More Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition - 1st October 2011

(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?

6 can be fun. Not actually played many 6 player games. Generally find that diplomacy is left with a ton of bonus tokens on it.

Not even that... I think Aled was crying, Noah had an accident at the same time and he started crying. Lots of crying... then Noah went for a nap, Aled fell asleep on her. She didn't want to move and wake him up and was was left watching Cbeebies for 3 hours while the remote lay on the floor just out of reach. I think it rotted her mind!

The horror ! Mind you, I just read your post to my wife and she laughed like a drain.... In sympathy of course.

In a six player game I think diplomacy was left because it was the old one, diplomacy II is more useful for annexing a planet with a pesky domain counter on it, or guaranteeing you get that juicy 3 resource planet. Early game I think its more likely Bureaucracy and Warfare will pick a few bonuses.

Speaking of Domain Counters, I wouldn't mind a game without them just to see how speedy an expansion some of the newer races can do, it changes the game massively.

As for a more balanced galaxy without just bumping up the resources everywhere, why not randomly deal out 1 or 2 systems with 2+ planets on to each player, then take 3 (or whatever it is) out of the rest and deal out the remaining systems. I don't think the amount of empty space is a problem, it just when you get 5 empty, a supernova and a 1/1 planet that its an issue.

But there were wormholes readily available to a more lucrative edge of the galaxy...