The Expanse Boardgame: Doors and Corners
The Expanse Boardgame: Doors and Corners Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Expansion Components
- 36 Faction Tech Cards (3 per Level per Faction)
- 1 revised Game Board
- Revised ship tokens
- 16 Action Cards
- 3 Reference cards (Resource/Protomolecule/Leader)
- 4 Leader / 1 Protomolecule Standees
- 12 Power Play Sector Tokens
- 18 Resource Tokens
- 5 Base Destroyed Tokens
- 12 Power Play Point Tokens
- 1 Suppression Token
Note: The Outer Planets Sector is divided into two separate movement spaces by the dashed line. This affects movement only between Jupiter and Saturn. Both systems are still within the same sector.
Module Alpha: Expanded Technologies
Add the four 'T' Action cards to the deck before shuffling and creating the draw deck.
Remove the original Tech cards from the game. The Tech cards from the expansion are used instead.
There are three Tech cards for each faction at each level (9 per faction). A new Tech is gained after the first three scoring rounds as normal.
After scoring, each player shuffles the three Tech cards of the correct level, and randomly draws two. They then secretly decide which Tech they will keep.
After all players have made their selections, the Techs are revealed.
Note that some of the original Techs are included as is, and some are slightly modified for balance.
Module Beta: The Protomolecule
Add the four 'P' Action cards to the deck before shuffling and creating the draw deck.
During setup, the second-to-last player receives the PROTOMOLECULE standee and card. (So, in a 4-player game, the player going third, in a 3-player game, the player going second, etc).
That player places the Protomolecule standee in any Base on the board.
During SCORING, the player with the most influence on the Base containing the Protomolecule standee scores CPs based on the values on the card, regardless of whether the Base is in the bonus Sector or not. (These values are also shown on the board next to the Bonus values as a reference, in the column showing the Protomolecule symbol.)
The Resource Bonus is awarded as normal.
If there is a tie for first, no one will score for the Protomolecule Base.
After it is scored, the player who has the second-highest influence in that Base gets the Protomolecule card and moves the standee to a Base of their choice in a different Band.
If there is either a tie for the most influence OR a tie for the second-most influence (even if it is zero), after scoring, then there has been an accident and the Protomolecule has destroyed the Base.
When an accident occurs, place a Base Destroyed token on the Base. All influence on the Base is removed, and it is out of the game for all purposes. Note: The UN Tech Hegemony breaks ties as normal if the standee is in the Bonus Sector, or it is Final Scoring.
The PROTOMOLECULE CARD remains with the same player, and that player moves it to a Base in a different Band. If no player other than the current card holder has influence on the Base, there is also an accident, and then all influence is removed and the base is eliminated from play.
Example: The PROTOMOLECULE standee has been placed in Londres Nova by the OPA player. During the first Scoring round, the influence totals are:
OPA: 3, MCR: 2, UN: 1, PG: 1
The OPA player scores 3 CP for Londres Nova. The other factions do not receive any CP. The player with the second-highest influence is the MCR. They take the PROTOMOLECULE CARD and decide to move the standee to Titan.
Let's say that instead the influence on Londres Nova looked like this:
OPA: 3, MCR: 2, UN: 2, PG: 1
The OPA would still score 3 CP for Londres Nova, but now there is a tie for second place. So all influence in the Base is removed, and it is marked with a BASE DESTROYED token. The OPA gets to keep the card, and moves the Protomolecule standee to a new Base, choosing Tycho.
If the MCR had 3 influence in this example, no players would score the 3 CP, the Base would be destroyed, and the OPA would move the standee to a new Band.
Transcription note: the printed rulebook reads "If there is a either a tie"; "a" is read as a misprint for "either" here.
Module Gamma: Variable Setup
This module allows players to select their starting influence and fleet locations.
Determine player order as normal. Each player places two fleets in their Home Orbital, as per their normal setup. The MCR places two Battleships instead.
Action cards are dealt to the Action Track before taking the next step, so players may see what is coming up.
Each player then takes three influence and their remaining three fleets. Starting with the first player, and going clockwise, each player places either an influence or a fleet. Continue six times around until all fleets and influence have been placed.
Players may not place a fleet or influence where they already have one. They may, however, place where other players have a fleet or influence.
After setup is complete, the Start player takes their first turn as normal.
Module Delta: Resource Tokens
When using this module, players do not receive the additional CP for controlling a Base with their special Resource. Instead, they receive Resource Tokens.
Note: This module may only be used in the three-player or the four-player game.
Add the four 'R' Action cards to the deck before shuffling and creating the draw deck.
Each player starts the game with 1 Resource Token.
