Arena Season 17: A Spring of Blooming Battles!

[DrClick]

Congratulations to all participants and winners from the previous season!
 
But wait, what exactly is "the Arena?"
 
The Arena is the competitive mode on BGA. If you master a game and want to play it competitively, this is THE mode to use, so you can challenge the best players and get the most experience points.
 
The Arena is organized in seasons of 3 months each. Achievements are awarded to the best players at the end of each season.
 
To play in the Arena: select "Play" and then choose "Arena" instead of "Simple game."
 
Read more about Arena mode
 
Arena format and Gurus
 
In the previous seasons, it was you (more exactly the gurus) who chose the game formats for the Arena: player number, options used, ...
 
We are very happy to see that this way of doing things contributed to making the Arena more popular: thank you to all gurus for their smart suggestions and their votes!
 
Rules updates
 
No Arena rules are changing this season. It does not mean we are 100% satisfied with how the Arena is running, but you seem to appreciate the current rules so we want to keep them as they are for now.
 
Season 17 is NOW Launched.
 
The new Arena is now open for its new season.
 
Some Explanation About: Relegations
 
At the end of each season, after winners have been awarded, you are relegated.
 
Some custom relegation rules may have been applied to games for some reason (ex: we decided to update the number of leagues), but in general here is what happens:
 

• For games with 6 or 5 different leagues, all players are decreased by 3 leagues.
• For games with 4 different leagues, all players are decreased by 2 leagues.
• For games with 2 or 3 different leagues, all players are decreased by 1 league.
• For all games and all leagues, your number of Arena points is reset to 1, and your AES ("Arena Elo") is reset to 1500.

 
It's up to you to find the way to the elite!
 
May the odds be ever in your favor!
 
You'll find soon below the updated options for each game for this new arena season

[BROT42]

13 Clues:

• Number of players: "6" (prev: "4")
• Advanced Variant : Top Secret Token: "Yes" (prev: "No")

7 Wonders:

• Number of players: "5" (prev: "4")

A Feast for Odin:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• Occupations: "B and C" (prev: "A, B and C")

Age of Civilization:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Agricola:

• Draft mode: "Draft 7 out of 9 cards, Occupations with Minors" (prev: "Draft 7 out of 10 cards, Occupations with Minors")

Almadi:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Amyitis:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Architects of the West Kingdom:

• Live scoring: "On" (prev: "Off")

Arctic Scavengers:

• Hidden information: "Keep public and skip attack prompts for players with no attack cards" (prev: "Keep private, but skip attack prompts for players with no attack cards")
• HQ expansion: "Modules 1, 2, and 3: Tribal Leaders" (prev: "Modules 1 and 2: Engineers and Buildings")

Ark Nova:

• Map Pack: "Disabled" (prev: "Enabled")

Art Decko:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Barbu:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")
• Taker can choose start suite in Domino: "Yes" (prev: "No")
• Game mode: "Regular - 1 iteration" (prev: "Geronimo")
• Salade: "No" (prev: "Yes")
• Must play higher trumps: "No" (prev: "Yes")
• Must play trumps if cannot follow suit: "No" (prev: "Yes")
• Take them all counts positive: "Tricks, hearts and Queens" (prev: "No")

Barrage:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")

Battle Sheep:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Belote:

• Teams: "By table order: 1st/3rd vs. 2nd/4th" (prev: "Random")
• Turn order: "Clockwise" (prev: "Counterclockwise")
• All trumps / No trumps: "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")

Beyond the Sun:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Big Time Soccer:

• Match type: "League" (prev: "Cup")
• Game length: "Standard" (prev: "Short Match")

Blaze:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Blood Rage:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Bärenpark:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Canvas:

• Painting with Vincent: "enabled" (prev: "disabled")

Carnegie:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Chicago Express:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Coloretto:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Con Sonar!:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Connect Four:

• Board size: "10x10" (prev: "9x9")

Cosmos: Empires:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Coup:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "5")
• Factions: "No" (prev: "Yes")
• Inquisitor: "Yes" (prev: "No")

Crazy Farmers:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Cribbage:

• Match Length: "Best of 3" (prev: "One Game")
• Cut for Deal: "Cut for Deal" (prev: "Randomly Pick Dealer")

cucco:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "6")

