Eminent Domain Escalation: Review
Information:
Mechanics: Deck Building, Follow, Hand Management
Player Age: 10+ Player Count: 2 - 5 PlayersTime to Play: 45 Minutes
Game Designer: Seth Jaffee
Player Age: 10+
Game Designer: Seth Jaffee
Introduction:
Escalation is the first expansion for Eminent Domain. The expansion covers a wide range of content including new technology, new planets and, more specifically, it enhances the options available to you when you go down the path of war.
Fleet:
In the base game the ship tokens were shaped differently but had no gameplay alteration. That has changed with the inclusion of Escalation. There are now three levels of fleets; the fighter, destroyer and battlecruiser. This is shown in the fleet tile that will give players two new actions, allowing them to transfer one type of fleet for another. This fleet tile can upgrade later in the game by using the research action and paying three research symbols/fighters.
Fighter:
The fighters are the base level of the fleet. They work exactly the same as in the base game.
Destroyer:
This is the second level of the fleet. It can be used to overcome bustling planets and is the only means of conquering a hostile planet.
Battlecruiser:
Battlecruiser is the biggest and most important ship of your fleet. You can only have one battlecruiser at a time and if you keep it to the end of the game you gain two victory points. While in possession of this ship you get a fighter discount on all warfare costs. The battlecruiser is needed as a discarded cost to claim civilised planets through combat. Additionally, if your fleet tile is upgraded you can use the battlecruiser as a substitute for any warfare cost.
Purchase Power:
The new technology cards that come with this expansion allows players to use the fleet as a purchasing power instead of the standard research. Level 1 technology will cost three fighters, level 2 will cost two destroyers and level 3 technologies can be purchased by one battlecruiser.
Planets:
Starting Planets:
There are two new starting planets; prestige planets and expensive planets. A prestige planet does not match the other planets that have technology linked to them but does contain a slot for any resource once colonised/attacked.
Expensive planets cost more to colonise/attack and have no resource slot but have two role icons associated to it, which is great for improving your engine straight away.
New Planet Types:
There are 15 new planets containing three new planet types.
Civilised Planets:
These planets give the player a peace treaty once attacked/colonised. A peace treaty can also be found on technology cards and gives players a passive means of gaining victory points. Whenever you don’t follow a warfare role and instead choose to dissent, you will gain one point token for every peace treaty you have.
Hostile Planets:
These can only be conquered by the destroyer ship but award the player a planet with a replenishing slot. This slot is a new mechanism that generates a fighter ship that can be used each turn. At the begining of the turn it will instantly replenish.
Bustling Planets:
These planets unlock a new action that can be used during the action phase and the abilities will vary based on the planet. Such as produce 2 resources, draw 2 cards or attack a planet.
New Technology :
32 new technology cards are added in this expansion which creates more options for your deck building. All of these cards can be purchased using your fleet and contain new terminology as well as new icons.
New Terminology:
Recon:
Recon allows a player to search a specific deck for a number of cards. These cards will then be placed on top of the freshly shuffled deck.
Reparations:
Any cards that directly attack your opponent come with a reparation. This is a penalty that is payed out to your opponent due to the damage you caused. Whenever an attack card is successful then the text after the reparation is what that player gains. For example reparation two victory points.
New Tech Icons:
Resource Icons:
Resources are now included as an icon type that means the card is discarded when trading.
Ship Icons:
The icon in the top left can now contain a ship and the card can be discarded to count as the matching ship type.
Scenarios:
Scenarios add a new way for players to begin the game with an asymmetrical start. The scenarios include a unique mix of starting cards (both basic role cards as well as technology cards). The scenario will also determine which starting planet you begin with.
Fifth Player:
Components have been added to allow for up to five players. The role cards have a blue highlight to them, assisting the setup when playing at five.
Final Thoughts:
- Added planet types create increased variability and another means of engine building, especially the bustling planets.
- Enhanced warfare options, although the other options are also enhanced with resources as icons on cards for an example.
- The different sized ships now have relevance and, most excitingly, can be used to purchase new technology.
- Scenarios are a great way to play asymmetrically.
- The double time card is a great addition due to the abundance of actions available on a turn.
Eminent Domain is a great twist on the deck-building genre, with simplified player turns turns but layers of strategy that normally comes from role card paths. Escalation gives more power potential to the warfare strategy but not in a way that makes it the most prominent strategy. The expansion doesn't purely focus on warfare though as it adds new attributes to every facet of the game. I really enjoy the new planet types, especially the bustling planets that gives players opportunities to gain new permanent actions that can really further their engine. The other core part to this expansion is the scenarios. This is a really smart way to achieve an asymmetrical starting position with a different assortment of starting roles, technology and planets which all bring the players focus to a specific game path. I quite enjoyed this expansion as it enhanced an already great game and I am excited to dive into the other two expansions to see what changes they offer to the core puzzle.
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