# Francis Drake: The Expansions ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2015 - **BGG Rating**: 7.4 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-6 (Best with: 6) - **Duration**: 90 min - **Weight**: 2.50 / 5 - **Designers**: Peter Hawes - **Artists**: Franz Vohwinkel - **Publishers**: Eagle-Gryphon Games, Kayal Games - **Categories**: Expansion for Base-game, Exploration - **Mechanics**: Action Queue, Dice Rolling, Modular Board, Secret Unit Deployment ## Verdict If you love Francis Drake, these expansions are the natural next step – more players, more routes, and plenty of surprise.Supports up to six playersModular board reshufflesSecret unit tacticsRequires base gameLight learning curveRECOMMENDED ## Description Francis Drake: The Expansions bundles everything fans of the classic maritime exploration game need to broaden their sessions. Inside the box you’ll find rules and components for 2‑to‑6 player games, plus the two previously released expansions – Spain’s Revenge and Montezuma’s Legacy – ready to slot into your deck. Each module adds new routes, event cards, and secret units while preserving the core of route planning and naval combat from the base game. Action‑queue and dice‑rolling mechanics remain the engine of play, and the modular board ensures the Atlantic and Pacific maps reshuffle each time, delivering a fresh layout every match. Secret unit deployment injects that surprise factor that makes every clash feel like a naval chess match. Playtime hovers around 90 minutes, and the light complexity (weight 2.5) means both veterans and newcomers can jump in without wading through a 30‑page rulebook. If you already enjoy Francis Drake, these expansions are the perfect upgrade: more players, more routes, more strategies, all while keeping the smooth flow that made the original so engaging. Get ready to sail new seas, face unexpected rivals, and collect historic treasures as you expand your naval empire. ## How to Play Objective of the Game Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção. Preparation (Setup) To set up the game, use the set of Location Tiles designed for a 3-player game. A third "non-player" character, referred to as Hawkins, will be introduced. Hawkins will use a non-player color for the following pieces: one Frigate, one Investor token, and 10 Player Discs. The Sailing Discs in this same color will be used to block certain Locations in the Caribbean. Place Hawkins' Frigate in the 3rd spot of the Homebound Docks. Before each voyage, randomly block 1 Galleon, 2 Forts, 2 Towns, and 1 Trade Port. Do not place Silver, Gold, Jewels, Commodities, Spanish Galleon, Frigate, or Troop counters in these blocked areas. For the "Montezuma's Legacy" mini-expansion, replace the 3 Spanish Galleon Counters with the set provided. The jewel accompanying the Spanish Galleon in Zone 4 is replaced on each voyage with the Aztec Relic provided. For the "Spain's Revenge" mini-expansion, replace the Spanish Troop tiles and Spanish Frigate tiles with the sets enclosed. For a 6-player game, use the specific set of 16 Location Tiles for 6 players. Place the 2 Board Overlays: one in Plymouth Harbour and the other at Dockside. Fluxo do Jogo Blocking Areas of the Map Before the Provisioning Phase of each voyage, not all Destinations on the map are used. To determine which Destinations are blocked for that voyage, roll a 6-sided die once. Cross-reference the number rolled on the chart provided in the manual to identify the "blocked" Destinations: 1 Galleon, 2 Forts, 2 Towns in the shown Zones, and 1 nominated Trade Port. Mark the blocked Destinations by placing one of Hawkins' Sailing Discs on the 1 space of the indicated Galleon, Forts, Towns, and Trade Port. The 2 active players are not allowed to use those Destinations on that voyage. These Sailing Discs are removed from the board at the end of that voyage. For example, on a roll of "5", a disc is placed on the 1 space of Santiago de Cuba, Portobelo, Gran Granada, and the Forts in Zones 1 and 4, and the Galleon in Zone 4. (Note: Zone 1 may be considered the Green Zone, while Zones 2, 3, and 4 may be considered the Purple, Yellow, and Red Zones respectively.) Hawkins' Plymouth Street Location Selection (Provisioning Phase) During the Provisioning Phase, when it is Hawkins' turn, he will randomly select a Plymouth Street Location. Roll a 6-sided die and place one of his colored discs on a Location according to the following rules: On a roll of 1-3, he selects the 'best' spot available on the 1st available Location Tile. On a roll of 4-5, he selects the 'best' spot available on the 2nd available Location Tile. On a roll of 6, he selects the 'best' spot available on the 3rd available Location Tile. Hawkins does not receive the items shown on the Location tile where his disc is placed. He must follow the same rules as a normal player, such as choosing downfield and not placing two discs on the same location. If Hawkins selects the first Drake spot, his next selection must be the second Drake spot. The Investor is available to Hawkins until he has used his Investor Tile. If Hawkins' roll would take him past the Dockside location, place his Frigate in the first available dock in the Outbound Harbour, and he is finished for the round. He does not sail during the Sailing Phase of the game. He only takes part in the Provisioning Phase of the 3 voyages and is always in the 3rd Dock of the Homebound Harbour at the start of the Provisioning Phase. In a 2-player variant, after Red and Blue have placed, if Hawkins rolls a "1", "2", or "3", he places a disc on the crew space. If he rolls a "4" or "5", he places a disc on the Shipyard. If he rolls a "6", he places a disc on the first Gun space. Ações e Como Jogar Location Tile Variations (6-Player Game) In a 6-player game, there are variations to 4 specific Location Tiles: Drake: Now 2 players can stop on this tile, and each will receive the same benefits as in the base game. Each of these players must still place a disc here on 2 consecutive turns. The Admiral: The main function of placing the 3 Spanish Galleons is unchanged. However, instead of collecting 1 VP for each unclaimed gold at the end of the voyage, the owner of the tile simply gets 3 VP without regard to unclaimed gold. The Governor: The main function of placing the 4 Spanish Troops is unchanged. However, instead of collecting 1 VP for each unclaimed silver at the end of the voyage, the owner of the tile simply gets 3 VP without regard to unclaimed silver. Golden Hind: Now 2 players can stop on this tile. Both will get to use their Golden Hind mission disc, and during the Resolve Missions phase, they will both go before the number 1 mission discs of all players. The first player to place a disc here puts it on the "1st" circle and will get to use their Golden Hind mission disc first. The second player will place on the "2nd" circle and will get to go next. Then, in Sailing Order, the number 1 disc of each player will resolve its mission. Fim de Jogo e Pontuação Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção. Dicas para Vencer Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção. ## FAQ ### How many players does the expansion support? It supports 2 to 6 players, including the two already‑included expansions. ### Do I need the base game? Yes, the expansions are supplements and cannot be played standalone. ### What’s the typical playtime? Around 90 minutes, comparable to the base game. ### Does the complexity jump significantly? The learning curve stays light (weight 2.5), so there’s no major difficulty increase. ### What new components are added? New event cards, route tiles, secret unit pieces, and extra modular board tiles. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 19.05 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=1660030&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 27.29 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6896653&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 29.33 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=6294983&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/14590/francis-drake-the-expansions?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com