My Space Fleet is Invincible! — Let's Play Twilight Imperium Third Edition

And this is why I've been so careful to keep Nar untapped this whole time! Annexing... uh... whatever that 3/1 next to Capha is. Starpoint? Stafflint? Tempunit?

We seriously need a slightly higher res big map for next round.

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Jol – 1/2
Nar – 2/3
Capha – 3/0
Arnor 2/1
Lor 1/2 (Red Tech Specialty)
Stafflint Starpoint 3/1

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 0
Strategy Allocation: 2
Fleet Supply: 3
Activations: 3

UNITS
Jol/Nar - Space Dock x1, Dreadnought x1, Fighter x2, Ground Forces x2
Capha - Ground Forces x1, PDS x1, Carrier x1, Dreadnought x1
Arnor/Lor - PDS x1, Ground Forces x3, Carrier x1, Fighter x1

Edit: Correct strategery.

Had it right the first time: Starpoint.



I've really done all I can with the map, I think. The big one I've linked to is as good as it's likely to get.

Or at least higher-resolution scans.

I'll see if there's anything else I can do, but I didn't take these scans. They're all from TI3wiki.org, and I don't have a working scanner or access to anything sharper on a base level.

The bigger linked version is fine, it's just not in the first page of posts like the fuzzy embedded one.

Actually... it might be worth the effort in the long-term for one of us to just draw our own simplified map and unit icons. Limited color palette, minimal detail. I might take a crack at it myself if I can find the time.

Actually, MrBlarney sent me a GIMP template with stuff for just that sort of thing. I can forward it to you if you like. Looks like this.

If the larger map I linked on page 3 works, I'll go change the front-page link to point to it instead. And for anyone who doesn't want to head back there ...

Here's the most recent complete map. Should be easier to read than the original one, but I'll try to up the size next time, if not the resolution. The round's winding down, and I'll post up a new one once we're in the Status Phase.

One thing I can definitely do is make the move-by-move images larger. Would that help?

The font in the high-visibility is godawful, but it's more readable than the current one. I just spent about an hour or so prodding the high-visibility one with the Final Fantasy Advance pixel font—it's by no means complete, but it's readable without zooming in, which is A Significant Improvement�.

(Here is Romhacking.net's font archive, which may be of use. You might have to make even bigger hex tiles to fit even Melissa 8 (which I would prefer), though.)

I will pass on the secondary, since I have no planets to tap.

What Severian said.

I truly appreciate the effort, but I really don't have the time or energy to remake the map in a new format. Whatever improvements I manage to make will have to be in the format I'm already using. I am working on it, though.

EDIT: Unless you were talking to Googleshng, in which case, uh, you go!

Also, looking back over the last few pages it looks like everyone might be tapped out and unable to execute the secondary, so I think it's severian's turn.

I'll get to my turn later tonight, but I may be passing.

I'll see what I can do about punching out my tiles from the physical copy, and mocking up a map on the floor to take a picture of. It may have to wait until the weekend, though. I just ordered a 14.1MP camera for a trip, so this will be a good test. This would just be for reference, and we should still use Sarc's format for the actual game map. I just want everyone to know what the planets are named.

An idea following from that: I could mock up a reference version of map with typed-in names for the planets and their values, like I have for the empty systems, which could help with navigation. It might look ugly, but it would be readable. Would that work, folks?

Yeah, all that's missing from the board is clear names for the planets.

Well shit, I can do that. There's a reason I went with a page-design program for the map, and it's because I'm fast as hell with it. I probably can have it up later tonight.

Yeah, my main concerns are, pretty much with these priorities actually:
- Being able to read planet names.
- Being able to tell what planets give (resources, influence, tech... uh... whatever those +s and pennants on those 4 planets near the middle mean).
- Having a master view of who has ships and activated planets where that's up to date.

They don't all have to be in the same image though. Seeing where ships are is easy enough on the blurry main overview, it's just the planet labels I can't make out.

And honestly? I'd say the effort of setting up/cropping those high res "here's what Player X just did" images would be better spent just updating big map ship placement. "I'm building X Y and Z" or "I'm moving these from here to here" is easy enough to follow in text, but looking at an image where you can only see 2 hexes doesn't really help visualize things without the context of what area of the map these hexes are in.

Hmm. Maybe I'll pull the view out another hex for turn-by-turn moves. No matter how it's done the large map takes a significant amount of time to export from InDesign, then import and edit to reasonable posting size in Photoshop. The "player X did this" images, on the other hand, are very easy and quick to do — I just take and crop a screencap — but I'm limited by how much can actually be on my screen at one time, so that's why I've been keeping the view focused on the hexes involved. But I could include a bit of context space — maybe show moves in relation to Mecatol Rex each time?

I'll think on it.

Incidentally, I'll be out of town this Thursday through Monday. I may be able to check in sporadically on some of those days, but I won't be able to do image work after I leave until Tuesday.

The Yin Brotherhood is exhausted trying to find the mythical Yang Sisterhood, and decides to quit while the getting's good.

