Me and my friends are playing for two months now and we think that although Starcraft The Board Game doesn't include any dice it still includes luck at the begining. I mean if you draw a favorable planet then you have big chances to win or not. For example The Queen of blades draws a planet with two zone containing conquest ponts then the player (if he can protect them) need's only one other conquest point zone to be controlled at the begining of the 3rd stage. On the other side if your Jim raynor and you draw too planets with only one mineral zone youre really disatvantaged beacause 1. you must attack a lot in order to control 6 of this zones, and 2. you have few minerals to expansion. (it seems like not so probable to draw like that with jim but it has happened). I know that the game tries to make player attack and not defend but in many scenerios there is a player that assures his survival and he blocks himself on two planets because ha has his special victory condition fullfiled and he awaits the 3rd stage, i this this damages the gameplay.

There are some other scenerios like this but I think that you got the point. I would also like to hear... actually read your argumented opinnion.

I am currently playing a game where I am Jim and started with two planets that fulfill my special victory condition. I'm about to go back and be slaughtered by some archons on one side and some zerg from the other. Also, Arcturas in this game has been forced to do nothing but attack.

You shouldn't overrate the starting setup. Since your base is extraterritorial and not bound to any specific planet, you have an easy time expanding. If you really want another planet than the one you started with, take all your forces and grab it and leave the other planet behind. Most players don't doubt your sincerity then and leave it to you. Most players.

Unless you play with Brood War (which makes defending easier), the game is so fluid that yes, starting planets play a role, but no, starting on a planet does NOT mean keeping it. This is not Twilight Imperium, and owning your home system is nothing you take for granted.

Reminder - you start with one base (one planet) and the second planet can be far far away so don't overrating this small random factor.

Of course, if you happen two very "bad" planets (such as Vyctor V), you are challenged. That's clear enough.

Vyctor V is not bad per se, for 2 VP are always good to have. It's just when your other planet has crap for minerals when it becomes a challenge. I can imagine that a player holding Pridewater and Vyctor V is quite happy, even if he hasn't the best real estate around. Vyctor V is just hard to hold as your trigger-happy opponents are disinclined to let you farm its VPs. Yes, when you draw Braken and Vyctor V in your starting hand, you will not be too happy. Still, clever placement goes a long way.

I don't think the starting planets are as much of a factor as initial setup. The last game I played (four players) found my first base bordered by each of the other players. I was adjacent to no "empty" system. Therefore the only option I had was to ruthlessly attack one player's starting planet while vainly trying to defend against the other two players.

The particular planets you start with do play a role, but I think all it does is affect your strategy and that of your opponents. I feel -- and maybe it's just my crushing defeat in my last game talking -- that the placement of the planets, and the location of your base relative to your opponents, is a far more critical factor to the early game than what resources/VP are available.

Osaka, did you wait until the 2nd round of planet placement to put your planet with the base on it, or did you place your base in the first round?

I have been finding that its better to wait until the 2nd round to place. Unless you are the last of the first round and first of the 2nd round. Then you can set up a border planet if need be.

Also, how many nav points could the planet you choose support? 2? 3? or 4? I have a friend who almost allways takes the planet with the least nav points for his starting base as he doesn't like people to have access to him easily.

EMELT said:

That friend doesn't play Zerg then Whenever I play Zerg, I like it when people have access to me easily - as it means my Zerglings have a really short way to travel until they can come in peace.

I was the last to place the Z-axis markers, and my homeworld had three access points. When it was my turn to place my second planet, the only options left were adjacent to another player, then the other two directions were filled with connections to the other two opponents.

Fighting a war on two fronts is bad enough. Fighting a war on three fronts where you're the only one who doesn't have an empty planet to expand into? Not so much fun! :-/ Still enjoyed the game though!

Stefan said:

I agree, if you want you can leave you planet behind, but i don't think that is an option. I mean that every zone is important and even that you have a "bad luck planet" you don't have the luxury to give up on it. Besides I think that colonizing a new planet (and leaving the old one behind) is like a lost start. When most player will pe in 2nd round of the game you will be like in the 1.5 one. I also agree that the initial planet planification is important (like very important... like HUGE) but that is something you can partially control, you might have clues about how other players mai place their planets (like habits or what are they after for)