# The Castles of Burgundy: 4th Expansion – Monastery Boards

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2013
- **BGG Rating**: 7.8
- **BGG Rank**: —
- **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 2)
- **Duration**: 30 min
- **Weight**: 2.91 / 5
- **Designers**: Stefan Feld
- **Artists**: Harald Lieske, Julien Delval
- **Publishers**: alea, Ravensburger AG
- **Categories**: Dice, Expansion for Base-game, Medieval, Territory Building
- **Mechanics**: Dice Rolling, Open Drafting, Tile Placement

## Verdict
If you love The Castles of Burgundy and want extra routing goals, this expansion gives you just that.Adds strategic scoringSimple rules to learnSeamless base integrationOnly extra points focusNo core mechanic changesRECOMMENDED

## Description
The 4th expansion for The Castles of Burgundy adds four new double‑sided boards (13a‑13h) featuring monasteries printed beside the main play area. The new rules slot neatly onto the base game's core mechanics—dice rolling, open drafting, and tile placement—while adding a fresh layer of territory‑building strategy. Whenever a player creates a straight line of five connected tiles linking two monasteries, they earn 5 victory points. Completing all three monastery connections grants a final bonus: the first player to finish all three receives 5, 6, or 7 points depending on a 2‑, 3‑, or 4‑player game; the second player gets 2‑4 points. This means a single player can score up to 22 extra points from the expansion alone. Playtime stays around 30 minutes and the complexity remains low (BGG weight 2.9), making it perfect for fans of the base game who want a bit more depth without added hassle. Components match Alea's usual quality, with sturdy cardboard boards and familiar wooden pieces. In short, it’s a tidy upgrade that sharpens placement strategy and gives extra incentive to chase monastery routes, all while preserving the smooth flow of the original.

## How to Play
Game Objective
The 4th expansion, Monastery Boards, adds a new layer of strategy and scoring to the base game The Castles of Burgundy. The main objective for players is to connect monasteries on their personal boards to earn Victory Points (VP). By completing straight lines of tiles between two monasteries, players receive VP. There are also additional bonuses for the first players to successfully connect all three monasteries on their boards.

Setup
Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Game Flow
Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Actions and How to Play
The Monastery Boards expansion introduces a new way to earn Victory Points by connecting monasteries on your personal board. Here's how it works:

    Connecting two monasteries: Each player who successfully connects two monasteries with a complete straight line of tiles receives 5 Victory Points (VP).
    Connecting three monasteries (first player): The first player to successfully connect all three monasteries on their board receives a larger bonus, which varies depending on the number of players:
        
            5 VP for 2 players.
            6 VP for 3 players.
            7 VP for 4 players.
        
    
    Connecting three monasteries (second player): The second player who also completes all three monastery connections receives a smaller bonus, which also varies depending on the number of players:
        
            2 VP for 2 players.
            3 VP for 3 players.
            4 VP for 4 players.
        
    

In total, a player can earn up to 22 extra Victory Points with this expansion (3×5 for the two-monastery connections + 7 from the maximum bonus for connecting all three monasteries first).

End of Game and Scoring
Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Tips for Winning
1. Prioritize connecting monasteries: Each connection of two monasteries yields 5 VP, which is a consistent source of points. Try to plan your constructions to form these straight lines of tiles.
2. Race for the three-monastery bonuses: The bonus for the first player to connect all three monasteries is significantly larger (up to 7 VP) than for the second player (up to 4 VP). If possible, try to be the first to complete this goal to maximize your Victory Points.

## FAQ
### How many players can use the expansion?
It works for 2 to 4 players, just like the base game.

### Does the expansion add much extra play time?
Usually the game still runs about 30 minutes; the new rules are quick to apply.

### Does it increase the game's complexity?
Not significantly – the BGG weight stays at 2.9, keeping the learning curve low.

### What components are included?
Four double‑sided boards (13a‑13h) with monasteries printed, plus a small rule booklet.

### Do I need any other expansion to use this one?
No, it only requires the base The Castles of Burgundy game.

## Price Comparison
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