Lewis & Clark: The Expedition

2013

Navigate through uncharted territories in the Lewis & Clark board game. Manage resources, build your crew, and strategically play your cards to be the first to reach the Pacific!

120
minutes

1 - 5
player(s)

14+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Lewis & Clark: The Expedition is a thrilling and immersive board game that transports you back to the era of exploration and discovery in the early 19th century. As the name suggests, the game is set against the backdrop of the historic expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, tasked by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the vast uncharted American wilderness.

The game blends historical facts with a riveting gameplay that challenges players to strategize, manage resources, and navigate through various obstacles, much like the actual expedition. The theme is deeply rooted in the historical context, and the artwork on the board and cards beautifully captures the essence of the era.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Lewis & Clark: The Expedition is a richly thematic board game that involves exploration, resource management, and careful planning. Here are the components included in the game, along with their descriptions and interactions:

1. Game Board: The game board represents the expedition route from St. Louis to Fort Clatsop. It serves as the primary area where players will place their explorers, navigate rivers, climb mountains, and set up camps.

2. 5 Player Boards: Each player receives a board that serves as their personal camp, where they can store resources, manage their crew, and plan their journey.

3. 100 Resource Tokens: These tokens represent the four different resources in the game: wood, food, equipment, and furs. Players will collect and spend these tokens to perform various actions and make progress in the game.

4. 50 Indians Tokens: These tokens represent the friendly local Indians. Players can recruit Indians to perform actions faster or to gain additional benefits.

5. 1 First Player Token: This token indicates who will start the round. The first player will change throughout the game, giving everyone an equal opportunity to lead the game.

6. 56 Cards: The cards in Lewis & Clark are multi-functional, representing characters with specific abilities, resources, or actions. Players will use these cards to advance their expedition, hinder their opponents, or adapt their strategy.

7. 20 Double-sided Discovery Tiles: These tiles represent the various discoveries and encounters during the expedition. Players can earn these tiles through exploration, providing them with bonus resources or special abilities.

8. 12 Objective Tiles: These tiles represent the main objectives that players need to accomplish in order to win the game. Completing objectives gives players victory points, and the player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

9. 5 Expedition Tokens: Each player has an expedition token that represents their progress along the trail. The goal of the game is to move your expedition token to the end of the trail before the other players.

10. 28 Action Tokens: These tokens represent the different actions that a player can take during their turn. Actions include moving, gathering resources, recruiting Indians, and more.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Lewis & Clark: The Expedition is a thrilling board game that takes you into the heart of the American wilderness in the early 19th century. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide on how to set it up:

Step 1: Board Placement

Unfold the game board and place it at the center of the playing area. Make sure all players can easily reach it. Note the two sides of the board, one for 1-3 players and the other for 4-5 players. Use the appropriate side based on the number of players playing the game.

Step 2: Character Cards

Each player selects a Character card. This card indicates the special ability each player has for the duration of the game. Place your Character card in front of you; this represents your expedition.

Step 3: Initial Resources

Each player begins with six resources: 3 Wood, 2 Fur, and 1 Equipment. Place these resources in your personal supply.

Step 4: Indian Figures

Each player receives an Indian figure that matches the color of their Character card. Place this figure on the starting space of the Indian track on the board.

Step 5: Setup Cards

Shuffle the Deck of 55 Setup cards and deal each player five cards. The remaining cards form a draw pile which is placed near the game board.

Step 6: Discovery Tokens

Shuffle the Discovery tokens and place them in a cloth bag. Draw one token for each player plus one extra and place them on the corresponding spaces on the board. The rest of the tokens remain in the bag.

Step 7: Resource Tokens

Place the Resource tokens (Wood, Fur, Equipment, Food, and Canoes) in separate piles next to the game board. These form the general supply.

Step 8: Random Elements

Shuffle the Deck of 54 Character cards and reveal three cards. Place them in a row next to the game board. This forms the recruitment market.

Step 9: Player Camps

Each player takes a Camp token of their color and places it on the starting space of the river on the game board.

Step 10: Starting Player

Determine the starting player randomly. This player receives the Lewis & Clark token, which will be passed around clockwise to indicate the current player’s turn.