D.E.I.: Divide et Impera:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Dice Hospital:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• Hard mode: "Disabled" (prev: "Opening crisis")

Dog Park:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Dungeon Roll:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Dungeon Twister:

• Game Options: "Janus" (prev: "Full Random Intelligent")
• Expansions: "Base" (prev: "Paladins & Dragons")

Elfenland:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")
• Game variant: "Hometown" (prev: "Standard")

Eminent Domain:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Envelopes of Cash:

• Coach setup: "Draft color & coach" (prev: "Random coach, draft color")

Federation:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")
• Production structures: "Basic" (prev: "Random")

Fleet:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Automatic Passing: "Fast" (prev: "Standard")

Florenza: The Card Game:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

For-Ex:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")

Forest Shuffle:

• Expansion: "Alpine expansion" (prev: "Base game")

French Tarot:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "5")
• Bonuses: "Poignées only" (prev: "Poignées + Misères")
• Goulash variant (when everybody passes): "Yes" (prev: "No")
• Minimal bid: "Small" (prev: "Guard")

Gaïa:

• Rules: "Basic" (prev: "Advanced (with Disasters)")

Get on Board: New York & London:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Gift of Tulips:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Glow:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Grosstarock:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Hadara:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• Game type: "Basic" (prev: "Advanced")
• Show score during the game: "Yes" (prev: "No")

Hadron:

• Board size: "7x7 board" (prev: "5x5 board")

Happy City:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")

Hawaii:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Heat: Pedal to the Metal:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")
• Pro Legends (faster legends): "+2" (prev: "+1")
• Legends: "Fill to 5 cars" (prev: "Fill to 6 cars")

Herrlof:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• 5-point bonus (2P game only): "For 3 or 4 tricks only (standard)" (prev: "For 3, 4, or 5 tricks")

Hex:

• Board size: "Expert: 13×13" (prev: "Twelve: 12x12")

Hoarders:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")

Homesteaders:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")

Humanity:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Icebreaker:

• Board size: "Size 7" (prev: "Size 6")

Imhotep:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• Board variants: "Random sites" (prev: "A sites only (standard game play)")

Impasse:

• Board size: "8x8 board" (prev: "10x10 board")

K2:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Kabaleo:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Initial Pieces: "Random" (prev: "Even")

Kalah:

• Number of stones in hole: "6" (prev: "5")

Keyflower:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Khronos:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")
• Hold'em: "Off" (prev: "On")

Koi-Koi:

• Game length: "Full year (12 hands)" (prev: "Half a year (6 hands)")
• Koi-Koi multiplier: "Hard Koi-Koi" (prev: "Soft Koi-Koi")
• Base Bright multiplier: "Disabled" (prev: "Enabled")
• Dueling Triads: "Disabled" (prev: "Enabled")

Kraken Up:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Krosmaster Arena:

• Format: " BGA Season 17" (prev: " BGA Season 16")

Krosmaster Blast:

• Board: "Mountain (10x10)" (prev: "Retail (10x8) - back side")
• Rules: "1 Random Divine Challenge" (prev: "Sram's Labyrinth of Traps")
• Team build mode: "Random" (prev: "Common draft")

Kulami:

• Scoring variants: "The Biggest Areas" (prev: "Standard")
• Table mode: "Random" (prev: "Square")

Las Vegan:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Legendary Inventors:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Libertalia:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Living Forest:

• Expansion: "Base" (prev: "Kodama")

Loco Momo:

• Expansion B: Acrobatic picture: "On" (prev: "Off")

Lost Ruins of Arnak:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Love Letter:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "5")

Madeira:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Maracaibo:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Setup: "Hard (story card 77)" (prev: "Medium (story card 76)")
• Single Player Difficulty: "Very easy" (prev: "Medium")

Marco Polo II: In the Service of the Khan:

• Black dice variant: "Yes" (prev: "No")

Medo:

• Board size: "5 hexagons per edge" (prev: "7 hexagons per edge")

Micro Dojo:

• Play Mode: "Advanced 2A" (prev: "Regular")

