This game does not need a new edition. As others have said, it is fine as is, and is the most epic, engaging, 4x space game out there, and one of the top strategy games in existence; in essence, TI3 is a modern classic. I am a purist for this game, one of the die-hard fans. In fact, I own a copy of the original 1st edition copy of the game. I can say, as owner of 1st edition, the 3rd edition base game and both expansions to it, that the game has come a long way, and I honestly don't think you could do anything new to justify a fourth edition. New editions, as a rule of thumb, generally are for stream-lining game play, and that has already happened over the two previous editions and their expansions.

If anything, it could get an expansion, adding a few new races (1-2), some new objectives (secret, public, or maybe even race specific objectives), some new tech, and some new units. I really liked the frigate idea from Wonoz, especially the stat line and heavy barrage rule. However, I think just adding new tech to improve the frigate would be better than require the research of existing techs. I would also like to see maybe interceptors or bomber-type units that must be supported by a carrier/Warsun, similar to fighters. Intercepters could have a battle score of 9 or 10, just like fighters, but get +1 or +2 when enemy fighters, bombers, and other interceptors are present in a system, and the opposing player must apply interceptor hits to his/her bombers, fighters, or interceptors. Similarly, bombers would battle at a 9 or 10 get a +1 or +2 bonus when certain capitol ships like dreadnaughts, warsuns, and flagships, are present and the other player must apply bomber hits to warsuns, dreadnaughts, and flagships. Bombers could even bombard planets just like dreadnaughts and warsuns, but not through a PDS shield. Bombers and fighters would probably cost the same as fighters.

As far as techs, you could start by adding a tech each to improve the value of interceptors, bombers, and frigates. For interceptors you can add a tech that improves their combat value (+1, cybernetics, just change the wording on the card) and then that grants access to a blue or yellow tech that allows up to 4 interceptors to be present on a planet with out a space dock, carrier, or warsun support but still must be carried to the planet or built there at a space dock (allows more defense of a key system). For bombers you could make a tech that gives them +1 during bombardments and allows them to bombard with a PDS present(red tech). Both of those techs could be midway or deep down the tech tree to ensure balance. For frigates you could also add to their capacity (+1 or +2, green tech). A tech I would really like to see is one that would allow GFs to participate in Space Battles and actually be able to commandeer enemy ships instead of destroying them, in other words, boarding parties (green or red tech). You could even have a rule where you can't board if interceptors are present in the enemy fleet or something as a counter. The Automated Defense Turrets tech could be modified to allow for a barrage against fighters, interceptors, and bombers.

Another interesting mechanic for an expansion would be a campaign style of play, similar to what FFG did to descent with the Road to Legend expansion for 1st Edition Descent, but with fleets of ships instead of single heroes. Such an expansion could support as few as 2 players, but as many as 8 and each session (2-4 rounds) could be a scenario with objectives to complete, different starting units per race, and the outcome would give certain players an advantage in subsequent linked scenarios. These scenarios could be historically based around the Fall of the Lazax or could be in the standard time era from the base game. FFG could also re-introduce leaders to this expansion, utilized in a way similar to what has been revealed in Star Wars Rebellion. The more that I think about it though, such a game could easily be stand alone by itself.

I also think FFG should expand the TI universe with an RPG, an imperial assault/ descent type game, and an Armada-Style game. I think the Armada style game could do really well, and has a lot of potential for expansion, as the game currently has 17 playable races.

What I really would like to see is a digital APP or version of the game. They did it with Battle Lore, no reason it could not be done with TI3. I would buy that in a heartbeat. The main downside to TI3 is its game length, and therefore it is hard to get 6 people to commit to 4-8 hours of gaming. A digital App could allow people to connect with other players anywhere and play or even play against the AI, catching the itch for most people in-between sessions. For me, such an APP could bring my original group back together, as I originally bought this game when I was in college, and all the guys I got to play lived on the hall together or were in the same social circles/frats. We have all since graduated, moved to various places around the country, and started families, making playing this game physically impossible.

I am interested in thoughts and feedback.

As a relatively new player to the TI sphere, I can already see how well this game lends itself to expansions. Even a new basic expansion that builds on the current mechanics of the previous addons would be enough to make it an insta-buy for me.

I think the idea of a campaign/persistent galaxy expansion is fantastic. Not only would it open the door for a slew of new optional mechanics, it would give further reason for players to invest in each potentially long gaming session - the last minute of a 10/12 hour saga could determine the shape of the galaxy when the campaign resumes next time.

