More Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition - 1st October 2011

I have a question.

There seems to be an amount of discussion about the Arborec ability

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=34&efcid=1&efidt=503390

What do we think can the Arborec GF produce ships?

Actually ignore last its on the new FAQ


Q: Can 2 Arborec Ground Forces produce 2 Ground Forces
for the cost of 1, thereby pooling their production capacity?
A: No, their production capacity may not be pooled.
Q: Can Arborec Ground Forces build ships?
A: Yes .
Q: Can Arborec Ground Forces be used with the Production
Strategy Card?
A: Yes. However, the Ground Forces must be in a system
containing one or more friendly Space Docks.
Q: Can Arborec Ground Forces produce while in a fleet, i.e.
being carried by a ship?
A: Yes. Any units produced may be placed on ships with
capacity or a planet controlled by that player in that system


In which case I choose Arborec

Its not that great an ability at the start. Remember only your GF can produce GF... and you can't pool the build capacity so in the arly game your GF are costing 1 resource for 1 single unit. Same with fighters if you so choose.

I would think in the late game this becomes really important as you can reinforce quickly. So we just have to stunt your growth

I'm suprised you didn't go Universities. 2/3 technologies per turn is a pretty powerful ability.

Done the Universities and I think my play style does not go with a -1 in combat and I am always happy to try a new race.

Their racial tech also gives the GF a build capacity of 2 so I guess I will be going for that as early as possible.

Going to have a good read of all the rules as when I have been playing I got a few things wrong. Hoping to have a mistakes I have made / odd rules that get forgotten document for the 1st.

May also be addicted enough to have a go at the solo rules I downloaded

solo ! How on earth (pun) does that work ??

Maybe you lie on a bed naked covered in only Twilight Imperium Hexes to recreate your favorite movie (American Beauty) scene.

Dave is our 8th Player... He finally confirmed. So have you all picked your races yet?

re race selection: I will pick Mentak Coalition.

Based on BoardGamegeek claiming that they have the coolest flagship :-)

May I assure my TI3 neighbours that the Coalition will work tirelessley to bring the galaxy's economic deficit under control, restore confidence in financial markets, and blow up lots of things.

Mike

Neighbours again... what is the price of peace?

cheesecake.

ah thanks... kind of you to offer... I prefer blackcurrent cheesecake. Remember I start with Warsuns!

Profile picture updated - the flames the burning infadel ships!

OMG you put foul blackcurrent slime on divine virginal cheesecake. Heretic !!!

However, back to reality and a serious point. Do we still need to make decisions about choosing optional rules and how to play objectives etc for this Saturday ? I don't see much activity on this thread outside of you, me and Simon.

Maybe we should agree to decide all these questions on the day, but quickly. ie 11:30 am on the dot the players vote on options. If you're late and ain't in the Shed you don't get a vote.

Mike

To me the main big ones are (normal rules vs):

1) Allowing a race to build a Space Dock in the same turn they claim a planet (and allowing Saar to move and build in same activation).
2) Setup for a long war (14 objectives). 3 face up objectives to get people started (Age of empires).
3) Finishing time (midnight? 10 points? 14 points?). - see how the speed of the game goes?
4) Saar can build flagship outside of Home system.

presume we are using distant suns and final frontier tokens?

Preset Map / Scenario Use a preset or scenario map or Fall of the Empire (Shards)
Objective cards from SE A more conflict creating objective deck from SE
Preliminary Objectives
Strategy Card Set Before Game Setup, choose a Strategy Card Set If Imperial II is chosen, Age of Empire is required
Political Intrigue Use Politics III / Assembly II and political system from Shards
Age of Empire All objectives open from beginning. Not with Bureaucracy – part as described by Anurin
Artifacts Extra VP tokens (1 per player) are placed on planets
Voice of the Council 1 VP voted before Political Agenda
Distant Suns Domain Counters (Events) on planets
Territorial Distant Suns Near HS only low risk/low benefit Distant Sun Counters
The Final Frontier Domain Counters (Events) in empty systems
Custodians of Mecatol Rex 2 Ground Forces / 3 Fighters defending Mecatol Rex
The Wormhole Nexus A system reachable through wormholes only and bridg them
Simulated Early Turns Refer to rulebook
Leaders Each race has 3 Leaders with special abilities
Race-Specific Technologies Each race has two unique technologies (from SE & Shards)
Tactical Retreats Spend 1 CC from command pool to activate a system to retreat to
Sabotage Runs PreCombat attack on WarSun with Fighters.
Shock Troops GF become Shock Troop if they roll a 10 in combat.
Space Mines Cruiser can deploy mines. Ships may be hit individually.
Facilities Allows building of Refineries and Colonies to enrich planets
Homeworlds Player must control all planets in his HS to fulfill objectives
Flagships Introduces race-specific Flagship units
Mechanized Units Introduces Mechanized units, a second type of Ground Forces
Mercenaries Introduces Mercenaries and the new Trade III Strategy Car

Space dock in same turn and Saar amendment

Normal - I think yes
Bold - I think no
Underlined - I either don't understand or not fussed.