Now that you have set up the game, you’re ready to embark on your expedition with Lewis & Clark: The Expedition. Enjoy!

Game flow Round and round we go

Lewis & Clark: The Expedition is a unique, strategy board game that combines resource management, worker placement, and deck-building elements. The game is played in rounds until one player reaches the Pacific Ocean, marking the end of the game. Each round consists of several key phases:

1. Action Phase

In the Action Phase, players may choose to perform one of three possible actions:

Playing a Character Card: Each player has a hand of character cards, each with unique abilities. By playing a card, the player activates the card’s ability. This usually involves gathering or spending resources.
Setting Up Camp: This action allows players to prepare for future rounds by freeing up cards that have been played previously. The number of spaces a player moves back on the board during this action is determined by the efficiency of their camp.
Using a Native American: Players can use a Native American to perform one of the many actions available in the Native Village section of the board, such as gaining resources, buying equipment, or hiring more characters.

2. Resolution Phase

During the Resolution Phase, all actions are resolved simultaneously. This means that the outcome of actions taken by players during the Action Phase are determined and implemented. For example, resources gathered by playing a Character Card are added to the player’s inventory.

3. Recruitment Phase

During the Recruitment Phase, players may add new character cards to their deck. This is done by spending resources to hire characters from the central game board. The newly acquired cards offer more options for actions in future rounds.

4. Travel Phase

The Travel Phase is the final phase of a round. In this phase, players can choose to spend resources to move their Expedition forward on the game board. The aim is to reach the Pacific Ocean before other players.

Upon completion of the Travel Phase, a new round begins with the Action Phase, unless a player has reached the Pacific Ocean, in which case the game ends and the player who reached the Pacific Ocean first is declared the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In ‘Lewis & Clark: The Expedition’, a player’s turn is filled with numerous strategic choices and possible actions which influence gameplay. A player’s turn consists of several steps, each offering a variety of options.

1. Playing a Card:

The first step in a player’s turn is to play a card from their hand. Each card in the game has a unique ability which can be activated by playing the card. The abilities of these cards can do things like provide resources, allow movement, or offer other strategic advantages.

2. Activating the Card:

After a card is played, the player has the option to activate the card’s ability. This is done by paying the cost associated with the card, usually in the form of resources. The resources used to activate a card are then placed on the card to signify that its ability has been used.

3. Hiring a Character:

If a player chooses to, they can hire a character on their turn. Hiring a character requires the player to pay the cost of the character, but in return, the character provides additional abilities and options for the player. This can be a strategic choice, as the abilities of the characters can greatly enhance a player’s gameplay.

4. Setting Up Camp:

At the end of their turn, a player has the option to set up camp. This is a crucial decision, as setting up camp allows the player to reclaim all of their played cards, but it also advances the game’s end. The player must weigh the benefits of reclaiming their cards against the potential downsides of advancing the game’s end.

5. Moving on the River:

One of the main objectives of ‘Lewis & Clark: The Expedition’ is to navigate a river. On their turn, a player may choose to move their expedition along the river. This requires resources, but it also advances the player towards the game’s goal. The decision to move on the river is a strategic one, as it must be balanced against the other actions available to the player.

6. Trading:

Finally, a player may choose to trade on their turn. Trading allows a player to exchange resources with the game’s bank. This can be a valuable action, as it allows the player to acquire the resources they need to activate cards, hire characters, or move on the river.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

Lewis & Clark: The Expedition is a strategy board game where players compete to be the first to reach the Pacific Ocean. The game ends when one player’s expedition reaches or crosses the finish line, which represents the Pacific Ocean, on the game board. This event triggers the end of the game, but all players will finish the current round of play before final scoring takes place.

The primary victory condition is to be the first player to reach the Pacific Ocean. However, if multiple players reach the Pacific Ocean on the same round, the winner is determined by the player who has the fewest unplaced Indians and unused resource cards in their personal supply.

Before the final scoring, players must perform the following actions:

Unload Equipment and Indians: Players must return all equipment and Indians from their boats back to their personal supply. These items do not contribute to your final score.
Discard Excess Cards: Players must discard any cards in their hand that exceed their current hand limit. The limit is dictated by the location of their scout on the journey track.