One way or another, I think they will continue to flesh out the Twilight Imperium universe. I think it is worth observing that in an interview he gave at the end of last year, Christian Petersen mentions the he names Twilight Imperium as one of the settings which Fantasy Flight focuses its efforts.

As to a Twilight Imperium expansion, there were 5 years between the first two expansions. Shards of the Throne was announced and released 5 years ago. So I'm really hoping that something gets announced this year. As to what could be in it, I would think 2-4 new races could be quite fun. For example I would be really excited to see something explicitly tied to the Mahact Kings or their descendents. I really like Redleg1785's thought about racial objectives. I think that could help balance things out with the races currently, speed up the game, and really shake things up. I don't put as much stock in to there being new units. I think carriers are already quite limited, and there are enough ways to deal with fighters already that I don't see the interceptor or bomber things panning out. I would really like to see more exploration of the planets. Something more fleshed out than Distant Suns that can both give more flavor to the planets and more variance to replays (ideally not in the same way as Distant Suns). I think a few more scenarios could be cool, too.

I would also hope that they would expand Rex so that at the very least it could include the Sardakk N'orr. If they introduce another race to Rex, I would hope that it would also be introduced in a Twilight Imperium expansion as none of the other current races would make much sense in Rex.

I would love to see more games in the Twilight Imperium universe. I think it is one of the most fascinating settings, and anything that would reveal more about it would be amazing. I don't think they would do a miniatures game with it (no matter how much I would enjoy that), because I think the market is too niche for something like that. Similarly, I don't think they'd do an LCG but I do think it would be more feasible (I would personally prefer this to a miniatures game; more story-driven). I would love an RPG more than anything. FFG's RPGs have improved so much from the first time they made one for Twilight Imperium. I could see them making something that plays wonderfully, and finally gives a bit more lore of the universe. I could also see them trying to do a smaller scale game set in the universe. Something that looks more at individuals, and could be played quickly and with fewer people. If it was good on its own, it could attract more people to the game setting.

Thoughts?

Also, in the interview with Christian Petersen, he stated in reference to the Android World Book, "We'll actually be doing this for some of our other IPs [intellectual properties] that we own." To me, given remarks made earlier in the interview about Twilight Imperium being one of their signatures IPs, it is not unreasonable to think this could be possible for Twilight Imperium.

Cowsrespect me, I concur with your thoughts on expanding the TI universe. I could see FFG expand that universe. I have not seen the interview you mentioned, but based on what you said, it sounds like they plan to expand the TI universe anyway. Look at how the product website is arrayed: you have games divided into the android universe, LOTR, Star Wars, Runebound universe, etc. TI3 currently sits in the "other games" category. That just doesn't feel right to me. I am sure there are people that work for FFG and also feel that. I think other games in the TI3 universe are a real possibility. I could see an RPG for sure, I am still going to hang my hat on the imperial assault/descent type game. I also really think there is some stock in a "Star Wars: Rebellion" game set in the TI universe.

TI3 may be a bit of niche game, but not entirely. I also think the fan base is bigger than most people think. If you watch the "in flight" report from FFG at GENCON this past year, there is significant cheering when TI 1 is mentioned as well as TI3 is mentioned. Christian talks about how they sold out of TI 1 at their first convention and had to send someone back in the middle of the night to get more copies. It's been a few months since I watched it, but I am fairly certain Christain mentions how big TI3 was for them when it came out. TI3 and its initial sales is one of the things that made his company what it is today. Therefore, I think that fan base would buy anything set in the TI universe. At the very least, I am sure that there is enough to justify expansion of the universe.

I agree they could add the Sardakk N'orr to Rex, but that game is a good stand alone as is, and the main reason why it was made was because FFG could not make a deal with the Herbert Estate to re-make Dune. Pretty sure the original Dune only had 6 factions, so they just copied and pasted the mechanics into an event of the TI universe and called it good. Therefore, sadly I don't see the N'orr getting added to Rex.

As far as an expansion to TI3, I agree timing is right, and I hope the racial objectives take. Good point about new units, they would require a lot of rules to the game, and there are a lot of ways to deal with fighters. Still, I stand by my statement about bombers; I would like to see them, a tech that allows boarding of ships by GFs, and maybe some more ground units to expand invasion combat a little more epic. As far as races, the Machact King descendants could take, I also think arachnids would do well. We will see, time will tell.

Thoughts?

I also really think there is some stock in a "Star Wars: Rebellion" game set in the TI universe.

You know, Star Wars: Rebellion is being called a Star Wars version of Twilight Imperium.

