Expeditions | The Rundown

Welcome to Siberia, adventurer!

Expeditions is a sequel to Stonemaier’s hit game Scythe. With a great reputation for creating extremely compelling games with stellar premises (such as Wingspan, Pendulum, and Red Rising), Expeditions already has over 1400 pre-orders and there’s a considerable amount of hype behind the game - so let’s check it out! 

Scythe: A Recap

As the sequel to the 16th most popular game on BoardGameGeek, Expeditions has a lot to live up to. In Scythe, players are thrust into an alternate universe set in the 1920’s. It is a time of farming, war, machines, rust, and innovation, with players starting with different resources and having the goal of claiming territory around the mysterious Factory. The Factory was instrumental in the production and distribution of mechs, but has long since closed its doors.

Scythe is an intense resource focus game which heavily features robust engine-building and streamlined action selection mechanics. Luck is heavily mitigated, and players will build important map structures, as well as manage mechs to deter opponents and engage in conflict. As such, Scythe is perfect for those who love economic and resource management games where you control your own fate, and want to think tactically against others. Personally, I love the visuals and vibe of an alternate history universe populated with rusted mech warfare, and really appreciate the sense of progression you feel when your various resource engines are finally up and running smoothly.

So, with a primer (or refresher) of Scythe, let’s see how Stonemaier Games shakes up Expeditions!

Expeditions: The Premise

In Expeditions, you and up to four other players will Journey into the frozen and inhospitable tundras of Siberia, where a massive meteorite has crashed near the Tunguska River. 

You’ll need to find artifacts and overcome challenges, whilst navigating hex tiles and managing a swathe of new and creative mechanics. Card acquisition and hand management is a major theme of Expeditions. While Expeditions still has the classic engine-building and exploration focus of Scythe - with over 100 unique cards and 50 worker meeples, this is a competitive card driven engine-building exploration game. These new game mechanics will have you managing resources such as guile, power, and unique worker abilities in order to vanquish corruption, enhance your mech, and gain more cards.

Setup time is around 10 minutes, with games being expected to take between 60 and 90 minutes. The game offers a robust experience for up to five players, but Expeditions also features a solo “Automa” mode. You can brave the wastes alone, playing against an AI-style opponent. In this mode, you’ll be given 14 decision cards, and 5 progress cards to ensure the pace of play is consistent.

Game Editions

Expedition has two editions slated for orders, the Standard Edition, and the Ironclad Edition. The Standard Edition features plastic mech miniatures, whereas the Ironclad Edition is the Collector’s edition variant - complete with numbered boxes, an additional foil effect, and metal mech miniatures with silicon base snaps. Importantly, the Ironclad Edition will not be available for distribution again - this is a one off printing, so make sure you order soon if you want to pick up those gorgeous metal miniatures.

Both editions are up for preorder now, and if you do, you’ll get a sweet 20% off your purchase for preordering!

The full game is slated for retail release in August - we can’t wait!

Check out the rulebook for the multiplayer and the single player mode here, and also an official teaser video!