<p><strong>No</strong>,</p>

<p>The first part is mandatory, the second optional.</p>

<p>The Rules for Family growth <a href="http://www.zmangames.com/uploads/4/7/1/7/47170931/en-agricola-rules-2014.pdf" rel="nofollow">(page 5)</a> state:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Players must have room for offspring in their home before they can
  use this action  – that is, they must have more rooms in their home than they have Family members. After taking Family growth, the player may choose to purchase a Minor Improvement </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Note that in general, a player must be able to use an action to be allowed to place a worker on it. <a href="http://www.zmangames.com/uploads/4/7/1/7/47170931/en-agricola-rules-2014.pdf" rel="nofollow">(page 3)</a>, </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A Family member may never occupy an Action space without
  performing its action.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Therefore you cannot place a worker there just to block another player.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-17T00:44:31.167Z
@ViktorHaag - Note: I'm pretty certain that you're allowed to put a token on any space, including a 'after/also' space, and simply not perform the first action (and not perform any action at all). For example if you wanted to prevent your opponent from taking that space.
dwjohnston
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-17T01:17:10.147Z
@dwjohnston - updated my answer with the full rules quotes.
Pat Ludwig
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-17T01:18:11.463Z
@PatLudwig Huh, TIL.
dwjohnston
CC BY-SA 2.5
2011-04-04T18:31:25.367Z
This is a general principle in Agricola, stated on p3 of the rules. You may *not* put a family member token on an action without *taking* that action. When the action says "do X", you *must* do X; when it says "do X or do Y", you *must* do either X or Y (but not both); however, when it says "after X, also Y", you *must* do X, but then you can *choose* to do Y but aren't required to. This principle probably made the action syntax simpler and more concise (for the purposes of printing on cards), but it also lead to a bit of incongruity in the syntax.
Viktor Haag
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-04-04T18:12:32.130Z
2016-02-17T01:16:39.390Z
2016-02-17T01:16:39.390Z
Pat Ludwig
<p>For an action space which states:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>After A, also B</p>
</blockquote>

<p>such as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>After Family Growth, also 1 minor Improvement</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Does it mean that I <strong>must</strong> do <strong>both Family Growth and Minor Improvement</strong>?</p>

<agricola>
Agricola - After/Also rule
ryanprayogo
# Agricola - After/Also rule

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-04-04)

For an action space which states:

> After A, also B

such as:

> After Family Growth, also 1 minor Improvement

Does it mean that I **must** do **both Family Growth and Minor Improvement**?

**Tags:** agricola


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2011-04-04. Score: 16 | Accepted answer

**No**,

The first part is mandatory, the second optional.

The Rules for Family growth [(page 5)](http://www.zmangames.com/uploads/4/7/1/7/47170931/en-agricola-rules-2014.pdf) state:

> Players must have room for offspring in their home before they can
> use this action – that is, they must have more rooms in their home than they have Family members. After taking Family growth, the player may choose to purchase a Minor Improvement

Note that in general, a player must be able to use an action to be allowed to place a worker on it. [(page 3)](http://www.zmangames.com/uploads/4/7/1/7/47170931/en-agricola-rules-2014.pdf),

> A Family member may never occupy an Action space without
> performing its action.

Therefore you cannot place a worker there just to block another player.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: This is a general principle in Agricola, stated on p3 of the rules. You may *not* put a family member token on an action without *taking* that action. When the action says "do X", you *must* do X; when it says "do X or do Y", you *must* do either X or Y (but not both); however, when it says "after X, also Y", you *must* do X, but then you can *choose* to do Y but aren't required to. This principle probably made the action syntax simpler and more concise (for the purposes of printing on cards), but it also lead to a bit of incongruity in the syntax.  
> **username_2**: @ViktorHaag - Note: I'm pretty certain that you're allowed to put a token on any space, including a 'after/also' space, and simply not perform the first action (and not perform any action at all). For example if you wanted to prevent your opponent from taking that space.  
> **username_1**: @username_2 - updated my answer with the full rules quotes.  
> **username_2**: @PatLudwig Huh, TIL.  

---

