Hive Pocket: Pillbug Exp. (ML)

The Pillbug lands in your Hive Pocket set and shakes up even the best-laid plans. This official expansion adds a new hexagonal tile to the boardless board game that has won over pure-strategy fans everywhere: here, the pieces themselves form the hive, one space at a time. The Pillbug moves like the queen, one space at a time, but its real strength lies elsewhere: instead of moving, it can lift an adjacent piece, friend or foe, set it down on top of itself for an instant, then release it into an empty neighboring space. No piece is ever removed from the game: the Pillbug simply reshapes the hive as it pleases, clearing a blocked path or pulling a threat closer to the enemy queen.

Designed for Hive Pocket, this miniature edition uses smaller tiles (about 25 mm, versus 38 mm in the standard boxed version) so it slips easily into a pocket or bag. Like the rest of the Hive line, no text appears on the pieces: the game plays entirely without words, no matter what language your opponent speaks, making it a natural fit for travel, pick-up tournaments, or duels between players who do not share a language.

Hive Pocket: Pillbug is for you if you already know the base rules of Hive Pocket and want to add another layer of tactics to your duels. Players who love reading several moves ahead, freezing an opponent's piece at just the right moment, and carrying their favorite board game everywhere will find this small expansion a remarkably versatile tool.

On BoardGameGeek, more than 3,000 fans rate the Pillbug above 7.7 out of 10, a popularity that places it alongside the Ladybug and the Mosquito among the most beloved Hive expansions. Another detail travelers will appreciate: every language-dependence vote on BoardGameGeek confirms no text is needed to play, a game that crosses every border without translation. Released in 2013, this tile remains one of the most-played special pieces in the series.

This tile carries the signature of John Yianni, Hive's original creator, who has been refining his cult classic since 2001 through a series of official expansions like the Ladybug and the Mosquito.

This expansion is not a standalone game: it requires a copy of the base game Hive Pocket to play, and make sure it is specifically the Pocket edition, since its miniature tiles are not compatible with the standard boxed version of Hive.

BOX CONTENTS
1 black Pillbug tile
1 white Pillbug tile
Illustrated rules leaflet

Number of players: 2
Duration: 20 minutes
Age: 9+