Hello all! I have been playing Twilight Imperium since the early days of its 2nd Edition, but had few occasions to play 3rd... Until recently, when I convinced my gaming group to put the money together for the base set (no Shattered empires for now, though it's due to change) and we already played it twice... Needlessly to say they fell in love with it!

We're playing again this Friday, so I supposed I'd ask some questions that came up in our game, and a few that didn't:

a) If a player doesn't control all planets in his Home System, can he claim 2 VP from the imperial Strategy? Or alternatively 1 VP for Imperial II

b) After a round of combat, if one of the contenders wishes to play a Direct Hit AC, and the other one that AC that lets you repair your damaged ships, which takes precedence? (I'd say: the player with the lowest initiative number has precedence)

That's all I can think of for now XD Next game, we'll either try the original set of Strategy cards with the Age of Empire + Imperial II variant, or maybe I'll convince them to try out the Shattered Empires Strategy cards which, I read, are considered superior to the original set.

Would you recommend trying the SE Strategies + 14 VP track + Age of Empires?

Thanks in advance!

No Hero said:

A - You only need to control all planets in your home system to achieve objectives. You can still get the 2 points from Imperial.

B - The official way to play an action card (announce you wish to play an action card, others have a chance to announce they have one as well, reveal all actions cards, action cards are activated in player order, ie. initiative order) There are some exceptions to this. When you are the defender and there are multiple cards that take effect at the same time, ie. Immediately before a space battle, the defender chooses the order in which they go off. My group doesn't go by this rule strictly. If you had a shields holding or emergency repairs, you basically reveal it before assigning any damage and take the hits and heal your ships instantly. Our thinking on this is that Emergency Repairs is a "at any time" while Direct Hit is "immediately after a ship is damaged" Emergency Repairs has a FASTER timing.

I would definately recommend switching to the new strategy cards. It just opens the game up to so many new and better strategies. The new strategy cards can't be used with age of empires, because Bureaucracy lets you take the top two objectives and select which one comes out. This is a huge benefit, but you also don't get free points every round. The other great thing about that card is that if you aren't in the lead, you don't have to Imperium Rex. It will no longer simply SHOW UP unannounced. If you are in the lead, then of course you will it. The trick is to keep Bureaucracy out of the hands of the leader.

Steve-O is correct about the "official" way to play AC's but it's so unnatural that our group never does it. I would just say to resolve the dispute in initiative order.

I've never played a game to 14 VP. You must have a lot of time on your hands!

Thank you both for the answers!

obsidian said:

Not really, but my group decided that the game is unenjoyable if it ends too fast, so we play it in two nights at our club, making sure no one touches it during the week.

Next game I'll definitely propose using the secondary set of Strategy cards, and a 13 VP variant

We just played a 4-player long war yesterday. It took us 8 hours.

At the end we had 3 players all tied for first at 13 points.

The player in last place had Bureaucracy and had a choice between 2 people to give the win to.

If he flipped over Imperium Rex, Hacan won, if he flipped over "spend 6 command counters" Federation of Sol would win.

Unforunately I was the L1Z1X and qualified after Federation of Sol, otherwise I would have won.

It was a very tense, epic game.

Am I Steve-O now?

DavidG55311 said:

So sorry DavidG55311! I made a few posts today and forgot which person said what in which thread

I have another little question, which isn't worth its own thread:

I know during the Status phase no player can unilaterally break their Trade Agreements with the Hacan... But could a Hacan player break their own Trade Agreement during the Status Phase if they chose?

obsidian said:

I've been known to have that effect on people. =)

No Hero said:

I believe so. My understanding of the rule is that Hacan has full control over their own trade agreements.

Steve-O said:

Agreed

I concur. Nobody can break with Hacan, but it doesn't say Hacan can't break with themselves.