New TI, super exciting!

But the link in the article ( https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2017/8/11/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition/ ) where it says "Are you a Twilight Imperium veteran? Click here for information on key differences between the Third and Fourth Editions!" goes to the product page, though, not a new article explaining the differences from the third edition. Anyone see anything new at a glance in the article that's up?

yes what are the differences? Is the only difference that we don't own this one yet? To be fair that is enough for me to buy, but just wanted to check.

• The Leadership strategy card allows a player to gain additional command tokens for their fleet.
• The Diplomacy strategy card allows a player to prevent other factions from activating a system.
• The Politics strategy card allows a player to draw additional action cards and give a player the Speaker token.
• The Construction strategy card allows a player to build planetary structures, like space docks and PDS units.
• The Trade strategy card allows a player to produce commodities and gain trade goods.
• The Warfare strategy card allows for extended ship mobility.
• The Technology strategy card allows a player to research technology in exchange for resources.
• The Imperial strategy card allows a player to gain a victory point if they control Mecatol Rex, or draw an additional secret objective.

A Galaxy of Change

Twilight Imperium commands an imposing legacy unlike any other game out there. For twenty years, this venerable strategy board game that casts players as the authors of their own epic, spacefaring saga has seen three full editions and several expansions, each of which has changed the thrilling gameplay and vibrant universe of Twilight Imperium. Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition sees several changes from previous editions in order to push the game forward into the dawn of a new age. These changes include but are not limited to:

Trade - Trade contracts do not exist in Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition . Instead, commodities are traded between factions who have ships in adjacent systems. Every time the trade strategy card is used, its primary ability allows a faction to “refresh” their commodities. Then, that faction may choose to let any other factions refresh their commodities for free. Other factions may then use trade’s secondary ability to spend a token from their strategy pool to refresh their commodities. Commodities do nothing on their own, but become traditional trade goods when given to another faction.

Technology - Twilight Imperium Third Edition featured elaborate tech trees as a pathway to powerful technologies. The process of researching technology has been streamlined, as there are no longer specific technologies that are prerequisites for other advancements in Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition . Instead, certain types of technology are used as prerequisites—a new tech may require three Biotic Technologies, or two Warfare and a Cybernetic Technology, making prerequisites easy to track.

PDS Units and Space Docks - Previously, PDS units and Space Docks were constructed like any other unit, requiring a resource cost and an activation token to place on a planet. Now, PDS Units and Space Docks are created with the Construction strategy card, which allows a player to place either two PDS units on planets you control, or a PDS and a Space Dock on planets you control. The secondary ability allows a player to spend a token from their strategy pool to place a PDS or Space Dock on one of their planets.

Politics - Previously, in Third Edition , the politics phase began with the primary ability of the Politics strategy card. Now the agenda phase occurs at the end of every round after Mecatol Rex has been claimed. Players get to refresh all their planets for the agenda phase, meaning they don’t have to split their planets for use between resources and influence. Like Third Edition , agenda cards are used to pass new laws in the galaxy, flipped from the top of the deck. After one law is voted on, a second card is flipped and another round of voting occurs. Planets are refreshed again after the agenda phase ends.

Imperial Strategy Card - Previously, the Imperial strategy card’s primary ability allowed for the user to receive two victory points. Now, the card’s primary ability allows a player to receive one victory point if they control Mecatol Rex or receive an additional Secret Objective. This Imperial strategy card is more flexible but still provides a pacing element, and can be used as a powerful tool if selected at the right time.

Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition includes many components first introduced in expansions for the Third Edition of the game. Flagships, promissory notes, factions, strategy cards, special galaxy tiles, and more return in Fourth Edition .

7 minutes ago, Danthrax said:

New TI, super exciting!

But the link in the article ( https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2017/8/11/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition/ ) where it says "Are you a Twilight Imperium veteran? Click here for information on key differences between the Third and Fourth Editions!" goes to the product page, though, not a new article explaining the differences from the third edition. Anyone see anything new at a glance in the article that's up?

you have to scroll down abit.