Passing the Action Phase



CONSUMABLES
Action Cards: 2
Political Cards: 1
Trade Goods: 0

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 1
Strategy Allocation: 4
Fleet Supply: 3
Activations: 2
Total in play: 11/16

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Darren – 2/4
Arinam - 1/2, Blue Tech Specialty
Meer - 0/4
Centauri - 1/3
Gral - 1/1, Blue Tech Specialty

TECHNOLOGIES OWNED
Hylar V Assault Laser
Automated Defense Turrets

UNITS (Deployed/Total)
Space Docks: 1/3
Ground Forces: 4
Shock Troops: 0
PDS: 0/6
Fighters: 4
Carriers: 2/4
Destroyers: 1/8
Cruisers: 0/8
Dreadnoughts: 0/5
War Suns: 0/2

UNITS (Location)
Darren - Space Dock x1
Arinam/Meer Space - Carrier x1
Arinam - Ground Force x1
Meer - Ground Force x1
Centauri - Ground Force x1
Gral - Ground Force x1
Centauri/Gral Space - Carrier x1, Fighter x4
Tar'Mann Space - Destroyer x1

Trade Contracts
Yin 1 to Googleshng in exchange for Jol-Nar 1
Yin 1 to Lucas in exchange for Mentak 1

VICTORY POINTS: 1

Egarwaen is up!

Thank you for posting your full faction status. Everyone, do what severian just did when you pass!

The Embers of Muaat are content to smolder quietly... For now. (I pass)

CONSUMABLES
Action Cards: 0
Political Cards: 1
Trade Goods: 0

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 1
Strategy Allocation: 2
Fleet Supply: 3
Activations: 2
Total in play: 8/16

TRADE
Letnev 1
Sardakk N'orr 1

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Muaat (4/1)
Lesab (2/1, Green Tech Spec)
Resculon (2/0)
Coorneeq (1/2, Red Tech Spec)

TECHNOLOGIES
Enviro Compensator
War Sun

UNITS
Space Docks 1/3 - Muaat
Ground Forces: 6 - 4x Lesab, 1x Resculon, 1x Coorneeq
Shock Troops: 0
PDS: 0/6
Fighters: 4 - 2x Lesab, 2x Resculon/Coorneeq
Carriers: 1/4 - Resculon/Coorneeq
Destroyers: 0/8
Cruisers: 1/8 - Resculon/Coorneeq
Dreadnoughts: 0/5
War Suns: 1/2 - Lesab

TRADE CONTRACTS
Letnev 1
Sardakk 2

VICTORY POINTS: 1

`Hrist is up. Let's see that strategy in action!

In regards to map construction, this may prove to be somewhat unnecessary, but I did complete a map using my own template. Apologies for the smallness of the font, but I was going for compactness when creating the map template, with the idea that one could zoom in for better visibility...

The Barony of Space Vampires interrupt their tenth viewing of Twilight and gather their forces. Activate Bereg/Urta IV system, send 2x Carriers, 3x Fighters and 2x ground forces to capture both planets using the extra movement afforded by XRD Transporters.

It would also be nice if we got an updated view of the whole picture.

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 0
Strategy Allocation: 0
Fleet Supply: 3 (+1)
Activations: 2
Total in play: 8/16

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Arc Prime – 4/0
Wren Terra – 2/1
Qucen'n -- 1/2
Rarron -- 0/3 (Green Tech Spec)
Bereg -- 3/1
Urta IV -- 2/3

UNITS (Deployed/Total)
Arc Prime/Wren Terra -- Space Docksx1, Dreadnoughtx1, Carrierx2, Destroyerx1, Fighterx3, Ground Forcesx2
Qucen'n -- Ground Forcesx2,
Rarron -- Carriersx1, Ground Forcesx1
Bereg -- Carrierx1, Ground Forcesx1
Urta IV -- Carrierx1, Ground Forcesx1, Fightersx3

MrBlarney, thanks. That's definitely readable when zoomed in.

Here's the current overall map.

Keepin' track of passes:

1. Googleshng — Leadership -- PASSED
2. Sarc — Diplomacy II -- PASSED
3. severian (SPEAKER) — Assembly -- PASSED
4. Egarwaen — Production -- PASSED
5. `Hrist — Trade II -- PASSED
6. Epithet — Warfare -- PASSED
7. L1Z1X Mindnet — Warfare II -- PASSED
8. Lucas — Technology II

Here's the new reference map with large type. Larger tech specialty icons are included, as well as icons that show what you get if you use a planet's refresh ability (such as Shock Troops at Hope's End).

EDIT: Aw, crap, left out one system. It's called Thibah and it's a 1/1. I'll update the map later on.

Apparently I couldn't make the move that I made. I'll be thinking up something else shortly.

OK, so, some people have gotten their hands on the new expansion already and have started posting some stats for the new flagships. Here's the one for Sol:

Genesis I
Cost: 10
Battle: 5 (3 dice)
Move: 1
Capacity: 3
Sustain Damage
Ground Forces on this ship do not count towards its capacity.

Other ships are even more stupidly powerful, like the Letnev's, which can bombard through PDS shields and repairs itself at the start of each space combat round. You have to kill this thing dead in a single round or it bounces right back.

So, who would be interested in bringing the flagship mechanic into this game? Say at the start of the third round? I'll need to figure out a representative image, but it's a pretty simple rule to throw in and my copy of the expansion should be arriving next week, so whatever doesn't get posted to BGG will be easy for me to find.

I could do with a stupidly unbalanced flagship.

I'd rather keep it as-is for now.

I'd rather not partially incorporate a new expansion mid-game.

Yeah, as awesome as the Mentak one looks, I'd rather not mess with the setup we started with.

The trend is against, so I'll leave it alone. Maybe next time!