Board Game Arena

[UNE_SEC][/UNE_SEC]
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 last 6 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 13 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

at 13:50 I was first in the standings in the Scopa Arena. the second in the standings started a match just before 2.00 pm, which lasted beyond 2.00 pm, therefore after the closing of the Arena, scheduled for 2.00 pm. Although the match ended over time, he was awarded victory points and won the Arena. I also specify that he won the game, and therefore also the Arena, BY ABANDONMENT by his friend he was playing against. An evidently not casual abandonment... this place should be a place of play, of loyalty, of sportsmanship. if you are allowed to win by these subterfuges it is not a pleasant place. I ask those responsible and those in power to verify and fix things. Thank you

*moderator edit: the Forums are not the place for calling out specific players or games, this is what moderation reports are for. Please keep the forums to general discussion.

7 Wonders:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "5")

Age of Civilization:

• Changing world variant: "On" (prev: "Off")
• Innovation variant: "On" (prev: "Off")

Amyitis:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Arctic Scavengers:

• Hidden information: "Keep private, but skip attack prompts for players with no attack cards" (prev: "Keep public and skip attack prompts for players with no attack cards")

Art Decko:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Barbu:

• Game mode: "Regular - 2 iterations" (prev: "Geronimo")

Barrage:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")
• Setup: "Auction mode" (prev: "Standard")

Beyond the Sun:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Blood Rage:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")

Bärenpark:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Cloud City:

• City size: "Rectangle city (4x3)" (prev: "Square city (3x3)")
• Upgraded Models Variant: "Off" (prev: "Two")

Coinche:

• Score type: "Points + Bid" (prev: "Bid only")

Color Pop:

• Variant: "Two secret colors (2-player game)" (prev: "Standard")

Coloretto:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Colt Express:

• Character selection: "Player selection" (prev: "Random selection")

Connect Four:

• Board size: "9x9" (prev: "8x9")

Conspiracy:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Copenhagen:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Coup:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "5")

Crazy Farmers:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Cubosaurs:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Diablo:

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

Dice Forge:

• Exploit set: "Draft" (prev: "Random")

Dice Hospital:

• Hard mode: "Opening crisis + Nationwide Epidemic" (prev: "Opening crisis")

Dice Theme Park:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")

Eruption:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Fleet:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")

Florenza: The Card Game:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

For-Ex:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")

French Tarot:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "5")
• Bonuses: "Poignées only" (prev: "Poignées + Misères")
• Minimal bid: "Small" (prev: "Guard")

Get on Board: New York & London:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Gizmos:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Go Nuts for Donuts:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Grosstarock:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Game length: "Very short - 1 round" (prev: "Short - 2 rounds")

Happy City:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")

Hawaii:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Hex:

• Board size: "Nash: 14×14" (prev: "Classic: 11×11")

Hydroracers:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")

Innovation:

• Echoes of the Past expansion: "Enable" (prev: "Disable")

It's a Wonderful World:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")
• Game Setup: "Symmetric starting empires" (prev: "Variable starting empires")

Keyflower:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

King of Tokyo:

• “Halloween” event (Costume cards): "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")
• “Even more wicked!” event: "Enabled (random mix)" (prev: "Enabled (orange side)")

Krosmaster Arena:

• Format: " BGA Season 13" (prev: " BGA Season 12")

Krosmaster Blast:

• Game mode: "Blast : 4 vs 4" (prev: "Blast : 3 vs 3")
• Board: "Mountain (10x10)" (prev: "Random")
• Rules: "Xelor's Time Rift" (prev: "1 Random Divine Challenge")
• Team build mode: "Common draft" (prev: "Normal")

Lifeline:

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

Look at the Stars:

• Power Bonus card: "Random (experienced)" (prev: "Random")

Lucky Numbers:

• Variant: "Bruno's variant" (prev: "Regular")

Mech A Dream:

• Enlightened robots variation: "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")

Medina:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Monster Factory:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

MOW:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Nidavellir:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Idavoll expansion: "Yes" (prev: "No")

Nile:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

No Thanks!:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "5")

Obsession:

• Starter Guest: "Draft" (prev: "Random")

Oh Hell!:

• Number of players: "5" (prev: "4")

Oh-Seven:

• Card-passing variant: "Disabled" (prev: "Enabled")

P.I.:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Pingimus:

• Hard timeout: "Off" (prev: "2 Minutes")

Piraten kapern:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Race for the Galaxy:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")
• Expansion: "Base game" (prev: "Rebel vs. Imperium + The Gathering Storm")
• Takeover: "No takeover" (prev: "Allow takeovers")
• Goals: "Off" (prev: "On")