Yep, I am aware of that. While Star Wars: Rebellion is a space conquest game like TI3, it is fairly clear from released previews of the game that it is not as in depth as TI3 (less politics, no new tech advances other than Death Star and super star destroyer construction for the empire, and no trade). Leaders while present in TI3, are not what the game is centered around and can be omitted entirely if desired. There is a mission mechanic in Rebellion that TI3 does not have. Rebellion is as close to TI3 as you can probably be in the Star Wars universe, but Rebellion and TI3 are clearly 2 different games. Rebellion is much more simple and will have a shorter average play time because of those differences, I think. What I am proposing is for FFG to take those mechanics from rebellion and put them in the TI universe, in either an expansion to TI3 or stand alone game.

This is the interview to which I was referring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCelCL49lR0 . The stuff about the Android World Book begin around the 43 minute mark, I can't remember when the specific list of IPs is mentioned, but it's before then. It's an interesting enough interview if you've got an hour to spare.

I was not aware that TI3 was as big as it is. I knew it was well-known and successful, but I didn't realize it's success was that important to FFG (other than it being Petersen's first game). I think successfully doing a miniatures game is pretty difficult, though. There is certainly a fanbase for this game, but to get a miniatures game to work, you need other people with whom you can play. My friends and I all love Twilight Imperium, but I'm not sure how many of them would really want to get in on something as expensive as a miniatures game. There are already a bunch of miniature sci-fi games, so I think it could be tough to draw from those who have never heard of TI. The Star Wars miniature games have been successful because any Star Wars fan can get in on it. For a TI miniature game, I think it would need both a relatively low initial cost, as well as a really excellent rule system that sets it apart from what's already out there. If any company could do it, it would be FFG, but I won't hold my breath. Should it ever get announced, though, I'll probably preorder every piece announced.

Dune did have expansions. Or at least there were editions of it released later with more factions. However, I do not think that they would expand on Rex following those races, mostly because those races were kind of strange and didn't (with, in my opinion, the exception of one) play like the base six. I don't think this would stop them from designing an expansion as they see fit for their game. For example, Cosmic Encounter is a game for which they bought the license from another company. To my knowledge, all of the expansions have been done "in house." I think the most difficult part of doing an expansion for it would be finding a way to balance the game board for 7+ players.

I like the idea of a two to four player game in the TI universe. I don't think an expansion would solve that since at it's core, TI is a 6 player game. I love playing with 3 and 4 players, but it's never the same as that epic feel when you get at least 6. I am so in favor of being able to play around in the setting without needing to find a time that works for 5 other people. I think they could do an Imperial Assault/Descent style game fairly easily. I personally like the idea of scenarios of linked TI games that have sort of a Legacy feel.

Out of curiosity, are arachnids already a thing in the lore, like from earlier editions? I'm just looking for as much lore as I can for an RPG I GM for some friends in the TI universe.

I watched that video. Definitely worth a look. I think there are going to be some big things in the next few months. I am very interested to see what happens.

As far as the arachnids, they are no where in the lore that I know of.... One of the reasons why In thought they would make a good race in an expansion.

I FINALLY got into the beta for Falling Stars: War of Empires, and it definitely scratches the itch for a new TI-like experience. Crazy politics, even more in-depth diplomacy options (which are the core of the game), battles and ships that matter, and of course online multiplayer/single player with AI. Since its a 4 player game, games can finish in ~75 minutes. Release date is Q1 2016 but honestly after playing, it will probably be a bit after that.

TI3 was one of the first games I bought as I was getting into this hobby. But Ive only got to table it a few times, with only a single session going on to completion…Sadly.

Every now and then I break out the game and put up a solo session with myself, to keep rules and whatnot in memory should I ever get around to a real session though

There is little I would wish to be changed in TI3 but I wouldnt mind a new edition with new bits n pieces designed to make management of the game easier.

Bigger hexes, smaller models and included fleet-stands.

And maybe race-sheets with dials to be adjusted when techs and such upgrade unit stats.

There are of course user-made sheets and such that help with this but I wouldnt mind paying again for a FFG designed version!

All that said, I have it on good authority that TI3 is Christian Petersens baby and first love. If he decides to make a 4th edition it won't be for money, it will simply be a labor of love and I actually think that is a real possibility.

Perhaps they'd consider a "deluxe" treatment like SJG gave OGRE. That was pretty much just for the fans of the game. I don't think SJG made any money on the project.

Oooooh. "Pimp your TI3". I like it! Maybe customized ship sets for all races. Well. At least the Flagships.[Dreams on]

I got runebound and fury of dracula.

FFG can't resurrect too many dead games at the same time.

Fingers crossed for twilight imperium next year.