MLEM: Space Agency:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")
• Exploration variant: "On" (prev: "Off")
• Secret missions variant: "On" (prev: "Off")
• UFO Variant: "On" (prev: "Off")

Moon River:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Nidavellir:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Nile:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Nippon:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")

No Thanks!:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "5")
• Chip tracking: "Hidden" (prev: "Visible")
• Tactical variant: "Off" (prev: "On")

Not Alone:

• Number of players: "5" (prev: "4")

NXS:

• Game Type: "Random Start Position (10 pieces)" (prev: "Medium Game-Single Merchant (10 pieces)")

Oh Hell!:

• Scoring: "Blackout/Vienna" (prev: "Positive")
• Hook: "Only when 5 or more cards in hand" (prev: "On")
• Minimum hand size: "1" (prev: "3")
• Trumps: "Highest bidder decides" (prev: "Random card")

P.I.:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Papayoo:

• Shifting discard (variant): "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")

PARKS:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Nightfall Expansion: "Enabled, action-packed" (prev: "Enabled")
• Wildlife Expansion: "Enabled, stampede variant" (prev: "Enabled")

Patchwork:

• Edition: "Original" (prev: "Folklore Poland")

Pax Pamir: Second Edition:

• Open hands: "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")

Planet Unknown:

• Objective Cards: "On" (prev: "Off")

President:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")
• Same rank skip: "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")
• Automatic turn skip: "Disabled" (prev: "Enabled")
• Rule set: "Custom" (prev: "Moderate variant")

Puerto Rico:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Available buildings selection method: "Draft" (prev: "Random")

Pugs in Mugs:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Quirky Quarks:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Race for the Galaxy:

• Expansion: "Brink of War + Rebel vs. Imperium + The Gathering Storm" (prev: "The Gathering Storm")
• Takeover: "No takeover" (prev: "Random")

Railroad Ink:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Railways of the World:

• Game Map: "Railways of Western U.S." (prev: "Railways of Portugal (Max 4 players)")

Rauha:

• Board Side: "A-side" (prev: "B-side")
• Syntyma Shamans: "With" (prev: "Without")
• Syntyma New Gods: "With" (prev: "Without")

Roll for the Galaxy:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Sensei:

• Arashi variant: "Standard Board" (prev: "Expert Board")
• Shizukana variant: "Standard" (prev: "Alternate setup")

Signorie:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Shorter Season (6 Rounds): "On" (prev: "Off")

Skull:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Small Islands:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")

Solo:

• Game length: "100 points" (prev: "4 Rounds max.")

Space Base:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")
• Remove Cards: "GORDON 7981-G - All opponents lose points" (prev: "None")

Space Empires: 4X:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")
• Scenarios: " - EXTRA LARGE 2-PLAYER MAP" (prev: " - 4-Player Deep Space")

Space Station Phoenix:

• Game Setup: "Player choice (advanced hubs)" (prev: "Player choice (mixed hubs)")

Stockpile:

• Game Board: "Advanced Game Board Expansion" (prev: "Standard Game Board")

Stone Age:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")

Strands:

• Board style: "Hex 7, Random" (prev: "Hex 6, Random")

Streets:

• Business Expansion: "Not Used" (prev: "Use Business Tokens")

Talon:

• Terrain?: "Randomly chosen (1d10)" (prev: "1 = Light Terrain")
• Type of battle?: "5-10 = Last Ship Standing" (prev: "Randomly chosen (1d10)")
• Ship Points: "4 = 500 Ship Points" (prev: "Randomly chosen (1d10)")

Tea Time:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Terra Mystica:

• Landscapes expansion: "On" (prev: "Off")
• Fan Factions: "Off" (prev: "On - no Fire & Ice")

Terra Nova:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• 2 players variants: "No" (prev: "Planner Variant")

The Great Split:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

The Isle of Cats:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

The Vale of Eternity:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Thurn and Taxis:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Tic-Tac Match:

• Matches: "Single Match" (prev: "First to win 2 matches")

Ticket Gagnant:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")
• Meeting length: "Long" (prev: "Short")

Tock:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")
• Game type: "Free-for-all" (prev: "2 vs 2 (if possible)")
• [VARIANT] Effect of the 5: "
• 5 forward, any player pawn including own" (prev: "5 forward, own pawns only")

