
- BGG rank
- BGG #548
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Civilization
- 2–7 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 1980

Rules assistance for Civilization: West Extension Map
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Civilization: West Extension Map is an expansion for Advanced Civilization released in 1986 for 2–7 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Francis Tresham and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Trading, and Area Movement.
A simple add-on for Civilization and/or Advanced Civilization, this is an additional panel of civilizations, which allows for all sorts of new expansion strategies (for Africa, in particular). The map supports up to 8 players when using Advanced Civilization or 7 when playing the base Civilization game.
Civilization: West Extension Map supports 2–7 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Civilization: West Extension Map is 360 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Civilization: West Extension Map for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Civilization: West Extension Map has a complexity rating of 3.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Civilization: West Extension Map belongs to these categories: Economic, Ancient, and Negotiation. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Trading, and Area Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Civilization: West Extension Map are: Francis Tresham. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Civilization: West Extension Map as an expansion for Advanced Civilization. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Advanced Civilization to use it. Check that your edition of Advanced Civilization is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.