The Queen shall be hosting another banquet for her citizens this year, as Catch Up Games have announced a first expansion for the amazing card game Courtisans, entitled Diplomates et Confidents.
This small, inexpensive new expansion promises a light touch approach to adding to the already brilliant Courtisans, and as someone who would rank Courtisans in his top 10 favourite games of all time, I can’t wait for some more royal backstabbing and trickery at the Queens table.
And with it due to be released this year, I hopefully won’t have to wait too long.
What is Courtisans?
In the original 2024 release, Courtisans has you playing three cards in your hand on each of your turns. One you play in front of you, one to another player, and one crucially to the Queens table.
These cards represent influence and the various families looking to curry favour with the Queen. At the end of the game you score and potentially lose points, based on the cards in front of you (or in the game’s parlance in your domain), and if that family has the favour of the Queen depending on how many and where it was played on the Queens table.
It was a super quick, really simple little card game that can be played in 20 minutes, with an easy teach once everyone has played a turn or two and seen the little tactics at play. And especially once they’ve started relishing in the super mean plays you can make every turn.
I found Courtisans an instant classic in my collection, a game I put on my Wishlist for Christmas 2024 which I was lucky enough to receive, and something I have always loved every time I have brought it to a work game’s night or family gathering.
So when word reached mine ears that a new expansion was coming, I couldn’t have been more excited.
Diplomates et Confidents
French publisher Catch Up Games has leant heavily into the French theming with this one, as the Courtisans expansion is entitled Diplomates et Confidents.
While information is fairy light on the expansion, it seems like it will only be a very small little card expansion to simply add to your current game.
It promises some new characters, unsurprisingly Diplomats and Confidants, who promise to update the balances of power, but no other information yet on what they will do.
It will also interestingly let you now play with 6 players, and perhaps most intriguing of all, allow for a new team variant of the game, which I think sounds a super interesting wrinkle to Courtisans core gameplay.
As is Catch Up Games M/O recently with other small card expansions they have done for the likes of Castle Combo, Diplomates et Confidents looks to simply be a nice little addition to your game without over complicating what is already a great ruleset, just something new to add a bit more spice to your game. And looking like it will retail at under £10, if you’re a fan of Courtisans it looks a must buy.
Final Thoughts
For me Courtisans: Diplomates et Confidents will be something I probably get on day of release. I am a huge fan of the base game, and am really excited to see how the new mechanics play.
I am really on board with simple expansions like this compared to bigger stuff which change and add too much. I loved the small additions like Cult of Chrome to Radlands, Turbulence Expansion for Sky Team or Extra Salt to Sea, Salt and Paper, and I think something like Courtisans will really benefit from this treatment as well.
While there is no confirmed release date yet I am buzzing for this, and can’t wait to put on my Sunday best and head to the Queens banquet once again.
