- BGG rating
- 6.4
Island Fortress: 5-6 Player Expansion
- 5–6 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,506
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Island Fortress
2013
Rules assistance for Island Fortress
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 45–90 min
- 13+
- Complexity 2.9/5
Rules assistant for Island Fortress
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Island Fortress is a board game released in 2013 for 2–4 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Bryan Johnson and its main mechanics are Pattern Building and Auction: Sealed Bid.
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About the game
In Island Fortress, you play a master builder chosen by Governor Cortland Hansen to help construct the mighty Fort Aldenford using the penal colony on Alcott Island. Your goal is to become the most distinguished architect with the help of your Taskmaster, Workers, and the Governor himself! In the game, all players use identical decks of five Role Cards to plot their actions such as purchasing workers, building the wall, collecting money from the treasury, and more. In addition to scoring points for having built the majority of blocks on each row of the fortress wall, players can also gain various bonuses for completing favors for the Governor by building the walls in specific ways, following the Governor's preferred patterns. Island Fortress, formerly known as Huang Di and sporting a Great Wall of China theme, won the first ever ProtoSlam competition held by Cambridge Games Factory in August 2006 and is the first published game by designer Bryan Johnson.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Game Salute
- Frost Forge Games
Questions and answers
Island Fortress supports 2–4 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 Island Fortress is 45–90 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 Island Fortress for ages 13 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.
Island Fortress has a complexity rating of 2.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light 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.
Island Fortress belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Pattern Building and Auction: Sealed Bid. 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 Island Fortress are: Bryan Johnson. 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 Island Fortress as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.