[D'rek]

Blend, on 13 April 2018 - 07:59 PM, said:

D, on 13 April 2018 - 07:55 PM, said:

Blend, on 13 April 2018 - 07:52 PM, said:

I think we're waiting on Twelve to choose his Strategy card, yes?

Nope

Huh? I see that Tapper has taken Leadership, Morgoth has taken Logistics, Khell has taken Technology... That means Twelve chooses next, then me, right?

Or are you just saying nope cause we're not at the strategy phase yet?

Oh, actually I missed a few posts. You were right.

Blend, on 13 April 2018 - 08:00 PM, said:

D, on 13 April 2018 - 07:55 PM, said:

There are nine strategy cards in this game.

Wow.... Brain fart on my part. Sorry! I was going off the rules that I was reading - where'd the 9th card come from, aren't there usually only 8?

Short answer: I made it up.

Long answer: Between all the versions of the game there's something like six different sets of strategy cards. We're using the TI4 set, but I moved the primary effect of Warfare to Logistics, gave Warfare the primary ability of one of the TI3 sets' Warfare II, and gave Logistics the secondary effect of something like the classical Transfer Action (which doesn't exist anymore in TI4).

[D'rek]

FYI, you can read all the racial promissory notes here: https://imgur.com/a/pCTt5

[D'rek]

I just sent everyone a new PM which is your Official starter PM. Double check that the info is all correct.

Part of this PM is a CURRENT STATUS block, which you'll be expected to post (in that format) after everyone post in the main game thread, e.g.:

Quote

[HACAN BANNER]

[a bunch of stuff here explaining what you did this turn... there'll be a template for Tactical Actions too, but in general just list things in bullet point, in order]

---

CURRENT STATUS

Victory Points: 5

Strategy Card: TRADE
Command Pools: 1T | 5F | 3S
Goods: 4/6 C | 18 TG
Action Cards: 4
Promissory Notes: 5 Hacan, 2 Creuss, 1 Jol-Nar

Planets:
+ Arretze (2/0)
+ Hercant (1/1)
+ Kamdorn (0/1)
+ Thibah (1/1) | Ind | Blue
+ Everra (3/1)
+ Lodor (3/1) | Cul
+ Lodd Eru (3/0) | Haz | Red


Technologies:
+ Antimass Deflectors
+ Gravity Drive
+ Light/Wave Deflector
+ Sarween Tools
+ Production Biomes
+ Gen Synthesis

Other:
+ Minister of Science

[D'rek]

Okay, so the last main thing I have left to do is cut and upload some banner images for the rest of you, but that'll have to wait until much later tonight or tomorrow. The reason to use the banners is that it keeps things really clear in the game thread if I'm posting for somebody (because they've given me a provisional and aren't online). Once we've got those setup the people who have already claimed strategy cards or me on their behalf can post those claims in the game thread and we'll be fully, officially caught up and ready to roll!

[Morgoth]

Don’t we also start with a secret objective?

[D'rek]

Morgoth, on 13 April 2018 - 09:57 PM, said:

Don’t we also start with a secret objective?

Oh yeah.

Okay 2 things left!

[twelve]

Tattersail_, on 13 April 2018 - 06:46 PM, said:

I'm not okay with pms for strategy/alliance etc because it breaks the spirit of the game.

Pming next person who's turn it is should be okay.

I agree with this

[Imperial Historian]

Blend, on 13 April 2018 - 07:52 PM, said:

Alright, so it looks like I'm wedged between IH and Twelve.

IH - if you leave the hex with Ensapta alone, I'll leave Teq'uran and Torkan alone.

Twelve - what are your thoughts on Lodor? I'd like to eventually take it, but would be willing to allow you free movement through the hex for 1:1 commodities trade?


I think we're waiting on Twelve to choose his Strategy card, yes?

IH really needs to read the rules but sure sounds good. Peace and harmony sounds good until I figure out what I'm supposed to be doing.

Niko same goes for you peace in our times,gwynian seems obviously mine, and Silvano is a planet I would like to occupy from a first glance

I think I can give you free access to pass through it? Is that right? Happy to help you get somewhere central so you can do your space pirate thing.

Need to look at this trading business but happy to do some trades, which I think helps you Nico.

[Blend]

Imperial Historian, on 13 April 2018 - 10:15 PM, said:

Blend, on 13 April 2018 - 07:52 PM, said:

Alright, so it looks like I'm wedged between IH and Twelve.

IH - if you leave the hex with Ensapta alone, I'll leave Teq'uran and Torkan alone.

Twelve - what are your thoughts on Lodor? I'd like to eventually take it, but would be willing to allow you free movement through the hex for 1:1 commodities trade?


I think we're waiting on Twelve to choose his Strategy card, yes?

IH really needs to read the rules but sure sounds good. Peace and harmony sounds good until I figure out what I'm supposed to be doing.

Niko same goes for you peace in our times,gwynian seems obviously mine, and Silvano is a planet I would like to occupy from a first glance

I think I can give you free access to pass through it? Is that right? Happy to help you get somewhere central so you can do your space pirate thing.

