Has anyone tried the Shattered Ascension (whatever that means) 2-player rules? The set-up requires you to remove all 'high resource' systems before dealing out systems. Anyone know the exact systems this refers to, or is it systems with more than a given resource value?
Shattered Ascension 2-player rules
I've played with it, but didn't bother removing the systems. I can't remember if they ever reared their ugly head, but even if they did, they didn't hurt the game - we didn't pick starting areas until AFTER the map was done, so if it came up, it was put in a "neutral" position equidistant from both players.
However, I think by "resource heavy", it probably refers to the same systems referred to in the official Pre-set maps: Bereg/Lirta IV, Abyz/Fria, Lisis/Elnor, and New Albion/Starpoint.
PsiComa ran a tournament a while back, and they used preset maps. Here are links:
Before start the players would bid for starting locations (and possibly the Speaker token) Here's how that works (taken from Psi's preset map thread ):
A really quick walk-through on the bidding system:
One at a time, place your flag and a number of Trade Goods on the starting location you want (taken from discard pile, as its just a representative value, not your actual TG). This amount may be 0.
Once you have placed your flag and your bid, you remain passive as the turns continue around the table, either until every player has their flag on the table (in which the game wil start), or until you are overbid. When overbid, the opponent places his own flag instead of yours on the system and the number of TG's raised to. Then you must make a bid for a new system (or the same) and so on.
Often one starting location may be better than another, at least relative to the races. That's why players should keep bidding to make the good systems costy. The pro with this system here is that even though a map isn't all "balanced" it will always balance out through skillful bidding. Good "tiles" is no longer luck, but a part of the strategical game.
When all flags are on the table, bidding immediately ends, and you place your HS on the location of the flags. Now, players start with the INVERSE value of Trade Goods bid, so whoever bid the highest value start with zero TG.
For example: Hacan bid 8 TG for position, while Norr bid 6 and Saar bid nothing for the crappy system in the corner. Now Hacan (bidding the most) will start with 0 TG, Norr bidding 2 less starting with 2 and Saar bidding 0 will start with 8 TG! It may be just the position the Saar player wanted...
Excellent. Thank you very much!