Running a Root night with only two or three people has always been a common frustration. The asymmetric woodland war game (BGG 8.1, ranked 29th overall) is brilliant at four players, but smaller groups can feel like something is missing from the forest. Leder Games has a fix arriving in May.
Got a regular group? Create a private community, poll for the best date, vote on games, and let your friends RSVP in one place.
Set up your group for freeThe Homeland Hirelings Pack adds three new AI-controlled minor factions to Cole Wehrle's acclaimed asymmetric war game: the roving River Roamers, the diplomatic Sunny Advocates, and the neutral Prosperous Farmers. Each hireling comes with a double-sided tarot card and new meeples, and they slot into the game as automated players that fill out the board without anyone needing to run them manually.
How do hirelings work in Root? Players gain control of available hirelings at certain score thresholds (4, 8, and 12 points). Each hireling has a promoted (stronger) side and a demoted (weaker) side, and they tend to change hands throughout the game. This keeps things interesting, as leading players lose control of their hirelings sooner, giving trailing players a boost.
Looking for board gamers near you? Browse local communities and find your next game night.
Find events near youThe Hirelings Pack is part of the broader Homeland Expansion, which also brings three entirely new factions (the Lilypad Diaspora, the Twilight Council, and the Knaves of the Deepwood) and two new maps later in 2026. But the hirelings are shipping first and are the most practical addition for regular groups.
If your copy of Root has been gathering dust because you can never get a fourth, May is when it comes off the shelf.
Sources: Leder Games | Everything Is A Game | BGG