Need to look at this trading business but happy to do some trades, which I think helps you Nico.

Silvano is a planet that also interests me - and I'll likely be willing to pay for it. Keep that in mind!

[D'rek]

Ok, everyone's PM should have been updated with Secret Objectives. Public Objectives are listed in the first post of the game thread. That should give you plenty of opportunity for final strategizing until I get the banners up tomorrow. Feel free to keep claiming strategy cards in advance so the strategy phase goes even faster tomorrow.

[Nicodimas]

twelve, on 13 April 2018 - 10:07 PM, said:

Tattersail_, on 13 April 2018 - 06:46 PM, said:

I'm not okay with pms for strategy/alliance etc because it breaks the spirit of the game.

Pming next person who's turn it is should be okay.

I agree with this

I like how civil y’all are... bunch of politeness all round I see.

A bunch of nobles wee seem to have....

[twelve]

Question. Do you have to research racial tech to gain access to said tech?

[twelve]

Does Everra also count as a nebula hex as well as a planet?

[twelve]

Blend, on 13 April 2018 - 07:52 PM, said:

Alright, so it looks like I'm wedged between IH and Twelve.

IH - if you leave the hex with Ensapta alone, I'll leave Teq'uran and Torkan alone.

Twelve - what are your thoughts on Lodor? I'd like to eventually take it, but would be willing to allow you free movement through the hex for 1:1 commodities trade?


I think we're waiting on Twelve to choose his Strategy card, yes?

I'm still trying to get my head around the rules and how actions work. I just now realized it is my turn to select a strategy card. It probably won't be for quite a few more hours as I plan to do another read through of the rules and review the map. As far as Lodor I think it depends on if I'm looking at production or influence as more important. With Khell acting all big bully right out of the gate I would think I'm going to need troops but again I need to figure out what influence is good for. How does the trade thing work again? I trade commodities to someone else which gets to change them to production and vice versa?

[Blend]

twelve, on 14 April 2018 - 03:46 AM, said:

Blend, on 13 April 2018 - 07:52 PM, said:

Alright, so it looks like I'm wedged between IH and Twelve.

IH - if you leave the hex with Ensapta alone, I'll leave Teq'uran and Torkan alone.

Twelve - what are your thoughts on Lodor? I'd like to eventually take it, but would be willing to allow you free movement through the hex for 1:1 commodities trade?


I think we're waiting on Twelve to choose his Strategy card, yes?

I'm still trying to get my head around the rules and how actions work. I just now realized it is my turn to select a strategy card. It probably won't be for quite a few more hours as I plan to do another read through of the rules and review the map. As far as Lodor I think it depends on if I'm looking at production or influence as more important. With Khell acting all big bully right out of the gate I would think I'm going to need troops but again I need to figure out what influence is good for. How does the trade thing work again? I trade commodities to someone else which gets to change them to production and vice versa?

I'm sure D'rek will correct me if I'm wrong, but if I understand the rules correctly...

You can't personally use commodoties, but you can trade them to someone, and they become trade goods. So ideally, you want to do a 1:1 commodity trade, where, for example, I give you a commodity, and you give me one, so we both end up with one trade good each.

Trade goods can be used to pay for stuff that you'd usually use influence or resources for - so they supplement your resources, essentially.

So if you are scared that Khell is going to come at you hard, I'd be willing to supply you a bit with my vast sum of commodities to ensure that you can keep your head above water against him, so long as I get the hex I want!

Anyway, keep it in mind. I have a pretty steady supply of commodities, and I have no desire to be too confrontational if I can help it. I'd much rather pay my neighbours off to be confrontational for me!

[D'rek]

twelve, on 14 April 2018 - 03:14 AM, said:

Question. Do you have to research racial tech to gain access to said tech?

Yes. (Except Morgoth, who's racial tech are already researched at the start)

twelve, on 14 April 2018 - 03:30 AM, said:

Does Everra also count as a nebula hex as well as a planet?

In short, yes.

There's planets, and then there's systems (aka hexes). So Lodor is a planet, and both the planet Lodor and the Alpha-wormhole are within the "Lodor system" (we could give unique names to all the systems, but I feel like that's more trouble than it's worth... some of them even do have different names in the lore, though).

The only special rules about planets are their traits (industrial, cultural, hazardous, or none) and some of them have technology specialties, but aside from that a planet is a planet is a planet - they all work the same.

But then at the *system* level there are special unique systems - home systems, anomalies, the wormhole nexus, etc. So the Everra System is a Nebula, and hence ships in/entering/leaving the Everra System have all the special Nebula rules applied to them. But the Everra planet itself is just another planet like any other planet which happens to be in a Nebula.

Make sense?

twelve, on 14 April 2018 - 03:46 AM, said:

I'm still trying to get my head around the rules and how actions work. I just now realized it is my turn to select a strategy card. It probably won't be for quite a few more hours as I plan to do another read through of the rules and review the map. As far as Lodor I think it depends on if I'm looking at production or influence as more important. With Khell acting all big bully right out of the gate I would think I'm going to need troops but again I need to figure out what influence is good for.