During Scoring, when a player would normally receive the bonus +1 CP for controlling a Base with their special Resource, instead they receive a Resource Token (RT). Each player may have a maximum of 4 RTs at any time. If they would receive additional RTs, they lose the excess.
An RT may be spent on the following:
Increase the AP on a card: Spending an RT increases the number of AP on a card you have chosen by 1, to a maximum of 4. For example, you may spend 2 RT to increase a '2' to a '4'.
Instead of spending or losing CP: Any time you need to spend or lose a CP for any reason (e.g. keeping an Event, selecting an Action Card from the Action Track), you may spend an RT instead of a CP if you choose. You may also spend a mix of RTs and CPs.
Advancing in Initiative: You may spend 1 RT during your turn to move to the top of the Initiative Track.
End of Game Bonus: After Final Scoring is performed (including giving out RTs), the player with the most RTs scores 5 CP, second most scores 3 CP, and third most scores 1 CP. Ties are handled the same way as with regular scoring.
NOTE: When receiving RTs during Final Scoring, the max 4 RT limit per player is lifted. Players may have any number of RTs. You may need to use other tokens to represent RTs at this stage. The number supplied with the game is not a limit.
Module Epsilon: Leaders
This module allows you to move your leader around the map to help tip the balance in your favor.
During Setup, each player places their leader in their home Orbital (where they build fleets). They also take their three Power Play Sector tokens, and three Power Play Point tokens.
Add the four 'L' Action cards to the deck before shuffling and creating the draw deck.
Leaders may only be in Orbitals. They are treated as fleets for all purposes, including movement, orbital control, production, and being removed. EXCEPTION: a faction's leader must be the last fleet of that faction that is removed from an Orbital. All Remove results against a faction must be applied to other types of fleets before the leader.
All players gain a new way to spend an Action Point:
1 AP: Move a group of one or more of your fleets containing your leader 1 band, and place an influence in a Base attached to the Destination Orbital. (Once per turn).
This ability to move and place an influence only applies when using an AP. Any events that result in your leader being moved, or placing your leader by a Build action, do not allow the placement of an influence.
You also may take a new type of turn:
Power Play: Instead of taking a normal turn, you may take a Power Play turn. To do this, choose one of your remaining Power Point Sector tokens matching the sector where your leader is located.
Then choose a Power Play Point token that is still in your possession. Gain that many CP for each Base you Control in that Sector. There is no additional benefit for controlling a Base with your special Resource. Do not gain a Resource Token or bonus CP.
After scoring CP, both the Power Play Sector token and Power Play Point token are removed from the game. You may not do a Power Play in that Sector for the rest of the game.
Example: Avasarala, the UN leader, is located in Vespa, in the Belt. Including fleet bonuses as normal, the UN player controls two out of the five Belt Bases.
On their turn, the UN player decides to declare their first Power Play instead of drawing a card from the Action Track or playing a saved Event. Avasarala must discard a Belt Power Play Sector token, and she chooses to play the "3" Power Play Point token, saving the "4" for when she hopefully has more Bases in the future.
This scores 6 CP: 3 for each Base. The "3" Power Play Point is also discarded. The UN player will not be able to do another Power Play in the Belt for the rest of the game nor will they be able to use the "3" Power Play Point token for the rest of the game.
Remaining Power Play tokens are public knowledge. Any Power Play tokens left at the end of the game are worthless.
Card Clarifications
General: Any "Move Fleet" card effects only allow you to move your own fleets, unless specifically noted. This also applies to "Place Influence".
Water Riots / Food Shortages / Belt Ascendant / Research Breakthrough: The player triggering the event has two options:
- Trigger scoring for everyone. All players score 2 CP per controlled Base of the specified resource.
- Place two influence on Bases with the specified resource.
The Hybrid: If it has been saved, and the Action Deck is empty, it cannot be used for final scoring. This will only happen if the last card in the deck is the final Score Card. Also, you must remove exactly the indicated amount, even if it means removing your own.
Bush Naval Yards: Cannot be used to build Scrap Ships.
Mao-Kwikowski Mercantile: You cannot use this as a Kept Event during Scoring.
Miller: You cannot use Miller as a Kept Event during Scoring. When you want to use the Miller Event on your turn (not the same turn you acquire it), follow these steps:
- Discard the Miller event.
- Select and remove a card from the Action Track, paying the CP cost as usual. You must be eligible for the event on the card you select.
- Spend the AP on the selected card, then perform the Event on the selected card.
- Discard the selected card.
Star Helix: The removed influence can be from one Base or two different Bases.
Increased Technology: The UN cannot take both Diplomats and Embassies. The OPA may use both Level 1 Techs to move/place Scrap Ships.