Once these steps are completed, the game ends, and the player who has reached the Pacific Ocean with the fewest unplaced Indians and unused resource cards is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the player with the most remaining resources in their personal supply wins. If there is still a tie, the player who went earlier in the turn order wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Lewis & Clark: The Expedition is a unique board game where points aren’t scored in the traditional sense. Instead, players race to be the first to reach the Pacific Ocean. The game ends when a player’s scout reaches or passes the last space on the route, Fort Clatsop. The final ranking of the players is determined based on several criteria:

Position of the Scout: The player whose scout is furthest along the route comes first.
Number of Indians in the Boats: If two or more players’ scouts are on the same space, the player with the fewest Indians in their boats comes ahead. The game considers Indians as passengers, and having fewer passengers is beneficial as it represents a faster, more efficient journey.
Number of Resource Tokens: If there is still a tie, the player with the fewest resource tokens left in their boats ranks higher. Like with the Indians, fewer resource tokens represent a leaner, quicker expedition.
Number of Cards in Hand: If a tie persists, the player with the fewest cards in hand at the end of the game wins. This represents a more streamlined and efficient expedition.

It’s interesting to note that in Lewis & Clark: The Expedition, the goal is not to accumulate points, but to strategically manage resources and progress along the route in the most efficient way possible to reach the Pacific Ocean first.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Lewis & Clark: The Expedition is a board game where players aim to be the first to reach the Pacific coast. The game involves managing resources, interacting with Native Americans, and navigating through various terrains. Here are some special rules, exceptions, and clarifications:

1. Double Action Rule:

When a player uses an Indian to activate a card, they can choose to take the action twice instead of increasing the strength of the action. The player must still respect the maximum number of Indians allowed on the card.

2. ‘0’ Strength Actions:

Some cards allow players to perform actions with ‘0’ strength. This means that the action can be performed without adding any additional characters.

3. Laying Cards:

Players can only lay a card from their hand if it’s the same color as one of the cards in their playing area. If the player has no cards or only grey cards in their playing area, they can lay any card.

4. Trading with Indians:

When a player decides to trade with Indians, they can take one Indian from the gameboard or from another player’s area. If taken from another player, that player cannot refuse.

5. Encampment:

The player must move their Scout back towards their Expedition the exact number of spaces shown in the Encampment Penalty area. If the player’s Scout is ahead of their Expedition, it stays in place.

6. Overloaded Canoes:

If at the end of their turn, a player has more Equipment or Indians than their canoes can carry, they must discard the surplus. The player chooses what to discard.

7. End of the Game:

The game ends only at the end of a player’s turn. If a player reaches or passes space 22 (the Pacific Ocean) during their turn, they continue their turn until the end, possibly moving backwards. If they are the furthest ahead at the end of their turn, they win.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

Smart resource management: Always keep track of your resources and plan turns ahead. Don’t just focus on what you need now, but also consider what you might need in the future.
Early card acquisition: Try to acquire powerful cards early in the game. They can give you a significant advantage as the game progresses.
Be flexible: It’s important to adapt your strategy based on the actions of other players and the availability of cards. Don’t stick rigidly to a predetermined plan.

Beginner Tips:

Understand the game mechanics: Before you start playing, take the time to fully understand the mechanics of the game. This includes how the cards work, how to move your expedition, and how resources are used.
Make use of your characters: Each character has a unique ability. Make sure you understand these abilities and use them to your advantage.
Don’t ignore the Native Americans: Native Americans can provide significant help in your expedition. Use them wisely to gain an edge over your opponents.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Overloading your canoe: Be careful not to overload your canoe. It can slow you down and make your expedition more difficult.
Ignoring other players: Lewis & Clark is a competitive game. Don’t ignore the actions of other players. Keeping an eye on their strategies can help you plan your own moves more effectively.
Rushing the game: It might be tempting to rush your expedition to reach the finish line first. However, this can lead to poor decisions and resource management. It’s often better to take a slower, more calculated approach.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Optimal use of resources: Always try to use your resources in the most efficient way. This means avoiding waste and ensuring you have enough resources for future turns.
Effective card use: Using your cards effectively is key to winning the game. This means not only using them for their actions, but also considering their strength and the timing of their use.
Strategic movement: Move your expedition strategically. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each possible move before making a decision.