Take your time.

re: influence -- early on influence is only needed to buy more command tokens or to claim the 1 VP on Mecatol Rex, so if you're not planning on doing that it tends not to be too important early on. Once someone's summoned the galactic assembly to Mecatol Rex again and voting starts up then it becomes valuable for getting more votes... but that's just one potential strategy, some people opt to focus entirely on resources and just accept what laws may come, too.

[Blend]

It should be noted, however, that from what I've read, Morgoth - aka Nekro - need to attack often and attack hard in order to have any chance at winning, so Khell could very well have his hands full.

Especially were the Nekro to accept a bribe from the Emirates of Hacan in order to ensure that such pressure remained on Khell.

I commit to nothing yet, but let us say that where Hacan gold shines (aka anywhere in this galaxy), there are possibilities!

[D'rek]

Blend, on 14 April 2018 - 04:15 AM, said:

twelve, on 14 April 2018 - 03:46 AM, said:

Blend, on 13 April 2018 - 07:52 PM, said:

Alright, so it looks like I'm wedged between IH and Twelve.

IH - if you leave the hex with Ensapta alone, I'll leave Teq'uran and Torkan alone.

Twelve - what are your thoughts on Lodor? I'd like to eventually take it, but would be willing to allow you free movement through the hex for 1:1 commodities trade?


I think we're waiting on Twelve to choose his Strategy card, yes?

I'm still trying to get my head around the rules and how actions work. I just now realized it is my turn to select a strategy card. It probably won't be for quite a few more hours as I plan to do another read through of the rules and review the map. As far as Lodor I think it depends on if I'm looking at production or influence as more important. With Khell acting all big bully right out of the gate I would think I'm going to need troops but again I need to figure out what influence is good for. How does the trade thing work again? I trade commodities to someone else which gets to change them to production and vice versa?

I'm sure D'rek will correct me if I'm wrong, but if I understand the rules correctly...

You can't personally use commodoties, but you can trade them to someone, and they become trade goods. So ideally, you want to do a 1:1 commodity trade, where, for example, I give you a commodity, and you give me one, so we both end up with one trade good each.

Trade goods can be used to pay for stuff that you'd usually use influence or resources for - so they supplement your resources, essentially.

So if you are scared that Khell is going to come at you hard, I'd be willing to supply you a bit with my vast sum of commodities to ensure that you can keep your head above water against him, so long as I get the hex I want!

Anyway, keep it in mind. I have a pretty steady supply of commodities, and I have no desire to be too confrontational if I can help it. I'd much rather pay my neighbours off to be confrontational for me!

^^perfect


ANYTIME ANYTHING says it "costs X resources" or "pay X influence" or anything like that, you can use Trade Goods in place of resources/influence to pay for it. The one and only pseudo-exception is that you can't spend trade goods "as influence" to get extra votes during the Agenda Phase.

Want to build a Dreadnought? You can exhaust 4 resources worth of planets, or you can exhaust 2 resources worth of planets and spend 2 trade goods.

Want to get 2 command tokens from the Leadership secondary effect? You can exhaust 6 influence worth of planets, or you can exhaust 3 influence worth of planets and spend 3 trade goods. Or spend 6 trade goods!

Etc.

Trade Goods represent, well... goods. Goods that you can trade. Its a box of space jewels, or a a space box of space exotic ferrets. Stuff that's valuable everywhere. And since they're portable you can trade them around to your neighbours easily and freely (whereas you can't just trade away the cultural influence of a planet you control).





Then there's Commodities. Commodities are just like trade goods, except they're worthless in your own empire. As Blend and I have established, the Hacan farm a bunch of unique purple space sheep that are valuable everywhere else in the galaxy but not worth a dime in Hacan land themselves. So when the Hacan player "refreshes commodities" he gets a bunch of Commodity tokens representing those purple sheep and they're useless to him. But he can trade them to other players and those players can use them.

As soon as you give a Commodity to another player, it becomes (and stays forever) a Trade Good. Even if they give it back to you it remains a Trade Good (presumably they swapped the purple sheep for cyan goats).

[twelve]

Blend, on 13 April 2018 - 07:57 PM, said:

I'd be willing to pay someone who hasn't chosen their strategy card yet 1 commodity to take the Trade card. Any takers?

Scratch this - I just realized there are 9 strategy cards and only 9 players, so it doesn't matter. No commodities for you!

I have been torn between Trade and another strategy card. I wish I saw this earlier and scored me a trade as I am going to take

trade

as my strategy card anyway. Need the resources so I can upgrade my shit ass ships as quickly as possible. But as you can trade with anyone anyway without bordering them would you like to trade 1:1 once I replenish my commodities? I'm also looking at the map again and I don't see any issue with you taking that system that you were looking at. At least right now. Lets see how the colonization efforts of everyone else flesh out first.

[Blend]

I will take

Politics