Root, the woodland war game where adorable critters wage thoroughly un-adorable politics, is getting one of its biggest shake-ups yet. Leder Games has opened pre-orders for Root: The Homeland Expansion, a box of three brand-new factions and two new maps that is due to ship in late July.
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See how it worksIf you have somehow missed it, Root is Cole Wehrle's asymmetric strategy game for 2 to 6 players, illustrated by Kyle Ferrin in a deceptively cute storybook style. Every faction plays by completely different rules: the Marquise de Cat builds an industrial empire, the Eyrie birds are bound by a rigid Decree, the Woodland Alliance foments revolution, and the lone Vagabond roams making friends and enemies. That clash of systems won it the 2018 Golden Geek Board Game of the Year and three wins at the 2019 Origins Awards, including Game of the Year, and it remains a staple of game nights years later.
The Homeland Expansion leans hard into that asymmetry. The Lilypad Diaspora are returning exiles trying to settle peacefully while quietly training warriors in case peace does not hold. The Twilight Council swaps battle for backroom politics, hosting assemblies that reward connections over raw force. And the Knaves of the Deepwood are forest bandits who raid baggage trains and take warriors hostage for ransom. Two new maps round out the box.
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Start organising for freeIt does need a copy of the base game to play, and at $60 (roughly £45) it is a meaty addition rather than a casual pickup. UK retailers should have it around the same window, so it is worth a word with your local shop. New factions always reshuffle who is friends with whom, so it might be time to rally your group for a fresh Root night.
Sources: Leder Games | Wikipedia
