Breadlands: claim the land, feed your people
Breadlands is a free hex territory board game for 2 to 6 players. Everyone starts with one village on a round island, three people and 500 coins. Roll the dice to see whose fields make bread, raise more people, settle new land, and trade coins, bread, people and land with the other kingdoms. When every tile is taken, the biggest kingdom wins.
How to play Breadlands
- Feed your people. Each turn starts with your kingdom eating one bread for every tile you hold. Short? Buy bread from the market (10 coins each, and only 100 loaves for the whole game), or trade for it. A tile you can't feed is abandoned, and the person living there is lost.
- Roll. Then roll the dice. Every tile shows a number from 1 to 6, and every tile whose number comes up makes bread for whoever owns it, on anyone's roll.
- Grow. Spend 2 bread to raise a new person. You can raise one person a turn, plus one more for each village you hold.
- Claim land. Every tile needs one person living on it. Put a spare person on a free tile next to your kingdom to claim it.
- Trade. Offer coins, bread, people or land to the player whose turn it is (or to anyone, on your turn). They can take the deal or turn it down.
What each tile makes
| Tile | Bread when its number is rolled |
|---|---|
| Farmland | 3 |
| Plains, meadow | 2 |
| Village | 1, and one extra person a turn |
| Forest, hills, swamp, jungle, mountains, snow, desert, rocks | 1 |
In games of two or three players more dice are rolled each turn, so there's enough bread to go round on a quieter table.
Winning
The game ends when every tile on the island has an owner (or after 40 rounds, or when only one kingdom is left). The player holding the most tiles wins; a tie goes to whoever has the most coins and bread.
Tips
- Farmland and plains feed a big kingdom. Mountains and deserts still count for the win, but they eat more than they make.
- Grab villages early: every village lets you raise one more person a turn.
- The market runs out. Buying a few loaves early can leave your rivals starving later.
- A hungry neighbour will sell land cheap. Keep coins ready.
Playing online
Quick match puts you at a table with other players; if nobody else turns up within a few seconds, bots fill the empty seats. Private room gives you a five-letter code and a link to send to friends. Chat with the table and send emotes to cheer, tease or panic. If you leave a game, a bot keeps your kingdom running until you come back.
Questions
Is Breadlands free?
Yes. Breadlands is free to play in your browser on a phone or computer, with no download and no account needed.
Can I play with friends?
Yes. Make a private room and send your friends the link or the five-letter code. Up to six people can play, and bots can fill any empty seats.
How long is a game?
Most games take 10 to 20 minutes. The game ends when every tile on the island has been claimed.
What happens if I can't feed my people?
Buy bread from the market for 10 coins each while it lasts, or trade coins, people or land with another player. Any tile you still can't feed is abandoned, and its person is lost.