Railways of the World:

• Game Map: "Railways of Great Britain (Max 5 players)" (prev: "Railways of the Eastern U.S.")
• Include Railroad Executive Operation Card: "Exclude" (prev: "Include")

Rauha:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")

Redstone:

• Board size: "9x9 goban" (prev: "11x11 goban")

Reflection:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• Items: "16 items" (prev: "10 items")
• Light warps: "Yes" (prev: "No")

Remember When:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "5")

Rive:

• Board size: "Size 4 - large" (prev: "Size 3x3x5 - medium")

Roll for the Galaxy:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Sapiens:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Scopa:

• If multiple combinations of cards can be captured:: "Allow any combination to be captured except if a single card matches" (prev: "Allow only the lowest number of cards to be captured")

Seikatsu:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Signorie:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")

Small Islands:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Solo:

• Number of players: "5" (prev: "4")

SteamRollers:

• Order tiles: "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")

Stir Fry Eighteen:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Sushi Go Party!:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Takara Island:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Tapestry:

Teotihuacan: City of Gods:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Terra Mystica:

• Game board: "Base Game" (prev: "Random")

The Isle of Cats:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

The Ruhr: A Story of Coal Trade:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow:

• Number of players: "8" (prev: "12")
• Expansion: The Village: "Off" (prev: "On")
• Cupido: "On" (prev: "Off")
• The Pyromaniac: "Off" (prev: "On")
• The Raven: "Off" (prev: "On")

Thurn and Taxis:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Tigris & Euphrates:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")
• Game Board: "Standard Board" (prev: "Advanced Board")
• Advanced Game Rules: "No Civilization Buildings" (prev: "Civilization Buildings")

Tokaido:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")
• Crossroads: "Off" (prev: "On")

Trusis:

• Number of players: "9" (prev: "8")

Tumbleweed:

• Initial setup: "Free setup" (prev: "Original setup")

Turn the tide:

• Number of players: "5" (prev: "4")

Twin Tin Bots:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Tzolk'in:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")

Unconditional Surrender! World War 2 in Europe:

• Scenarios: "France 1944" (prev: "Mediterranean 1940-1942")

Uptown:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

War Chest:

• Game Options: "Complete" (prev: "Base")

Welcome To New Las Vegas:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Wingspan:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Ticket to Ride?

The methodology for determining a "game guru" is significantly flawed. Just because you have the time to play A LOT doesn't mean that you have the ability to make a good decision regarding a competitive game format.

The player count and options for many of these games are terrible. Some of the changes above are better and some are worse. Some other games aren't having changes, like Catan remaining at a 3p count. Catan should be at 4p count for competitive play. The "gurus" who choose a 3p count for Catan need to be barred from ever becoming a guru for anything as that decision is immensely horrid.

I am going to repeat my request from the last few times:
PLEASE allow gurus to vote for a rotation, not only to vote for the upcoming arena setup.

As a player, it can be frustrating to see certain setups, but that would be less so if there was an understanding that it is on rotation.

As a guru, it can feel risky to vote for certain setups, even if i think they would for infrequent seasons, because I don’t know what the next season’s gurus will do.

JamesWolfpacker wrote: ↑11 April 2023, 16:14 The "gurus" who choose a 3p count for Catan need to be barred from ever becoming a guru for anything as that decision is immensely horrid.

i don’t play Catan on here, so can’t tell you what the gurus were thinking, but I have been a guru for other games that play best at certain counts, but have voted to change the arena mode to a lower number because waittime for tables to fill was too significant at the ideal count and so real-time games were too hard to kick off.

Terra Mystica has been incorrectly updated. The gurus voted for a setting that had Fire and Ice final scoring tiles off. They have been left on by mistake.

Bummer to see wingspan go to 2p, 3p was perfect. Pink cards are pretty awful at 2p

JamesWolfpacker wrote: ↑11 April 2023, 16:14 The methodology for determining a "game guru" is significantly flawed. Just because you have the time to play A LOT doesn't mean that you have the ability to make a good decision regarding a competitive game format.

The player count and options for many of these games are terrible. Some of the changes above are better and some are worse. Some other games aren't having changes, like Catan remaining at a 3p count. Catan should be at 4p count for competitive play. The "gurus" who choose a 3p count for Catan need to be barred from ever becoming a guru for anything as that decision is immensely horrid.

Seconded. I’ve been arguing for this since the game went live last year. 3p Catan is an imbalanced luckfest, completely unsuited to competitive play. New gurus, please!