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rating
Ludopedia
8.2
rating
BGG
Our Verdict
FOR GENRE FANS
If you already enjoy the vibe of The Great Wall and want more challenge and options, this expansion is for you! It adds some new troubles that will make you think twice about your defenses.
Highlights
- New war machines and towers
- Unique elite soldiers per clan
- More strategic and tactical options
- Dangerous new Mongol threats
Keep in mind
- Increases overall complexity
- Requires more planning
- Depends on the base game
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About the game
What you do in a play session
Get ready to supercharge your The Great Wall experience with the Black Powder expansion! If you thought defending the wall was challenging enough, wait until you see what the Mongols have brought this time. This expansion injects an extra dose of tactics and strategy, introducing new threats like siege engines – battering rams to knock down your defenses, catapults that will target your archers, and even siege towers to complicate things. And it doesn't stop there: underground miners might try to sabotage your precious towers!
But don't worry, you also get new tools for counter-attack. Crafty engineers can build defensive towers equipped with devastating war machines, such as cannons, rocket launchers, and siege crossbows. Each player can customize these machines with upgrade cards, focusing on reducing costs or maximizing firepower. Furthermore, each clan now boasts a unique and powerful elite soldier, capable of turning the tide of battle. Think of the Snake Clan's Chu-Ko-Nu or the Dragon Clan's fire-lances – they don't come cheap, but those who recruit them early have a significant advantage! To top it all off, new Generals, Advisors, Artifacts, and Tech-Trees offer even more paths to customize your strategy and invest in your clan's development. Prepare to defend the wall like never before!
But don't worry, you also get new tools for counter-attack. Crafty engineers can build defensive towers equipped with devastating war machines, such as cannons, rocket launchers, and siege crossbows. Each player can customize these machines with upgrade cards, focusing on reducing costs or maximizing firepower. Furthermore, each clan now boasts a unique and powerful elite soldier, capable of turning the tide of battle. Think of the Snake Clan's Chu-Ko-Nu or the Dragon Clan's fire-lances – they don't come cheap, but those who recruit them early have a significant advantage! To top it all off, new Generals, Advisors, Artifacts, and Tech-Trees offer even more paths to customize your strategy and invest in your clan's development. Prepare to defend the wall like never before!
Expansion for
Published additional content
Gallery
Box and component photos
Tap any photo to open fullscreen. Photos submitted by the community or publisher.
Best player count
BGG community vote
1
OK
2
BEST
3
OK
4
OK
Soundtrack
Ambience suggested by Melodice
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Mechanics, categories, families and credits
Mechanics
Categories
Families
Publisher
Awaken Realms, CrowD Games, Maldito Games, YOKA Games
Designer
Kamil 'Sanex' Cieśla, Łukasz Włodarczyk, Robert Plesowicz
Artist
Piotr Gacek
Community
Data from BoardGameGeek
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy
Do I need the base game The Great Wall to play with the Black Powder expansion?
Yes, absolutely! The Black Powder expansion adds new elements and challenges to the base game, so you need to own the original The Great Wall to play.
How many players does this expansion support?
The Black Powder expansion maintains support for 1 to 4 players, just like the base game. It adds more depth and variety for all player counts.
Does the game complexity increase significantly with this expansion?
Yes, somewhat. The expansion introduces new mechanics and units, which add strategic layers. If you're already comfortable with the basic rules, you'll get the hang of it quickly, but expect to spend a bit more time planning your moves.
What are the main new components introduced?
The expansion brings new miniatures for war machines and towers, upgrade cards for them, new Horde types with siege engines, unique elite soldiers for each clan, as well as new Generals, Advisors, Artifacts, and Tech-Tree cards.
Is this expansion more focused on cooperation or competition?
The Great Wall: Black Powder maintains the semi-cooperative nature of the base game. You still need to work together to defend the wall from the Hordes, but the individual competition for points and control remains the main focus.
Is it worth it for those who mainly play solo?
Yes! The expansion adds new threats and challenges that can make the solo experience even more interesting and difficult, requiring more precise planning.