Marine expansion

[gmoneyt1me]

I cant bring myself to like the new features 100%.

I like: New buildings, new creatures, rebalanced cards, most new sponsors give some interesting drifts, a new university.

I dont: New action cards (at least as long as they're different for everyone), the wave.

It's always been only half of the deck in play, so I dont mind, if its now rather 30% of the deck you'll see. The wave brings a complete random factor and it may destroy your planning around playing cards from the display. IMO this is part of the skill and losing a game by chance seems so wrong to me.

For the action cards: There are a few really strong cards among them and lots of mediocre uprgades and then a bunch of close to useless skills (basically all association cards). You can get incredibly rich by some sponsor actioncards and getting an extra pavillon is bonkers. This leads to a significant game advantage like the side entrance can be - but this time you dont even have to build it. I played now around 20 games in mostly 3p constellations and it's fun! But talking competitive play, I hope the implementation will have options to deactivate the wave and let everyone have the same actioncard draft (All get the same 3 cards and keep 2 for example. This would still enable different play styles, but if you lost to a stronger actioncard, which you didnt pick, then you can blame yourself and not the game design.)

All in all I would recommend the expansion, but I think about duplicating the actioncards for at least 2p. I did that with the maps, too, and everyone likes it! Maybe this would also be a good expansion: Just add duplicates for all maps and action cards, so that you could play it with bga settings in 4p. I'd buy it.

It sounds like you may just not like asymmetrical components. I have yet to find an expansion of a game with very balanced asymmetrical components. As far as the wave goes, I think it's good because it's awkward when there are a bunch of unusable cards clogging the display. And every game involves a lot of chance. Many people probably wouldn't have lost if their opponent didn't draw an early side entrance, for example.

[tgtbt09]

I cant bring myself to like the new features 100%.

I like: New buildings, new creatures, rebalanced cards, most new sponsors give some interesting drifts, a new university.

I dont: New action cards (at least as long as they're different for everyone), the wave.

It's always been only half of the deck in play, so I dont mind, if its now rather 30% of the deck you'll see. The wave brings a complete random factor and it may destroy your planning around playing cards from the display. IMO this is part of the skill and losing a game by chance seems so wrong to me.

For the action cards: There are a few really strong cards among them and lots of mediocre uprgades and then a bunch of close to useless skills (basically all association cards). You can get incredibly rich by some sponsor actioncards and getting an extra pavillon is bonkers. This leads to a significant game advantage like the side entrance can be - but this time you dont even have to build it. I played now around 20 games in mostly 3p constellations and it's fun! But talking competitive play, I hope the implementation will have options to deactivate the wave and let everyone have the same actioncard draft (All get the same 3 cards and keep 2 for example. This would still enable different play styles, but if you lost to a stronger actioncard, which you didnt pick, then you can blame yourself and not the game design.)

All in all I would recommend the expansion, but I think about duplicating the actioncards for at least 2p. I did that with the maps, too, and everyone likes it! Maybe this would also be a good expansion: Just add duplicates for all maps and action cards, so that you could play it with bga settings in 4p. I'd buy it.

Very well said. The luck element is certainly increased. I notice a lot more blowout victories thus far. My exact concern would be a scenario where both players can build additional pavilions to try to balance, but then the other lands that 1/300 chance of a side entrance for a huge 1st break income advantage. I like the drafting and the need for people to exploit the advantages they have rather than having the same advantage.

One thing I've done with other games in the past is have agreed upon card bans in competition and that could be a more effective tool in this scenario.

[Courtney 93]

Please please please bring the new expansion to BGA. We love playing the regular option but Ive played so many times online I've begun to memorize the cards.