The Expanse: The Board Game!
The Expanse started life as an MMORPG, then a tabletop RPG, then a series of novels, then a TV show… and now it comes (almost) full circle in its newest incarnation—The Expanse: The Board Game. Should you own and cherish this item? Of course you should!! Go order a copy RIGHT NOW, then we’ll continue. (waits) All set? Then let’s begin…
OVERVIEW
What kind of game is it? Very strategic with a definite Euro-feel, but not hard to learn, and takes roughly two hours to play (possibly less as it becomes familiar).
Is there cool stuff? The graphic presentation is great and the board is pleasing to look at. The deck of cards has lots of well-chosen pictures from the show; otherwise the aesthetic is fairly sparse with a minimum of different colours. Whether that was a cost-saving measure or an atmospheric choice, it does help convey a sense of the vast, er, expanse of space, so it works. The players’ pieces are wood cubes and cardboard chits; while it might have been nice to get more detailed and fancy-looking components, that would no doubt have pushed the game to a higher price point, so I can’t really complain. I fully expect to see fans posting images of custom-made pieces before long.
GAMEPLAY
The Premise: Players take the role of the United Nations, the MCR, the OPA, or Protogen Corporation, and vie for control of the System. The theme is fittingly broad for a story as far-reaching as this, and reflects nicely the tactical struggles that underpin all its events. Each faction has unique powers and resources, which provides instant replayability as you find yourself itching to experiment with a new set of parameters.
The Board: The gameboard shows from Earth to Jupiter, with all the crucial locations you’d expect represented. Players place influence markers to gain control of individual bases (such as Luna, Ganymede, or Tycho), while also using their fleets to seize Orbital Control—giving one influence in each base in that Orbital Group.
The Cards: Each turn a player will have the option to claim one of five visible cards, though ones revealed more recently will require spending Control Points to take them; and having the most Control Points at the end is how you win, so they are not to be spent frivolously! Each card can give either Action Points (to add influence, build or move fleets) or an Event—though some Events can only be done by certain Factions. Action Points are more flexible, but taking them gives your opponents a chance to claim the Event. Cards can also be “kept” until a later turn, at the cost of an extra Control Point.
The Scoring: Some cards are Scoring cards, and remain “up for grabs” until somebody actively chooses to claim it. Which can be tempting, since that player gets to secretly choose one area of the board to score extra points that round. Right before scoring each player can use a “kept” Event, or summon the help of…
The Roci! It’s one of the nicer touches of the design that you don’t have to wait for a random draw to have the Roci and her crew enter the game. Our intrepid heroes are in play immediately and throughout, and are always looking to help an underdog. The Roci begins the game with whoever’s last in turn order, and counts towards a player’s fleet. In a scoring round, either Holden, Naomi, Amos, or Alex can provide an action, which can often tip a balance of power [NOTE: insert Dominique Tipper joke here], especially when nobody else has any “kept” actions. After each scoring round, the Roci joins forces with whoever’s now in last place.
The End: When the sixth Scoring card is revealed, the final scoring round happens immediately and the game concludes! In our first game, the UN (Aquabirdie) proved victorious by exactly one Control Point, dooming us to extra agonizing in future games about whether to spend precious Control Points to claim a card we really really want.
STRATEGY THOUGHTS
A lot of the game depends on timing things just right. Most actions in the game have a counteraction, so part of the challenge is deciding exactly when to make crucial moves, as well as when to trigger a scoring round and when it’s okay if someone else does.
Also each player’s amount of influence is limited—there’s only so many cubes to put on the board. This isn’t a factor early on, but there comes a point where you realize you can’t just flood every region with your cubes; you have to be selective about your goals.
Our game (UN, MCR, Protogen) was fairly amicable in the early stages, when there was still enough room that we didn’t have to encroach on each other’s central territory. This didn’t last, of course, and the later part of the game featured the UN and Protogen hammering away at the poor MCR, I think perhaps overly worried about the formidable Martian fleet. It’s not hard to imagine that with a different group, there could be quite a lot of uneasy alliances, scheming, and treachery.
AS AN ADAPTATION
The game’s designer clearly understands the world of the Expanse (at least the first season and a half, when the game is set). The Event cards draw heavily from the plot points of the show, while the overall strategy captures a feeling of grand political and military machinations. All of us really enjoyed getting into character and immersing ourselves in the world.
All the important characters are represented. The Factions are led by Chrisjen, Fred Johnson, Minister Korshunov, and Jules-Pierre Mao; in the deck of cards you’ll find Miller, Julie, Bobbi, Gunner, Anderson Dawes, Prax, and more. The Faction’s special powers are appropriately chosen; Mars has a stronger fleet, the UN has a diplomatic edge, the OPA has infiltration, and Protogen, well… has the protomolecule. Each Faction has a starting power, and three technologies, that activate one by one after the first three scoring rounds.
Note from our first game: the protomolecule doesn’t enter the game until fairly late, so when you have it, don’t hesitate too long! The end of the game can sneak up on you, and obviously the protomolecule (destroying all influence on a planet except for 1 Protogen marker) is a huge waste to leave on the sidelines. Then again, use it too early, too harshly… and there will likely be swift retribution.
TIPS ON HOW TO PLAY THE DIFFERENT FACTIONS
United Nations: You’re led by Chrisjen, so for fuck’s sake, swear a whole shitload, goddamn it!
MCR: Boast about your superior fleet and taunt the UN a lot. Although, boasting about the fleet TOO much can backfire (see Strategy Thoughts, above).
OPA: Confound your opponents with Belter slang at every opportunity. Unless they also know it, in which case, perhaps form an alliance?
Protogen: Continually reassure the other players you’re a benevolent company only interested in scientific advancement, and you can’t be held accountable for the misdeeds of a few unscrupulous contractors. (Then crack open a fresh case of protomolecule and obliterate a planet or two.)
IN CONCLUSION
Games based on movies and/or TV shows have a tendency to work great, or fail horribly. We were very happy to find that this is one of the good ones, providing satisfying gameplay that also successfully transports you into the world of The Expanse. It’s great fun to dive into in your Faction role and imagine yourself navigating the Belt.
We look forward to many more sessions, perhaps with some custom pieces (anyone out there making Expanse minis?). And as future seasons of the show unfold, providing new images, stories, and characters, one can only hope there will, at some point, be expansive Expanse expansions.
