Targi - The Expansion
🐸 Dettagli da BoardGameGeek
Consiglio BGG sul numero di giocatori
Categorie
Meccaniche
Design & Art
Lingua
Pairs well with
FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
The tribe expands. She moves along the edge of the dunes, bringing favors. Water flows and changes your choices. The sands shift, forcing you to rethink every move.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT
The Tuareg tribe continues to grow, but now the rules of the desert change
Andreas Steiger returns to the desert with an expansion that is not just "more cards." It's a new layer of decisions. Targi: The Expansion adds water as a wild card resource, the Targia — a Tuareg woman who moves along the edge and brings favors — and quicksand cards, which give you immediate advantages but sacrifice valuable intersections. Published by KOSMOS in 2016, with new illustrations by Taira Akitsu and Franz Vohwinkel, it is designed for those who have already mastered the base game and want a more intricate challenge.
Every game now includes new tribe cards that replace those from the base game, many of which allow you to spend gold or water to build. The Targia moves in the opposite direction to the robber: when you place a Targi on her, you receive a favor (a resource of your choice or reveal a card from the deck). Quicksand cards are powerful side cards, but they take up space and reduce your central intersections. More options, more dilemmas, more tension.
What they say abroad
""
Targi was already a very close duel. This expansion doesn't make it easier: it makes it deeper. Every resource counts double, every turn is an impossible choice.
— FroGames
""
It's not an expansion that adds content. It's an expansion that adds dilemmas. And in the desert, every dilemma is a matter of survival.
— FroGames
Targi: The Expansion - Expansion (English Edition)
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and game sessionsWhat the expansion adds
The new desert tools
Water Tokens
Water acts as a wild card: trade two water tokens for any resource. It makes tribe cards more accessible, but water is as rare and precious as gold.
The Targia
A special pawn that moves along the edge in the opposite direction to the robber. When you place a Targi on her, you receive a favor: a resource of your choice or reveal the top card of the deck. It transforms marginal cards into tactical moves.
Quicksand Cards
Side cards that offer powerful immediate advantages when you place a Targi on them. The cost? You lose a central intersection. Space versus reward, risk versus control.
New Tribe Cards
They replace those from the base game. Many give you the choice between spending gold or water. Building becomes more flexible, but also more intricate: every resource is now a strategic lever.
At the end of the game, you'll look at your tribe and think: I could have done better. Then you'll prepare for the next one. It always happens with Targi.
🧤 BUSTINE
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Preparation: the desert expands
You shuffle the new tribe cards with the old ones. You place the Targia on the opposite edge to the robber. You set up the quicksand. You already know this game will be different: more choices, less certainty.
First turns: water changes everything
You take the first water token. It's a wild card, you know that. But when to use it? Build a tribe immediately or save it for later? The Targia moves, and that card you previously ignored now seems interesting. Every resource counts double.
Mid-game: quicksand or intersections?
There's a quicksand card that would give you three resources immediately. But you'd lose a central intersection. Your opponent watches you. You calculate. You risk. You place the Targi. The table tightens, moves become claustrophobic.
The Targia's moment
The Targia lands on the card you needed. You place your Targi, take the favor, reveal a card from the deck. It's the one you were missing. Your opponent curses. You anticipated their move by two turns. This is the moment you'll remember.
Endgame: the complete tribe
You count the points. Your tribe is a mosaic of difficult choices. You used the water at the right time, sacrificed an intersection for quicksand, blocked your opponent on the Targia. You win by two points. Or lose by one. In either case, you want to play again immediately.
How to play
The flow of each round (identical to the base game, with new features)
The expansion doesn't change the turn structure, but adds layers of decision to each phase.
In turn, place your three Targi on the desert border (perimeter cards). The Targia automatically moves one card, in the opposite direction of the robber. If you place a Targi on the same card as the Targia, you get a favor: a resource of your choice or reveal the first card from the deck and take what it shows.
As in the base game, place your tribe tokens on the intersections generated by your Targi. If you placed a Targi on a quicksand card (side), you gain an immediate advantage, but lose a central intersection.
Perform the actions of the cards where you have tokens. Many new tribe cards allow you to spend gold or water: water is a wild card (two water tokens = any one resource). Build tribes, collect resources, expand your tableau.
