# Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done – Divine Influence ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2022 - **BGG Rating**: 7.9 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 4) - **Duration**: 45-60 min - **Weight**: 2.75 / 5 - **Designers**: Seth Jaffee - **Artists**: Ariel Seoane - **Publishers**: Tasty Minstrel Games, Renegade Game Studios - **Categories**: Expansion for Base-game, Medieval - **Mechanics**: Area Movement, Mancala, Rondel, Variable Player Powers ## Verdict Essential for those who own the base game and want more strategic depth and order variety.Much more dynamic influence actionNew orders bring fresh gameplayNew buildings expand possibilitiesPreserves the original system's essenceTotally dependent on the base gameSlightly steeper learning curveRECOMMENDED ## Description If you're already a fan of Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done, get ready because the Divine Influence expansion arrives to give a much-needed upgrade to your religious influence struggle. You know that feeling of wanting to dominate the map more strategically? Well, here the influence action has been completely revamped and improved, allowing you to spread your order's name with much more impact across the board's regions. But it doesn't stop there. The expansion injects new life into the game by adding four new types of buildings, which bring new layers of combos and efficiency to your engine. Additionally, if you felt a lack of variety in the orders, there are now four new knight orders to explore, each with its own peculiarities that force you to adapt your tactics depending on who is at the table. It's the kind of expansion that doesn't change the soul of the game but refines the experience and adds the depth that veteran players were looking for. The game continues with that fascinating Rondel system and Mancala-style movement, but now with more variables for you to manipulate. If you enjoy games where board position dictates the pace of the match and where every move can wreck an opponent's plan, Divine Influence is the way to go. It's the perfect chance to make the medieval dispute even more intense, turning influence management into a religious chess match where every building counts. Prepare your order, plan your steps on the rondel, and show who truly rules medieval faith! ## How to Play Objective of the Game In Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done – Divine Influence, players lead a knightly order to expand their influence across regions by building structures, mustering troops, and spreading their faith. The goal is to earn the most Influence points by the end of the game through strategic actions, building upgrades, and majority bonuses. The player with the highest score wins, with ties broken by turn order. Preparation (Setup) Mix the new knight order tiles with the base game tiles and set up the game according to the base rules. Replace some small Influence tokens with the new 25-Influence tokens if desired. Randomly place 1 face-up Influence tile in each region (not all tiles will be used). Stack the Influence majority award tiles next to the enemy majority tiles. Replace the base game Enemy Strength Tracks with the new expansion tracks. Give each player: A player board extension. 16 new Building tiles (4 Keeps, 4 Chapels, 4 Mills, 4 Vaults) placed on their board. 2 new Troop tiles (VI and VII). 16 Coat-of-Arms markers. Flow of the Game Gameplay follows the base rules of Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done, with these key changes: The Influence action is completely redesigned (see below). Traveling through regions with your Coat-of-Arms markers costs 1 less movement point. New Buildings (Keeps, Chapels, Mills, Vaults) offer unique benefits. Some Influence tiles grant immediate, one-time, or permanent bonuses. Actions and How to Play Influence Action Collect an Influence tile (costing ≤ your action tokens + bonuses) from a region with your knight. Resolve its effect: Immediate (3-5 cost): Flip it face down after use. One-time (3-5 cost): Use later to add +1 to an action. Permanent (6-cost): Flip immediately for a lasting +1 bonus. End-game (7-cost): Score 1 point per collected Influence tile. Gain Influence points equal to the tile’s level (I–IV). Place a Coat-of-Arms marker in the region to reduce future Travel costs there. Build Action New buildings cost /// normally or /// if built adjacent to a specific existing building. Each building type grants unique benefits: Keeps: Add troops or score points for mustered troops. Chapels: Gain extra action tokens or end-game points. Mills: Remove buildings from your board. Vaults: Upgrade action wedges or score end-game points. Buildings cannot be placed in regions with enemies, and only 1 building per region is allowed (unless specified). Distribute Action Some abilities let you distribute tokens on your action wheel an extra time at the end of your turn. Choose any wedge and distribute tokens normally, but do not resolve the action. End of Game and Scoring The game ends when the trigger condition from the base game is met. Final scoring includes: Majority bonuses for enemies and Influence tiles (5 points for most tiles, 2 for second-most). Points from 7-cost Influence tiles (1 per collected tile). Points from level IV buildings and level I-III Vaults. The highest score wins. Ties go to the player earlier in turn order. Tips to Win Prioritize Influence tiles: Early-game tiles with immediate or permanent effects can snowball advantages. Chain buildings: Reduce costs by constructing new buildings near compatible existing ones. Balance actions: Use Chapels to boost your action economy and Vaults to upgrade wedges efficiently. ## FAQ ### Do I need the base game to play? Yes! This is an expansion, so you must own Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done to play. ### Is the game too complex? It has a medium weight (2.75). If you know the base game, the expansion is intuitive but adds new layers of decision-making. ### How long does a game take with the expansion? Usually between 45 and 60 minutes, maintaining the agility of the original game. ### How many players is it for? It works great for 2 to 4 players. ### Is the language a problem? Moderate dependency. 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