
- BGG rank
- BGG #39
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Mage Knight Board Game
- 1–4 players
- 60–240 min
- Complexity 4.4/5
- 2011

Expansion for The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth
2021
Rules assistance for The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth – Spreading War Expansion
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.
The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth – Spreading War Expansion is an expansion for The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth released in 2021 for 1–5 players, 60–120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Grace Holdinghaus and Philip D. Henry and its main mechanics are Role Playing, Modular Board, and Cooperative Game.
War has come to the realm of Men. Shadows spread throughout Rohan and Gondor, from the tangled depths of Fangorn Forest to the haunted ruins of Osgiliath. You have encountered ruthless mercenaries that have invaded the kingdoms of Men under orders from a mysterious figure, and now you must strike out to hopefully quell the tide of violence before it becomes too great. Taking place in the proud kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan, this expansion unlocks an all-new campaign with fifteen scenarios that see you traveling between the kingdoms and defending them from enemy forces. Spreading War also comes with 6 new heroes, 21 enemy miniatures, 18 double-sided journey map tiles, new roles, new terrain types, and much, much more! —description from the publisher
The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth – Spreading War Expansion supports 1–5 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 Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth – Spreading War Expansion is 60–120 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 Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth – Spreading War Expansion 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.
The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth – Spreading War Expansion has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth – Spreading War Expansion belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Novel-based. Its main mechanics are Role Playing, Modular Board, and Cooperative 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 The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth – Spreading War Expansion are: Grace Holdinghaus and Philip D. Henry. 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 Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth – Spreading War Expansion as an expansion for The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth to use it. Check that your edition of The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.