You have to click Read More in the product description and scroll down.

Do you think there will be upgrade pack?

One of the biggest differences is that it looks like most of the stuff from the two expansions for the 3rd edition are going to be included in the core set for the 4th edition. That's why its price point is set @ $150.

Why not 8 player

17 minutes ago, ElSuave said:

You have to click Read More in the product description and scroll down.

Ah, thanks.

The ability to acquire more secret objectives over the course of the game should make them go faster.

I don't like the "streamlined" tech thing.

They did this is Civilization. Ya its streamlined, but it just doesn't feel right.

I do love the other changes though. especialy the ship upgrades.

Just now, KAGE13 said:

I don't like the "streamlined" tech thing.

They did this is Civilization. Ya its streamlined, but it just doesn't feel right.

I do love the other changes though. especialy the ship upgrades.

Something tells me that the upgrade paths will be about the same as they are now, just with a little more flexibility.

I am so excited words are failing me.

3 minutes ago, Braneric said:

Something tells me that the upgrade paths will be about the same as they are now, just with a little more flexibility.

actually ya rereading it, it doesn't sound quite as bad as CIV.

that must be what the coloured symbols me on the ships as well. 3 reds and yellow for a war sun.

While new components would be nice, and this new edition looks very sleek and clean, we can just houserule most of the new rules. They still need to give me more reasons why this is worth $150 when I already am in a group that houserules for streamlining and we already own the expansions. However if I didn't own the expansions already, then this would have been an awesome place to jump in. As it stands that's just a lot of money for a game that only makes it to the table a couple times in a year.

I can definitely see people who already own the complete 4th edition passing on this, but with the expansions increasingly hard to find 4th ed. does allow you to get the best features of them in the same box.

12 minutes ago, Braneric said:

I can definitely see people who already own the complete 4th edition passing on this, but with the expansions increasingly hard to find 4th ed. does allow you to get the best features of them in the same box.

it doesn't have components for 8 players...

Seems many changes could be incorporated into TI3. However one change seems a bit difficult to integrate and it is not a bad one:

Controlling different planets players are now unlocking advanced versions of units. Previously I believe the same was achieved by Tech Research. So Tech Tree was seriously revamped, and techs related to units were possibly replaced by planets color control.

Though I might be interpreting this wrong... Still there is new symbol near planets.

3 hours ago, VDmitry said:

Though I might be interpreting this wrong... Still there is new symbol near planets.

I noticed those symbols also. I wonder to what extent they're used. Perhaps even in some laws?

PUMPED

14 minutes ago, Archangelion said:

I noticed those symbols also. I wonder to what extent they're used. Perhaps even in some laws?

It seems that tech specials are now taking the place of pre reqs. So if warsun technology takes 3 reds and 1 yellow and you have a red tech planet, it instead requires two reds and a yellow

1 hour ago, Robofish said:

It seems that tech specials are now taking the place of pre reqs. So if warsun technology takes 3 reds and 1 yellow and you have a red tech planet, it instead requires two reds and a yellow

Not the tech symbols (on the left of the planet) the other symbols to the right of tbe planet name. What are those symbols?

On 11.8.2017 at 6:44 PM, Toudo said:

Do you think there will be upgrade pack?

No.

23 hours ago, Archangelion said:

Just did a quick google search on these 3 planets. Looks like the Resource and Influence values in TI3 match these for Thibah and Tar'Mann but not Vefut II. Conversely, Old Vefut has a red tech specialty but the other 2 systems don't have tech specialties.

So the hexes are not all mechanically the same, but will probably be close enough to use the old ones with the new ones. If the size matches.

On 8/11/2017 at 7:59 PM, Archangelion said:

Not the tech symbols (on the left of the planet) the other symbols to the right of tbe planet name. What are those symbols?

So those symbols on the right I am leaning more and more to a sort of distance sun mechanic. Red couldmean it is a more hostile planet to take control of or something so there will be a heftier price in doing so or it might require more troops to take it. While a green planet would be a more peaceful means of takeover.