How it plays
Hive begins without a board. Players add insect tiles to the growing connected group or move pieces already there. After each player’s first placement, newly added pieces cannot touch the opposing color. Moving pieces follow different restrictions, which makes placing a reserve and repositioning an attacker distinct choices.
The aim is to surround the opposing queen completely; friendly pieces count among the surrounding tiles too. Insects have different movement: beetles can climb onto the hive, grasshoppers jump a straight line, and ants travel around its edge. These abilities still operate within the game’s connectivity restrictions.
Decisions you’ll make
Look at what a move frees as well as what it threatens. A piece that holds the hive together cannot leave if doing so splits it.
Build attacking access without closing your own queen’s escape spaces. Adding a friendly neighbor is not automatically defensive when any surrounding tile contributes to enclosure.
Learning the game
Moderate: learn each insect’s movement, the queen deadline, placement restrictions, and the One Hive and sliding rules.