Stats:
No. of players: 2-5
Amount of time to play: 90-120 min
Age requirements: 12+
Set-up time: 5-10 min

Belfort The Expansion Expansion adds some new elements to the base game. There are assistants, expansion permits and more. Read to see if they make the base game better.

Belfort The Expansion Expansion Description:

I am going to assume you know how to play Belfort. If you don’t, read my overview and review here. This post will deal with the new things added to the game in this expansion.

One new element in this expansion is the expansion permits. These let you add onto you existing buildings and there are two copies of each permit. They cost resources to build and grant you a unique scoring path. For example the Treasury expands the Bank and lets you score one VP for every three gold you have.

The other big addition is the assistants, ten in all. You start the game by selecting one more assistant than there are players. Each Calendar Phase you select (in reverse turn order) an assistant to use that round. After all players choose you place a gold on the remaining assistant. On your turn you can use your assistant’s special ability or flip it over to not use it but instead select an expansion permit. If you use the special ability it will cost you, but the cost changes based on the current season.

There are also five new guilds to choose. Some must be used with the expansion but a few may be played with just the base game.

Quick Review of Belfort The Expansion Expansion:

The Expansion Expansion adds some extra options for scoring and strategy to Belfort. It doesn’t radically change the game but the tweaks it adds are great.

The components for this game are really nice. The artwork is great and matches the base game’s look. Everything is high quality and the rules are easy to read and follow.

I really like the assistants. They add some extra strategy to the game. Since you choose them in reverse turn order, it makes turn order more important and can benefit players at the back of the queue.

Getting more ways to score is cool too, but you’ll need to pay for it. The expansion permits can be costly to build. But they also require you to not use your assistant to claim. This might not be a big deal (especially if you don’t get the assistant you want). It is a nice balancing act in the game.

If you like Belfort you should buy the Expansion Expansion. It adds a lot of nice nuance to the game.

Score and synopsis: (Click here for an explanation of these review categories.)
Strategy 5 out of 6
Luck 4 out of 6
Player Interaction 4 out of 6
Replay Value 5 out of 6
Complexity 4 out of 6
Fun 5 out of 6
Overall 5 out of 6