Is Saltfjord the Dice-Drafting Euro We’ve Been Waiting For?

Description provided by The Hungry Meeple on YouTube:

🎲 Saltfjord Review + Saltfjord Catch Cocktail | Is This Dice-Drafting Euro Worth Your Time? Can a shared pool of dice create meaningful player interaction without sacrificing the deep planning Euro gamers love? In this episode of The Hungry Meeple, we set sail for Saltfjord, the acclaimed strategy game from Aporta Games and designers Kristian Amundsen Østby and Eilif Svensson. Set in a 19th-century Norwegian fishing village, Saltfjord challenges players to balance expanding their settlement with activating the buildings they’ve already constructed. Every die drafted from the shared pool presents an interesting dilemma—do you take the perfect die for your own engine, or deny your opponents the opportunity they were hoping for? We dive deep into the game’s innovative row-and-column activation system, fishing, technology tracks, trade orders, and village building to determine whether Saltfjord deserves a place on your table. We also explore the game’s connection to Santa Maria, discussing how Saltfjord builds upon ideas from its predecessor while introducing its own identity. If you’ve played both games—or you’re curious about how they compare—you won’t want to miss that conversation. Of course, no Hungry Meeple episode is complete without a drink pairing! This episode features the Saltfjord Catch, a refreshing Nordic-inspired cocktail that combines aquavit, elderflower liqueur, lingonberry, ginger beer, and a hint of sea salt to capture the flavors of Norway’s rugged coastline. 🍸 Saltfjord Catch Cocktail Ingredients * 2 oz Aquavit * 1 oz Elderflower liqueur * 1 oz Lingonberry syrup * ½ oz Fresh lemon juice * Flaky sea salt (for the rim) * 2–3 oz Ginger beer (floated on top) * Ice Instructions 1. Rim a pre-chilled cocktail glass with flaky sea salt. 2. Fill the glass with ice. 3. Add the aquavit, elderflower liqueur, lingonberry syrup, and fresh lemon juice. 4. Stir gently until chilled. 5. Float 2–3 oz of ginger beer on top. 6. Serve immediately and enjoy! ⸻ In This Episode * A spoiler-free overview of Saltfjord * Shared dice drafting and player interaction * Row-and-column engine building * Fishing, technology, and trade orders * How Saltfjord compares to Santa Maria * Replayability and scaling * Strengths, weaknesses, and our final verdict ⸻ 💬 Have you played Saltfjord? How does it compare to Santa Maria in your collection? Or, if you’ve only played one, which are you most interested in trying? Let us know in the comments! If you enjoy thoughtful board game reviews, thematic cocktail pairings, and in-depth discussions about modern tabletop games, Like, Subscribe, and ring the notification bell so you never miss a new episode from The Hungry Meeple. Stay hungry for more great games! ⸻ #boardgames #Saltfjord #AportaGames #BoardGameReview #Eurogames #StrategyGames #DiceDrafting #EngineBuilding #TabletopGames #BoardGaming #TheHungryMeeple #BoardGamePodcast #SantaMaria #Cocktails #Aquavit