Our journey begins at the dawn of the 19th century. A new crop has revolutionized farming in Ireland, allowing people to raise enough food for their whole family on just a small, rocky plot of land. The nation’s population expands dramatically, as your family grows and prospers…thanks to the humble potato. But history is no fairy tale. In 1845, the blight arrives, unleashing complete and utter devastation on the potato harvest. Dependence on a single variety and growing on marginal land poured fuel on the fire, and famine and disease soon spread through the island. British economic policy discourages assistance, but help will arrive, often from unexpected sources. Some will find work in new industries or on the ever-expanding English Estates. Millions more will emigrate, booking passage on dangerous “coffin ships” to other lands. In The Great Hunger, 2-5 players will represent families of tenant farmers and field hands. At first, your people will grow, using the events on the top half of your cards to help your family expand across the map. When the blight arrives, you’ll use the events on the bottom half to save as many as you can, finding them aid or employment in Ireland, or scrambling to ports to secure passage to America. Victory is survival. When the blight finally abates (blight abates card), the family with the largest surviving population across Ireland and America will be deemed the winner. This game tells a tale of human perseverance in the face of extreme challenges. The famine was a defining moment in Ireland’s history and made its mark on the US and other countries as well. Today, it is remembered by the Irish people as An Gorta Mór – The Great Hunger.