Trekking the World:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Twin Tin Bots:

• Rocks: "Many" (prev: "None")
• Blobs: "Many" (prev: "None")
• Teleporters: "Many" (prev: "None")
• Mud: "Much" (prev: "None")

Tzolk'in:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")
• Uxmal corn limit: "No limit" (prev: "Limit to 20 corn (designer variant)")

Ultimate Railroads:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")
• Railroads: "Russian" (prev: "Asian")
• Industry: "Russian (One Private Track)" (prev: "Asian (One Shared Track)")

Uncle Chestnut's Table Gype:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")
• Variant: "Classic game" (prev: "Random start")

Unconditional Surrender! World War 2 in Europe:

• Scenarios: "Germany 1945" (prev: "France 1944")

Uptown:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Wingspan:

• Powerful bird cards: "Remove + Wood Duck" (prev: "Remove")

Yahtzee:

• Rule set: "Maxi Yatzy" (prev: "Random")
• Simultaneous mode: "Disabled" (prev: "Enabled")

Zola:

• Board size: "Standard: 6x6" (prev: "Big board: 8x8")

[KenFin1]

Can someone clarify a few things please?
1) When do awards get given? I was top 10 in next station but no award received yet. Previous seasons this has been given. Has this changed?
2) how many awards get given for p.i.? Again I'm in top 10 but I can't see any award for that either.
3) Not alone I was in a game that didn't finish because the creature player who was losing kept dragging it out and not taking their turn. The game has now disappeared from my in progress list. If I hunt through my history I can find it but it's now showing as friendly. So not only have the winners been deprived arena points we don't even get Elo from it anymore?

[Drag_Racer]

Arena mode is hardly competitive in respects of Tichu when players still learning the basics of the game can join arena tables. It is a joke, there is so little difference to non-arena mode games. Until you raise the requirement level for entrance to arena games it will continue to be a weak competition. Also the card distribution generator could do with an improvement to make the game more realistic, instead of cosmetic changes.

[BROT42]

1) When do awards get given? I was top 10 in next station but no award received yet. Previous seasons this has been given. Has this changed?

Indeed it appears we had an issue with the Top Arena awards. Thanks for the quick reporting.
It should get fixed within a day. You will be able to see your trophy then.

Thank you for your patience!

[Drag_Racer]

Why hasn't Tichu arena mode reverted to 500pt games for this season?

[miklomike]

Can the arena pages PLEASE display what trophies will be earned based on current player count so we can know what the minimum places will be awarded. If we can see only top 5 will get trophies unless more players join, at least we have something to aim for.

I also have not been able to find what the minimum for top 5 to be awarded is, but there is documentation for top 10 and top 20. Can you please advise what the player minimum is?

[KenFin1]

Can the arena pages PLEASE display what trophies will be earned based on current player count so we can know what the minimum places will be awarded. If we can see only top 5 will get trophies unless more players join, at least we have something to aim for.

I also have not been able to find what the minimum for top 5 to be awarded is, but there is documentation for top 10 and top 20. Can you please advise what the player minimum is?

I agree this would be useful. Knowing if the cut off is top 5 or top 10 etc affects whether to play more games in the last week

[pitrak]

Waarom dit seizoen bij arena systeem met of zonder troef toevoegen als dit zo blijft denk ik eraan om hier na 6 jaar te spelen om ermee te stoppen
Met of zonder troef hoort niet thuis bij het echte belote

[sprockitz]

Can the arena pages PLEASE display what trophies will be earned based on current player count so we can know what the minimum places will be awarded. If we can see only top 5 will get trophies unless more players join, at least we have something to aim for.

I also have not been able to find what the minimum for top 5 to be awarded is, but there is documentation for top 10 and top 20. Can you please advise what the player minimum is?

I agree this would be useful. Knowing if the cut off is top 5 or top 10 etc affects whether to play more games in the last week

Based on analysis, cutoffs could be +1
1-49 players: Top 3, 6k to winner
50-199: Top 5, 12k to winner
200-499: Top 10, 20k to winner
500-999: Top 20, 30k to winner
1000+: Top 20, 60k to winner