First player heavily disadvantaged suggestion

[rekkless]

Currently if you go first you are at a significant disadvantage because your architect immediately gets copied while everyone else can save theirs and control timing so you cant build twice in first round without luck buying cards. I think there should be a variant where every players first turn is architect but no card is played so you still have your full starting hand for initial round. What do you think? Are there potential issues that i'm missing? Do others agree that the first player is heavily disadvantaged?

[baghdad]

This game was on BaJ for many years, so I'm not sure what the consensus is.

I only play 2 player, but was able to make it in the top ten over on BaJ multiple times (competition is easier than here imo) and I don't remember first player being a disadvantage. In fact I believe I liked it in most scenarios as it gave you the best chance of finding a double build in the same province.

2nd player does let you build cloth and brick though (not enough money for first player). If everyone diplomats your architect probably a good chance you can diplomat theirs in r1 or their senator.

[FSKFSK]

I don't think it's a disadvantage to go first. I think the first player should take a cloth spot on turn 1. Then prefect that cloth region (giving 2 cloth). Then mercator your cloth for some brick. Then diplomat the other players' architect when they play it, or senator some cards from the market if they don't play architect. If they don't play architect, do an early tribune to get your architect back. Make sure you can buy a colonist on your first tribune.

[bare_lasagne]

I'd disagree first player is disadvantaged in this way.

First player gets the option to build anywhere, so can pick the best spots for their initial move. If people choose to follow with diplomat, they will have to manage resources very well to effectively do two good build actions and use their senator to pull two decent cards from the display. Diplomat may be better used on a prefect or a mercator in round one.

If for whatever reason you don't want the first build (because there are a lot of good options), another decent first player move is to immediately play tribune. You pick your cards back up (0 in this case) but can build a colonist straight away, letting you move a little farther on your first architect action and set yourself up for later turns.

[GolfBlogger]

I've played the analog version of the game many, many times over the last decade and no one has ever complained that the first player was at a disadvantage. I think if there was a problem with that, with the millions of plays it likely has had, it would have been resolved in one of the dozen or so expansions issued over the years. The game is rated 29th overall on BGG.

Indeed, first player is in a really good position to seize the best spot right out of the gate. Sure, the other players will Diplomat your Architect, but you can get the jump, then when they play an architect later, get the jump on them again.

[woelpad]

What I like to do in this situation, is to use Mercator, sell off cloth or wine, buy brick, and go for two non-brick cities in the second turn using, indeed, a Diplomat (or Architect, depending on the situation). Might even buy a second brick to help the Senator haul or to jumpstart the second Architect action.