Unlike other ccg's during the deploy phase passing forfeits your ability to deploy later in the same phase, assuming the opponent doesn't pass also.

There's no reason to do what other ccg's do of course, but there's a good reason for a mechanic like this because it adds an element of bluffing to the game. Here, if i pass - my opponent gets free reign. Having initiaitve in the deploy is not so good.

Also, whats the point of having 7 planets in the game? Only the first 3 count for winning and only the first 3 will have their battle abilities trigger. The rest are only good for card draws and resources. There isn't much variety in those numbers across the planets (though it's good to gain extra resources/cards obviously!) so isn't that a waste having 7 cards during play? Their text will be meaningless.

The first three planets may not have a common icon thus pushing the battle farther in the row. Besides, it may be more advantageous to trigger other powerful planet abilities rather than conquer the first one.

Yep, the intricacies of deploying is a key wrinkle in this game. It is of course by design, and it works well once you get used to it.

As to the planets, Stereochild is correct that the first three planets might not all have the same icon. But that's also assuming that one player wins the first three. So yes, sometimes the game is over by the third turn. But I would say that's fairly unusual. I feel like most of the games I've played have ended somewhere between planet 4 and 6. Going all the way to planet seven is unusual.

Also, usually much more than just the first planets have their battle abilities go off. That would only be the case if both players sent their warlords to the first planet every turn. Which is highly unusual. That sort of all-in mentality usually only occurs when someone will win unless that planet is heavily contested. In most rounds, you'll likely see 2 or 3 battle abilities going off.

I am still learning this game, but from my experience so far, the battles between me and my opponents are getting more drawn out as we learn the intricacies of the game.

I suspect as Deck customization options improve, things will of course change and evolve.

As was said in the bgg post you made reread the rules again specifically victory and combat.

As for deployment it is a great system as you want to hide information so you play the smaller units first but what if they are space marines they might just play their signature squad and snipe your weenies or pull goff boyz off the first planet. Or in the case of tao you almost always play your limited first to hide what you are playing but they can snipe it with their event. Or if you just use all your resources in one turn they can prepare for it same as if you played a bigger unit early so you want to hold off on those.

There's no reason to do what other ccg's do of course, but there's a good reason for a mechanic like this because it adds an element of bluffing to the game. Here, if i pass - my opponent gets free reign. Having initiaitve in the deploy is not so good.

I agree there might be an element of bluffing that is lost, but I think this rule is completely necessary given the way the game plays out, and it goes a long way toward preventing abuse in Deploy.

A huge part of Deploying in this game is where you deploy your units based on where your opponent deploys his. If passing during the Deploy Phase didn't give the opponent free reign, then the person with initiative would pass until his opponent had pretty much deployed everything (based on resource and/or card count) and then deploy all of his cards with full knowledge of where the opponent's units were. And that would kill a huge part of the meta game and player interaction for me because the Deploy Phase would just be a big game of chicken -- i.e., "Will he pass after I do so that neither of us get to deploy any more cards?"

Only the first 3 count for winning and only the first 3 will have their battle abilities trigger.

This comment utterly baffles me. The only way that this could happen is if all 3 of the first planet had a symbol in common, all three were won by the same player, and both players sent their warlords to the first planet each round. In my experience, given the nuance, strategy and interaction of the game, this would almost never happen.

Only the first 3 count for winning and only the first 3 will have their battle abilities trigger.

This comment utterly baffles me. The only way that this could happen is if all 3 of the first planet had a symbol in common, all three were won by the same player, and both players sent their warlords to the first planet each round. In my experience, given the nuance, strategy and interaction of the game, this would almost never happen.

Pretty sure it was established over on bgg that he has the rules wrong.

Ah. Well. That would explain it. (Since I don't cross-read the bgg boards, I didn't know about the parallel conversation.)

Yeah, he popped in over there to gripe at everyone and then disappeared when everyone explained that he had the rules wrong. But he didn't disappear immediately, first he challenged everyone to prove he had interpreted the rules incorrectly. Sigh. #eyeroll