Agreed but it would be nice if FFG does something with its original IPs Like Android and Twilight Imperium instead of concentrating on 3rd party titles like Star Wars and Warhammer 40,000 (although I do like both franchises).

Android has been getting some fair treatment with a new board game (I'll probably pick up Mainframe as it is much less that $100 ), but as far as Twilight Imperium goes the Imperium Rex was not so hot. If not an expansion maybe another side game (or a better balanced Rex).

I could see a wormhole control game where players are trying to secure passage right through a worm whole by negotiating trade routes building ports on the surrounding planets or even staging blockades at either end and having battles. That would be cool as a "vertical slice" game of Twilight imperium. After all, the fall of the Lazzax Empire was started by wormhole navigation dispute.

To show my love for this game. This is the table i made for a 8 player game last year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YY6aS0zTFA

I want a TI miniatures game like Battlefleet Gothic.

Not exactly like Battlefleet gothic but maybe something similar would be nice. How about an expansion where you are trying to control wormhole trade that brings in tactical fleet battles.

Although one thing I would like to see is a miniature maybe an expansion pack for all of the current races that gives them different shaped model units and maybe some nearby system titles and a few more heroes. I always found it odd that N'Dru ships look exactly the same as Sol or L1Z1X ships.

It might just be my obsession with the medium as of late, but I would love a Twilight Imperium "Card game of manipulation and empire management." I imagine it going something like this:

Each player chooses a deck representing a race. This deck contains some leaders, some ships, some race-specific power-ups and nerfs, etc.

There will also be a planet deck, and a political deck.

Every round, lets say 3 planet cards are turned face up and these are the planets that players can choose to wage war over. You can build ships with resources from any planet you take over, and the influence system would be the same.

After each round, all players will also vote on political agendas that fit into this system.

Victory point would be gained by each planet card won, and each political agenda won. So it's basically a game of warfare and manipulation.

I imagine a game could be played in 1-2 hours with a group of people, and wouldn't have all the crazy set up. Also it lends itself to more individualized races, because each race has its own deck.

To show my love for this game. This is the table i made for a 8 player game last year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YY6aS0zTFA

This is fantastic! How did you mount those flight stands to the ships? My game is not here yet but I understood there's no peg holes on the ships...are there?

I know it's not enough to carry an expansion all by itself, but I did think of some things I'd like to see added as options.... (forgive me if csomeone has mentioned it before)

Racial Objectives. Maybe three per faction, player to your left shuffles your races deck, deals you one, and puts the rest back.From then on they work like Secret Objectives.

Bombers. Similar to Shock Troops in that they are free upgrades for Fighters. Better combat value, must be damaged first out of the group. Replace the ability to capture PDS with maybe an option to lose the upgrade to make an additional attack roll?

The Emperor's Ship; A new ship type, only one in the game that players have to compete to earn. Basically a super-War Sun. If it's destroyed it's just gone, but gives a bunch of nice bonuses.

Not exactly like Battlefleet gothic but maybe something similar would be nice. How about an expansion where you are trying to control wormhole trade that brings in tactical fleet battles.

Exactly what this game needs. More down time for everyone other than the two players involved in a space battle.

I'm not opposed to the idea of tactical-level game set in the TI universe, but playing Titan taught me why minigames within a larger game are a bad idea for board games. This should absolutely not be an expansion, but a standalone game on its own. If you and your friends want to combine the two via house rules, more power to you.

playing Titan taught me why minigames within a larger game are a bad idea for board games.

I agree 100% with your comment, but I really liked Titan the one time I played it. I really liked the integration between the tactical and strategic levels. Would love to find an inexpensive copy somewhere so I could pick it up.

Another game that combines 2 levels of focus is battlesystems, which just ran a kickstarter for a 2nd edition. You've got your starship on a space hex grid ala star fleet battles, flying around and shooting stuff, and you also have maps detailing the interior of your ship and miniatures of your characters running around trying to fix damage and man the helm and repel boarders and such. Supposed to be a pretty good game.

It might just be my obsession with the medium as of late, but I would love a Twilight Imperium "Card game of manipulation and empire management." I imagine it going something like this:

Each player chooses a deck representing a race. This deck contains some leaders, some ships, some race-specific power-ups and nerfs, etc.

There will also be a planet deck, and a political deck.

Every round, lets say 3 planet cards are turned face up and these are the planets that players can choose to wage war over. You can build ships with resources from any planet you take over, and the influence system would be the same.

After each round, all players will also vote on political agendas that fit into this system.

Victory point would be gained by each planet card won, and each political agenda won. So it's basically a game of warfare and manipulation.