Also I think if we have 4 open objectives at start we won't have much trouble getting to 14 VP.

I think the Warrior Knights style politics is not thought out enough for use (as per our last game Mike) and would be far too complex with 8 people spending votes on 3 agendas

Pretty much agree bar sabotage runs! My precious warsuns.... Noooooooo

Oh and i forgot my other House rule... Your post reminded me.

Official rules for "controlling a system" are you must have control of all planets and have at least 1 unit in space.

I change it a little: to control a system you need to occupy all planets and there must be no enemy ships in system space. Empty systems are controlled by having a ship in it.

I agree with all these suggestions, especially the "control a system" house rule.

and suicide runs :-).

As to the target being 10 or 14 VP. I'd say yes to 14 (prolonging the fun), but I can't remember what happened last time we played 8 player. Did someone actually get to 14 ? Is it possible with 8 players in 12 hours ? If you guys think it is do-able then yes definitely. Or would 12 VP be a safe compromise ?

Mike

Gotta have sabotage runs or Mr Lucas would turn in his grave - is he dead?

By the quality of the last 3 films I would say yes. I wonder if this will start a TWITter rumour? Mind the books were pretty good. I read the clone wars before I wnet to see the film and thought that the introduction of the death star plans was great. I didn't get the same tug in the films. Maybe the book ruined the suprise?

Anyway I digress.

Yes... ok Sabotage runs. Note to self... build destroyers and lots of em!

With the victory points I think we play to 14 points. Then at 10-11pm we assess where the game is. 2 outcomes.

1) If someone is past 10 points we play till midnight and the most points is the target required. i.e. if at midnight Craig is on 12 points the end condition is 12 points. Then people can apply there agreement cards ("you need 1 less point to win the game") as +1 VP. So if Neil was on 11 points and had 2 such agreements he would win! That should stop him moaning like a lady!

2) If people are below but close to 10 points we play to 10 points! (reverting to option 1 at midnight)

Confused... I am. Now back to cheesecake...

Does Clive have a microwave?

I agree with your suggestions on VPs. And yes Clive does have the microwave tech card.

All the optional rules are fine by me, I defiantly what the wormhole nexus ;-)

Not sure I like simulated early turns, if you're lucky enough to start with good systems you just get them without having to worry about Distant Sun Counters.

Yes the wormhole nexus, a free un-invadable system for the Creuss. Luckily it only gives you 2 influence. Still If I get a wormhole near me my warsuns going to sit on it just to annoy you ! First come first serve.

Yeah I've never liked simulated early turns.

A really great game yesterday chaps, thanks to one and all and congratulations to Kelly's wandering gypsies of the galaxy.

Here's my thoughts for what we might change the next time we play:

1. Drop representatives. Just vote on the political card, player by player. I think the fun(?) added to the game is not worth the extra time they take.

2. Allow Political cards always to be used as trade goods.

3. Tweak the startup of the galaxy so that each player is guaranteed 50% of his hexes to distribute are planets.

Thoughts ?

Mike

Uncanny that is almost exactly what Clive and I decided would be good rule changes

mikew wrote:

1. Drop representatives. Just vote on the political card, player by player. I think the fun(?) added to the game is not worth the extra time they take.

2. Allow Political cards always to be used as trade goods.

3. Tweak the startup of the galaxy so that each player is guaranteed 50% of his hexes to distribute are planets.

Thoughts ?

Mike

Agree with 1

2 only if you run out of trade goods and can't be used for production!

3 disagree - you end up with lots of empty space and dangerous hexes around metacol. All planets in outer ring. I like the random distribution. Maybe fix it by reducing the amount of space tiles and having a planet rich game. Current setup is 34 planets, 9 specials and 12 space. 3 random are removed. Could just remove 3 space instead?

ahhh... I may have a problem...

The exact words were "your not doing that again for the forseable future!"

Are my Twilight days numbered? I guess I have 2 months 29 days to annoy her enough to want rid of me for the day! That or we play Civilisation... then strictly speaking i'm not doing "that" again.

(a) I like Aneurin's suggestions on points 2 and 3 more than mine. "Enriching" the mix of hexes at the start seems an elegant solution.

(b) oh dear ! What happened whilst you were away, did the children set fire to the dog or something ? I'm happy to play Civilization next. Or you could play from home via video link.....

(c) Also, in addition, I would like to play in a six-person Twiglet game to see how it runs. With a perfect distribution of players around an hexagonal galaxy, and two strategy cards unpicked every round, it may be quite a different game to eight-player. What do you think Simon, as Other TI3 Game Owner?