- BGG rating
- 8.2
El Grande Big Box
- 2–5 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2015
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Rules assistance for The El Grande Expansions
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 90 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.1/5
Rules assistant for The El Grande Expansions
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The El Grande Expansions is an expansion for El Grande released in 2000 for 2–5 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Richard Ulrich and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Auction / Bidding, and Area Majority / Influence.
Similar games
- BGG rating
- 8.3
El Grande: Decennial Edition
- 2–5 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2006
- BGG rank
- BGG #313
- BGG rating
- 7.5
The Princes of Florence
- 1–5 players
- 75–100 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2000
- BGG rank
- BGG #20,569
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Hot Dog
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 1996
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,411
- BGG rating
- 6.4
El Caballero
- 2–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 1998
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,538
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Merchants of the Middle Ages
- 2–4 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #23,895
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Punk sucht Lady
- 4–6 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 1993
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,492
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Cuzco
- 2–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #242
- BGG rating
- 7.5
A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition)
- 3–6 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #539
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Die Macher
- 3–5 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 4.3/5
- 1986
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,376
- BGG rating
- 6.8
The Magnates: A Game of Power
- 2–5 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,390
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Dominare
- 2–6 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2012
About the game
In a single package, The El Grande Expansions combines English versions of both of the El Grande expansions released up to that point. Both expansions change the game significantly and may be used independently or together. The first expansion is King and Intrigue, which combines the priority cards and action cards into one single mechanism. This changes the game extensively, so that many describe it as a different game played with the El Grande board. The package includes all of the cards from the German version König & Intrigant as well as some, although not all, of the additional cards released under the German title König and Intrigant: Players' Edition. The second expansion included in the package is the Grand Inquisitor and Colonies, which adds four new regions and two new actions, making seven total actions when used with the basic game's five.
Editions
- The El Grande ExpansionsenRio Grande Games1999
Designers
Publishers
- Rio Grande Games
Questions and answers
The El Grande Expansions supports 2–5 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 The El Grande Expansions is 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 The El Grande Expansions 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.
The El Grande Expansions has a complexity rating of 3.1 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.
The El Grande Expansions belongs to these categories: Political, Expansion for Base-game, and Renaissance. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Auction / Bidding, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 The El Grande Expansions are: Wolfgang Kramer and Richard Ulrich. 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 The El Grande Expansions as an expansion for El Grande. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need El Grande to use it. Check that your edition of El Grande is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.