
- BGG rank
- BGG #307
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Tapestry
- 1–5 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2019

Rules assistance for Scythe: Invaders from Afar
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Scythe: Invaders from Afar is an expansion for Scythe released in 2016 for 1–7 players, 90–140 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jamey Stegmaier and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence and Solo / Solitaire Game.
While empires rise and fall in Eastern Europa, the rest of the world takes notice. Two distant factions, Albion and Togawa, send emissaries to scout the land and employ their own distinct styles of conquering. Scythe: Invaders from Afar, an expansion for Scythe, adds two new factions: 10 miniatures, 62 custom wooden tokens, and 2 faction mats. It also includes some new cardboard tokens, two new player mats, six Automa cards, and a custom plastic insert designed to fit into the expansion box or the original Scythe box.
Scythe: Invaders from Afar supports 1–7 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 Scythe: Invaders from Afar is 90–140 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 Scythe: Invaders from Afar for ages 14 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.
Scythe: Invaders from Afar has a complexity rating of 3.5 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.
Scythe: Invaders from Afar belongs to these categories: Economic, Territory Building, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence and Solo / Solitaire Game. 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 Scythe: Invaders from Afar are: Jamey Stegmaier. 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 Scythe: Invaders from Afar as an expansion for Scythe. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Scythe to use it. Check that your edition of Scythe is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.