018 for 2–4 players, 40 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Adam F. Collins and Tim Forbis and its main mechanics are Tile Placement and Enclosure.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Fences: The Ranch
- 2–6 players
- 45–75 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2023
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Fences: 5-6 player expansion
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
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About the game
Fences is a tile-laying game in which you are a farmer trying to build pens for your animals. On each turn, a player plays one of the two tiles that they have. After placing, the player can decide whether to claim an unclaimed field. If a field has been closed, it is scored accordingly. To end the player's turn, a new tile is drawn. There are fields for cows, meadows for sheep, and mud holes for pigs. You are trying to collect as many animals as you can. Every animal you enclose is worth points, and double points if you FENCE in only one type of animal in the pen. You can also throw other animals into your opponents’ perfect fields to keep them from the bonus. Careful, you can only afford to maintain a limited number of fields. The game ends after the last tile is placed. The farmer with the most points wins!
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Bearded Board Games
Questions and answers
Fences supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Fences is 40 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Fences for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Fences has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Fences belongs to these categories: Print & Play and Farming. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement and Enclosure. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Fences are: Adam F. Collins and Tim Forbis. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Fences as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.