The robber moves, the Targia moves in the opposite direction. Replace used cards. Round after round, the desert changes shape. Each turn is a chess game with resources.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Water as a strategic wild card
Two water tokens are equivalent to any one resource. It seems generous, but water is scarce. Use it immediately or save it? Each choice opens doors and closes others. It's not just flexibility: it's pressure. Because you know your opponent is doing the same calculation.
The Targia revolutionizes the border
Previously, certain border cards were dead. Now the Targia crosses them and makes them appealing. Placing a Targi on it gives you an immediate favor: a free resource or an early draw. It completely changes the board interpretation. Ignored cards become tactical moves.
Quicksand: power versus space
Quicksand cards are lateral and offer strong advantages (three resources, double actions). The price? You lose a central intersection. It's a brutal trade-off: you sacrifice control for acceleration. Misjudging the timing means losing the game.
New tribe cards with double choices
Many expansion tribe cards allow you to spend gold or water to build. It's not just variety: it's optimization. Which resource do you sacrifice now? Which will you need later? Each construction is a calculation three turns in advance.
More depth, same duration
The expansion doesn't lengthen game time. It condenses decisions. Each turn now has more options, more dilemmas, more interaction. It's not "more Targi": it's a more layered Targi. For those who have already exhausted the base game and want even more.
Modular compatibility
You can integrate all elements or just some. Do you only want water? Only the Targia? All three new features together? The expansion is modular, although the true experience is with everything active. But you have the freedom to adjust the complexity.
How it ends
How you win and how you lose
As in the base game: after 12 rounds, whoever has more victory points wins. But the paths to get there are multiplied.
Victory
- Building efficient tribes using water at the right time
- Utilizing the Targia to anticipate opponent's moves and gain key resources
- Balancing quicksand (immediate power) and central intersections (long-term control)
Fatal errors
- Wasting water too early or holding onto it too long: timing is everything
- Ignoring the Targia and leaving free favors to your opponent every turn
- Placing Targi on quicksand without considering the loss of intersections: immediate advantage doesn't always compensate
Base Targi was a duel. This expansion is a cerebral war of attrition. Every resource is leverage, every turn is a crossroads. If you love pure worker placement, this is your arena.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Targi: The Expansion (English Edition)
Is the base game required?
Yes, it's an expansion. You cannot play without the base Targi game. It replaces some tribe cards and adds mechanics, but the board, Targi, resources, and placement system are those of the original game. Think of it as an upgrade, not a standalone game.
Does the difficulty change much compared to the base game?
It's not harder to understand, but it's deeper. Water as a wild card and the Targia add layers of decision. Quicksand introduces risky trade-offs. If you've played the base game 10+ times and are looking for more complexity, this is the answer. If you're just starting, finish playing the base game before integrating the expansion.
Can I use only some parts of the expansion?
Yes, it's modular. You can play only with water, only with the Targia, or only with quicksand. But the complete experience is with everything active: the mechanics intertwine and balance each other. The Targia without water is less impactful, quicksand without the Targia is less interesting.
Does it extend game time?
No. It remains around 60 minutes like the base game. The new mechanics don't add phases, but options. The first turns might be slightly slower while you internalize the choices, but once the flow is assimilated, the pace is identical. In fact, the Targia accelerates some decisions.
Is it available in Italian?
This is the English edition. The tribe cards have text, but knowing the base game, the symbology is clear and the mechanics intuitive. A translated manual or quick reference is enough to play smoothly. The language barrier is low for those already familiar with Targi.
Targi: The Expansion is the expansion for the popular two-player strategic game Targi, designed by Andreas Steiger and published by KOSMOS. Designed for 60-minute games for ages 12 and up, it adds three new mechanics that enrich the worker placement system of the base game: water as a wild card resource, the Targia (a special pawn that moves along the border and offers favors), and quicksand cards, which provide immediate advantages at the cost of central intersections. It also includes new tribe cards that replace the original ones, offering more complex strategic choices. Ideal for those looking for more depth and tension without complicating the rules. Available on FroGames.it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
⏳How do pre-orders work?
Pre-order the game before release, payment is immediate, and the game is reserved for you. As soon as it arrives, we'll ship it right away! If there are any delays, we'll update you promptly.
🔒Can I trust buying here?
Absolutely! Secure payments, tracked shipments, and a team that loves board games as much as you do. If something goes wrong, we'll do our best to fix it.
🛠There's a problem with my order, what should I do?
Write to us now! Whether it's a missing part, damage, or an error, we'll help you resolve it as soon as possible. Your experience truly matters to us.