# Imperial Settlers: Rise of the Empire ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2020 - **BGG Rating**: 7.3 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 1-4 (Best with: 2, 4) - **Duration**: 45-90 min - **Weight**: 2.50 / 5 - **Designers**: Joanna Kijanka - **Artists**: Aga Jakimiec, Roman Kucharski - **Publishers**: Portal Games, Pegasus Spiele, Rexhry - **Categories**: Ancient, Card Game, City Building, Civilization, Expansion for Base-game - **Mechanics**: Closed Drafting, Contracts, Open Drafting, Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game, Take That, Variable Player Powers ## Verdict Perfect for those who love persistent progression and want to turn standalone games into an epic saga.Very flexible campaign progressionMassive amount of new cardsMore dynamic game pacingReal sense of civilizational evolutionHigh language dependencyRequires the base game to playRECOMMENDED ## Description Ever felt the thrill of watching your empire grow and evolve over time? That's exactly what Rise of the Empire brings to the table. This isn't just a standard expansion; it's a 'meta-expansion' that transforms Imperial Settlers into an open-world campaign experience. The core strength here is persistent progression: what you achieve in one game reflects the development of your empire in the next. You'll unlock new eras, technologies, discoveries, and provinces, feeling the actual evolution of your civilization. The best part is the campaign's flexibility. You don't need a fixed group of friends for every session; since each empire develops at its own pace, you can play with different people and still maintain your kingdom's progress. To power this experience, the box includes a massive arsenal of 220 new cards, split between Provinces, Goals & Achievements, and Technologies & Discoveries, adding deep layers of strategy and customization. Beyond the new content, the expansion fine-tunes the game's pacing by reducing the duration from five rounds to four. This makes the experience more dynamic and punchy without sacrificing complexity. If you love the feeling of building something lasting and want more depth in your empire management, this addition is a must-have. Get ready to expand your horizons, invest in science, and, of course, throw some 'take that' moves at your opponents while climbing the ranks of the open world. ## How to Play Game Goal In Imperial Settlers: Rise of the Empire, you lead a faction through an Open World Campaign, growing your empire across different eras. Your goal is to advance your military, economy, and cultural aspects by achieving Quests and conquering Provinces. The ultimate objective of the campaign is to Progress through the eras until you reach the Modern Era of the Imperial Settlers universe! Setup Set up the game as you normally would, then add the following campaign elements: Empire Sheets: Each player takes an Ancient Empire sheet and writes their Empire name and chosen Faction. Initial Deck: Players take the 30 standard cards of their Faction (or follow agreed-upon deck building rules). Play Area: Place all your Provinces and Inventions in your play area and gain any Building Bonuses they provide. (Note: Skip this step during the first game of the campaign). Bonuses: Gain all unlocked starting bonuses and Progress tokens provided by the Progress tracks on your Empire sheet. (Note: Skip this step during the first game of the campaign). Quest Markers: Place your Quest markers for each category on space 0 of the Quest tracks. Quest Cards: Divide Quest cards into decks by category. Shuffle each separately and draw 1 card from each, placing them in the center of the play area on their Progress value 3 side. Game Flow Campaign games are shorter than standard games, lasting only 4 rounds instead of 5. During your turn, in addition to basic actions, you may: Place any Goods from your supply onto the Province map. Place any Progress tokens on the appropriate cards. Achieve any Quest if you meet the requirements. Actions and How to Play Provinces and Inventions Provinces: These represent conquered lands that provide Goods. They count as a card of their color in your Empire. They cannot be removed or spent as a Foundation. Inventions: These provide Features. You are limited to 1 Invention of each color. Quests There are two types of Quests that players race to complete: Quests of Stature: These are tracked with Quest markers. Every time you resolve an action associated with the Quest card, you advance your marker on the Quest track. Once the required number is reached, you mark it on the Progress track of the matching category. The first player to achieve it gains a specific bonus and flips the card over. Quests of Status: These require you to have or store a certain number of components (e.g., "Have X in your Empire"). These do not use Quest markers; you simply show the other players you have fulfilled the requirements to resolve the effects. Progress and Eras As you achieve Quests, you advance on Progress tracks. Reaching specific icons unlocks Start Bonuses, Token Bonuses, or End Game Bonuses. When you reach the last space of a Progress track, you proceed to the next Era (e.g., from Ancient to Middle age). Any remaining movement beyond the last space is ignored. End of Game and Scoring At the end of each game, follow these steps in order: Final Score: Subtract the cost of your Province cards from your total to calculate your Final score. Winner's Bonus: The player with the most points crosses out 1 additional space on any of their Progress tracks. Tie-breakers: Most Workers and Resources; then most cards in hand; then a shared victory. Era Change: Check if you have reached the end of a Progress track. If so, change your Empire sheet to the next Era. You keep your name, Faction, Inventions, leftover Knowledge points, and Final scores, but you lose all Province cards, upkeep costs on the Province map, and Quest track bonuses. Knowledge Points: Gain Knowledge points equal to your Final score (plus any provided by End Game Bonuses). Buying Inventions: Starting with the winner, players spend Knowledge points to buy Inventions from the current Era. You must buy at least 1 and are limited to 1 of each color. Replacing an Invention of the same color requires paying the full cost of the new one. New Province: Each player draws 1 Province card and crosses out one available space on their Province map. Losing the Campaign Your Empire Crumbles if: Eclipse of the Civilization: Your Final score decreases for 3 games in a row. Lack of Invention: You are unable to buy a new Invention. Tips for Winning Manage Your Upkeep: Be mindful of the Province map. If you cannot place the indicated Goods on the crossed-out Province spaces by the end of the game, you will gain 0 points this game. Prioritize First Achievement: Being the first to achieve a Quest is crucial, as it provides a significant boost to your Progress track and immediate in-game bonuses. Strategic Invention Replacement: Since you are limited to one Invention per color, decide carefully when to replace an old Invention with a new one from a later Era, as you must pay the full cost without receiving a refund for the old card. ## FAQ ### Do I need a fixed group for the campaign? Nope! That's the best part. Each empire evolves individually, so you can play with anyone and your progress still counts. ### Does the expansion make the game longer? Actually, the opposite! The expansion reduces the number of rounds from five to four, making games snappier. ### What's inside the box? You get 220 new cards, divided into Provinces, Goals & Achievements, and Technologies & Discoveries. ### Can I play this without the base game? No, it's an expansion. You must own the original Imperial Settlers to use this content. ### Is it hard to learn? If you already know the base game, the learning curve is smooth. It adds new layers, but the core logic remains the same. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 35.91 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3376427&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/33393/imperial-settlers-rise-of-the-empire?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com