The most people that I have ever been able to get at a table for Cosmic encounters is 4, including myself. If I can never recruit more than 3 other people is it worth it to get the expansions.

In my opinion they are worth getting. The expansions are more about the 20 new aliens and add-ons and less about the extra players. If you can get many people to play then I suggest skipping Cosmic Alliance as that one is mainly about many people playing. I would suggest Cosmic Incursion as your first expansion. The rewards deck is a better value than the hazard deck in Cosmic Conflict. The hazard deck is cooler with more people. But in short- expansions are worth it because the more aliens- the more variety you'll get.

Tiz said:

Thanks for the reply. I'll have to check out Cosmic Incursion. My group does like the variety in Alien races.

For the most part, I agree with Tiz. Extra players pieces are cool though. I recently played a fun game with 7 players for the first time. I normally play with 4-5, but have had a few 3 player games. I think it all comes down to how much you value $20.

I am a big fan of Fantasy Flight's Cosmic Encounter. I am so much of a fan that I think the original game can't be improved with expanded rules. Since I normally end up having a new player in almost every game, I don't whip out tech cards or any expansion decks since it makes teaching the game longer. If I had a steady CE group, I might get bored of the basic cards and try something different, but since CE has such insane replay value to begin with, I doubt that will happen.

Still, I own every expansion, and have included all of the bonus aliens into my game. CE's design is good, but it's the variety of interesting aliens that makes it amazing. Although it's rare, it's also nice to have extra pieces to host a 6-8 player game.

If you won't miss the $20, and you love the game, buy each expansion. If money is tight, remember that you already have one of the best games ever made and it will continue to entertain you and your friends without spending a single dime more.

Tiz said:

Each expansion adds extra player support, new aliens, and a variant. CA has the least to offer in terms of the new variant for two reasons:

1. Team play is a significant departure from regular play. This variant will be skipped more often than Hazards or Rewards which fit smoothly into a regular game. We always use Hazards and Rewards, but rarely play with teams.
2. Hazard and Reward variants make use of special new components. The Team variant is simply an optional rule - you can even play it without buying the set by taking advantage of the free rules download. www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite_sec.asp While CA does come with new cards, those cards are only used in 7+ player games, are not needed in those games, and offer less innovation (they are mostly more of the same).

That said, I love all the expansions (and six plus player games are rare for me). I recommend them all, just get CA last. Remember, three expansions means sixty new aliens!

Edit - others will have a different opinion. I'm sure some groups play teams almost exclusively., and not everyone likes Hazards or the Reward Deck.