Hi,

When playing with the pre set map with 7 players, does the ‘ill favored’ starting places get the extra trade goods? (the 2 players who start with 4 trade goods and the one who starts with6)

Couldn’t find an answer,
Thx.

My initial reaction would be to say yes. Unless of course the preset map is so balanced that those players have better resources around them to start with.

After refreshing my memory about the preset maps I would be inclined to say no rather than yes. The "ill-fated" players DO start with more planets and thus more resources around them so adding extra Trade Goods would just off the balance.

Have you (or any one else) tried playing with the 7 player pre-set?

Where can you sent a mail in order to get a 'formal' answer?

Thx.

I've done 7-player preset. As I recall, there were no extra TGs offered. Our group doesn't think a few TGs are enough to offset a disadvantage that lasts a whole game.

If a player is disadvantaged somehow in a 7-player game, try giving them access to a really juicy system like Berg/Lirta IV to make up the difference.

Seren said:

How interesting to hear this. According to the Page 8 of Shattered Empire rulebook :"Due to the nature of the 7-player board, the players in
positions 1 and 2 receive 4 Trade Goods and the player in position 3 receives 6 Trade Goods before the game begins."

garfielder said:

Yes, but our group (I play with Seren quite often) uses pre-set maps rather than building them from scratch (partly to save time, partly to help balance issues like this). When we do this, we make the maps so that no home systems are that disadvantaged, and the extra TGs are not really worthwhile.

To be honest, the "official" way is a joke anyway; a one time boost of trade goods is not going to make a long-term difference in an unbalanced setup.

And yet, I have seen players win in the poorest position BECAUSE of the 6 extra trade goods. Those trade goods can mean the difference between: an extra space dock, a extra technology, or a new fleet to take over more spaces. The truth was that player used those 6 goods to a major advantage to achieve this secret objective early and get to mecatol rex which he kept for the rest of the game quite effectively.

Sure 6 goods does not seem like much, but early game bonuses add up quickly. You guys also forget that because there are indeed players that are closer to each other, there will be naturally more good planets that are closer to them. This results in the ability to play a good early game. Poor players will have disadvantages in those locations, but I always make sure an experienced player is put in those locations to help achieve game balance.