Twilight Imperium - Reflections

Now that the December game of Twilight Imperium is behind us and the stress of the holidays has subsided, I have had a chance to think about the game that we had a few weeks ago. I have been thinking about the expansion set and how it compares to the base game. The new races are good, and the new features add a lot, but what I have been thinking about most is the new strategy cards.

When we played last, I went into the game cold – that is I did not have a chance to consider the new cards and how they were different from the original set. In short, I have decided that I like the new cards better, but not by too much. Overall, they seem to move the game along at a faster pace by letting you do more on your turn.

Card #1 – The base game has the Initiative card as #1. I think that the impact of this card was not what the designers had envisioned and it seemed to be picked the fewest number of times in the games that I played. The replacement card (Leadership) is really a more powerful version of the original Logistics card. This new card gives the chance for more command counters which means a more active game. I just wish it had kept the name “Logistics”

Card #2 – The new Diplomacy card is a more powerful version of the original, offering more options for both primary and secondary actions. It seems more geared for empire expansion than economic growth. The original card could protect you from a hostile opponent anywhere on the board while the new one will protect a single holding from anyone. This is a tough call on which I like better. Either can come in useful depending on the circumstances.

Card #3 – The new Assembly card is kind-of similar to the old Political card, but with new twists. I defiantly like the new one better because I feel that it gives the player more control over what is to be brought to the council. This card has great potential for good bribes and deals.

Card #4 – I like the new Production card. It speeds the game by allowing you to produce units faster and with greater flexibility (building in systems where you have already activated). Good card!

Card #5 – I also like the new trade a little more than the old. I like how the active player does not need to cancel all trade agreements, but can cancel up to two. Obviously this is more fun with more players. I like how the other players don’t need to spend a command counter to get their trade goods, even if they do get minus one trade goods.

Card #6 – The new Warfare card is a tough call, but I think I have to go with the new one. I like the old cards ability to allow a “Double Activation”, kind of like a Blitz in EastFront, but the new High Alert feature is probably more useful.

Card #7 – The new Technology card wins hands down. Get technology faster and cheaper. The Jol-Nar are probably the only ones who don’t like this as it erodes their powerful technology growth in comparison to the others.

Card #8 – I think that the biggest sore spot with the game design was the original Imperial card. I heard more negative press on this than just about anything else in the game. I was glad that they printed the Imperial II card, which is the variant that we liked to use before Shattered Empires. Regarding the new Bureaucracy card, this is still something of a mystery to me.

So one day when we play again, which cards will we use? I would probably say the new ones. The rules do allow for substitution of the “Like Named” cards, and this would be something to think about, but I would imagine that the new deck would stand as-is. One thing that I do wonder: Would it be possible to use the new deck along with the like named old cards as well as their new counter parts? So for example, if you wanted to choose the Diplomacy card you would have the choice to choose Diplomacy I or Diplomacy II. And then if you happened to choose Diplomacy I, then Diplomacy II cannot be chosen. I wonder if the designers considered this possibility.