I imagine a game could be played in 1-2 hours with a group of people, and wouldn't have all the crazy set up. Also it lends itself to more individualized races, because each race has its own deck.

Yeah but you got to remember that netrunner the card game existed before FFG got a hold of it. Also Android plays more like Arkahm Horror and not like Twilight Imperium. Twilight Imperium is old and the age is alright as it has been through 3 editions, but I cannot deny that it doesn't show it age from time to time (the Axis and Allies combat system with a D10 for example).

I also find it hard for FFG to fit in a LCG based upon TI3. Each of the LCGs do something different. Netrunner is an Asymmetrical Game where the corps starts with all the points but the runner can grab them, Lord of the Rings is a cooperative card game where you try to make a deck and go after tougher and harder story decks. TI3 might be a space version of Game of Thrones LCG which might find interesting but I don't think it is in FFG best interest to remake Game of Thrones into the less recognizable Twilight Imperium game especially when they just restarted the LCG with their 2nd edition.

Not exactly like Battlefleet gothic but maybe something similar would be nice. How about an expansion where you are trying to control wormhole trade that brings in tactical fleet battles.

Exactly what this game needs. More down time for everyone other than the two players involved in a space battle.

I'm not opposed to the idea of tactical-level game set in the TI universe, but playing Titan taught me why minigames within a larger game are a bad idea for board games. This should absolutely not be an expansion, but a standalone game on its own. If you and your friends want to combine the two via house rules, more power to you.

If done right it would be a much faster version of Twilight Imperium. More like a 3-6 tile Twilight Imperium with enough room for some card political and diplomacy action. Only instead of a whole phase of say politics they would be more like cards that are played on the same turn. The biggest complaint against Twilight Imperium is the length so try and take the concept of political space opera of Twilight Imperium and reduce it to say a single hour and I think you will find more interest in Twilight Imperium.

It might just be my obsession with the medium as of late, but I would love a Twilight Imperium "Card game of manipulation and empire management."

Although nothing like what you were describing, I get a very strong "TI as a card game" vibe from "Race for the Galaxy". Players choose what facet of management to focus on each round (warfare, logistics, tech) and you get a big benefit in the facet you choose, but still get to do stuff in the facets other players choose. Definite empire building feel, though combat is very abstract and doesn't take place between players but between a player and random cards.

I agree 100% with your comment, but I really liked Titan the one time I played it.

I like the two individual parts as well, individually.

I really like the recruiting mechanics. However, playing the two parts combined is a disaster. Even using a house rule that you must always attack your

neighbour to the right (so other players can take their overworld turns while you two duke it out) doesn't help that much. We often found the overworld game

coming back around before the two-player battle was completed.

Maybe if any of us were willing to engage in the negotiation rules rather than fighting it out the bitter end, it would be different....

I really like TI3 as it as, just some small changes:

1. This is just some minor thing, which would reduce the component count: Remove the Flags/Command Counter from the races (17 sets) and make part of the plastics (8 sets). How often (esp. with beginners) you fell into the trap, that you glance at the board, see a couple of e.g. orange activation tokens, just to realize after a bad move, that that were not the tokens of the player playing orange, but from a different player (who plays a race with that has an orange race logo).
2. THIS point is valid for all my FFG games. Really, FFG, as much as I like your games, your box organisations sucks (read: is not existing). Esp. with a game with such many components it would be really helpful to have some tuck boxes and some plastic card shoes for the action & political cards. Good organized this could also reduce setup and clean up times. (And here I mean also, that the base game box, should have all the options to fit the two expansions).
3. Check the whole game (i.e. action & political cards & race abilities) for consistency. I cant count how many times we start discussions in the game because some obscure wording, that could be avoided at all, if the rules/wording were formulated correct (one example which came to my mind is from my last game the Yssaril abilites with their "hand size limit" and political cards referring to it (as the rules dont know the term "hand size limit"), another one are the timing of battle-effects (before, while, at the beginning)). The effects are fine as they are, I just want to clear their wording (so you can play the action cards/abilites) without knowing 20+ pages of errata and forum discussions.
4. Some minor balance tweaks (this is often house ruled, or ends usually in the fact that when the races are picked from a small random set, some are really really seldom played).
5. Ok, there is actually an action card I would remove because of its annoyance: Touch of the Genius. It takes endlessly till someone has found what someone wants, esp. with experienced players. You would expect them, to know what they want, and find it quick. But they know how much of the "dangerous" cards are supposed to be in the deck, and went through all cards, to know how much of them are in play.

Make it, and I would buy instantly another copy of the game.