Dears

I'm noob player in board game but on computer game I "lost" a lot of time many years ago
I and two of my companieros fight off few battle in SC base set (Z vs. T vs. P every time) till now. Unfortunately like in real life...in SCBG when two are fighting the third one is benefiting. We try to balance game with setting up universe with similar resource and CP planet values and conclude a silent alliance against player who is the biggest threat...but that's all

Do you have some golden rules or advice for 3 player game...maybe scenarios or other solutions
Any help you can give on the above would be very appreciated

Regards,
date

I played only one game with 3 players.

But the problems were more or less the same.

The starting planets were unbalanced and the game often comes down to a one-on-one, so the third has a least a free round.

I would suggest to change some rules.

1. Your idea the balanced starting planets is good.

2. I would also suggest to give conquest points for every enemy base you destroy in the action phase (or force to retreat).

3. Maybe for every base that survived the whole round.

4. Give ressources for Conquest-points-areas instead of conquest-points.

That way you need to fight and to build bases to make points.

you could use a seventh planet. for playing. often in our 3 player rounds there is to less space for expansion and not enough exits from starting positions. use a planet with 4 connection points and cp areas on it. then first player connect his first planet to the central one.

Escaping and Reforcing is much easier with seven planets in a 3 player game i guess

We thought about adding additional planets and we try this in next game
Adding CP for survived base...I'm afraid that will end game to soon. If any player have two or more bases and control two CP then game will end in third or fourth turn....but it's worth trying anyway

I also thought about some scenario...very playable planet setup, something like Lost Temple is on computer game and modified starting unit e.g. each player gain additional battlecruiser or carrier or guardian + hydra for example...

Whatever you would do to make the game fair, you won't reach that goal. I would say it's typical for 3 player game that it usually changes from FFA into 2v1 or 1v1 + 1 passive player, in both cases it will be unfair for some side.

Scenarios are IMO the best solution for 3 players who want to play all together. 2 of 5 scenarios for Brood War expansion are playable for 3 players. Although I haven't tested them yet, it seems that they would work really well for 3 players. Especially if someone is slightly less experienced - then he should play the faction which has the greatest chances for victory (yes, even those scenarios are unfair, but they are definitely much more interesting than usual FFA because of specified victory goals).

I'm after first 2 vs. 2 player game and I see tremendous difference in players interaction and strategy planning...on good side of course.

Once again and the last time I soppose....wee randomize universe construction (according to rules), side effect of that was two never used planet in our game. I also not satisfied with race balance, on every our game zerg was overpowered by protos and terran...

This lead me to conclusion that I need to buy Brood War exp asap :-)

one thing is for sure - if you add planets the game will last longer. giving you time to research and build much more before getting in contact with the enemies