Arena season 15: Bring it on!

[BROT42]

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 8 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 15 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]

7 Wonders:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

A Feast for Odin:

• Occupations: "A and B" (prev: "B and C")

Amyitis:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Anachrony:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Player board side: "Asymmetric B Side" (prev: "Symmetric A Side")

Apocalypse at the Zoo of Carson City:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Architects of the West Kingdom:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Arctic Scavengers:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• Hidden information: "Keep private, but skip attack prompts for players with no attack cards" (prev: "Keep private and skip attack prompts for players with empty hands")
• HQ expansion: "Do not use" (prev: "Modules 1 and 2: Engineers and Buildings")
• Recon expansion: "Modules 1 and 2: Liars and Thieves" (prev: "Do not use")

Astra:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Automobiles:

• Drivers [Season Campaign Only]: "Choose from a Limited Pool (official expansion rules)" (prev: "Choose from all Drivers (online variant)")
• Drivers [Single Race Only]: "Choose from a Limited Pool (official expansion rules)" (prev: "Choose from all Drivers (online variant)")
• Garage Card [Choose Cards Only]: "Manager" (prev: "Car Chief")
• Handling Card [Choose Cards Only]: "Suspension" (prev: "Aerodynamics")
• Engine Card [Choose Cards Only]: "Hybrid Engine" (prev: "Diesel Engine")
• Performance Card [Choose Cards Only]: "Gearbox" (prev: "Boost")

Bahama Taxi:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")

BANG!:

• Expansions: "High Noon" (prev: "No")

Barrage:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Big Time Soccer:

• Game length: "Short Match" (prev: "Standard")

Blaze:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")

Boomerang: Europe:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Direction variant: "On" (prev: "Off")

Break the Code:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• Show correct code after a wrong guess: "Show correct code" (prev: "Don't show correct code")

Bug:

• Board size: "Giga board (5x5x5)" (prev: "Big board (4x4x4)")

Bärenpark:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• Use Souvenir Shops Mini Expansion: "On" (prev: "Off")

Canvas:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Carnegie:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")
• Departments: "Base and Expansion Departments" (prev: "Open Bar Setup")

CATAN:

• Terrain tile layout: "Variable setup with random numbers" (prev: "Variable setup")
• Harbor layout: "Shuffle frame pieces" (prev: "Shuffle harbor pieces")

Celestia:

• Game type: "Base game + Promo card" (prev: "Base game")

Clans of Caledonia:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Use Kickstarter-Contributed Tiles: "Off" (prev: "On")

Commander Chess:

• Piece initial setup: "Standard" (prev: "Choose")
• Checkmate by Commander only: "On" (prev: "Off")

Crazy Farmers:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• Undo mode: "Full Undo (beginners)" (prev: "Limited Undo")

Cribbage:

• Match Length: "Best of 3" (prev: "One Game")
• Skunking Points: "All games worth 1 point" (prev: "1 pt regular, 2 pts skunked (lose by 31 or more)")

Diablo:

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

Dice Forge:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Exploit set: "Random" (prev: "Draft")
• Tiebreaker: "No" (prev: "Yes")
• Remove 6 gold die face: "Yes" (prev: "No")

Dice Hospital:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Dice Theme Park:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

DIG UP Adventure:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

District Noir:

• Only remaining moves are played out automatically: "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")

Dobble Connect:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")

Dog Lover:

• Food Cube Assignment: "Automatic" (prev: "Manual")
• Opponents' Hands: "Hidden" (prev: "Default")
• Score Tracking: "End of game only" (prev: "Always updated")

Downforce:

• Additional powers: "Mix with standard powers and draw six" (prev: "Use two powers during each auction")

Egocentric World:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Eminent Domain:

• Scenarios: "On" (prev: "Off")

Expedition: Northwest Passage:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Expeditions: Around the World:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")

Fleet:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

For-Ex:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Forest Shuffle:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

French Tarot:

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

Gaia Project:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")
• Game Setup: "Random map" (prev: "Variable map")
• Map Size: "Reduced map size (recommended for 3 players)" (prev: "Normal")
• Faction Selection: "Draft random factions" (prev: "Draft selected factions")

Gangsta!:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Pass money: "minimum 2$" (prev: "standard")
• Heist Influence: "public" (prev: "private")

Ghost At Home:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Glow:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Side of the board: "The Province of Shadows" (prev: "The Archipelago of Darkness")

Go:

• Grid size: "19×19" (prev: "9×9")

Go Goa:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Go Nuts for Donuts:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")

Gold West:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")

GORami:

• Board size: "16 fields" (prev: "22 fields")

Hand and Foot:

• Number of jokers per deck: "3" (prev: "2")
• Black 3 treatment: "Can only be discarded, score -5 in hand/foot" (prev: "Can only be discarded, score -100 in hand/foot")
• Completed melds required to go out: "2 clean/2 dirty (wild melds count as clean)" (prev: "2 clean/2 dirty (wild melds not allowed)")
• Automatically play red 3s: "Always" (prev: "After 5 seconds")
• End of round report timer: "Continue after 30 seconds" (prev: "Continue after 60 seconds")
• Draw card timer: "Draw after 10 seconds" (prev: "Draw after 20 seconds")

Hearts:

• Count hand scores: "Disabled" (prev: "Enabled")

Hoarders:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "5")
• Beaver mode: "Standard Beaver" (prev: "Amigo's Beaver variant (5 or 6 players)")

Homesteaders:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Hugo:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Hungarian Tarokk:

• Game length: "Medium - two rounds" (prev: "Long - three rounds")
• Declarer trulls in three are: "Not treated specially" (prev: "Automatically scored without playing")
• When result of hand is out of question: "Skip to scoring" (prev: "Keep playing")

Hydroracers:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Imhotep:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Board variants: "A sites only (standard game play)" (prev: "Random sites")
• Market variant: "Side A" (prev: "Random")
• Pyramids variant: "Side A" (prev: "Random")
• Temple variant: "Side A" (prev: "Random")
• Burial chamber variant: "Side A" (prev: "Random")
• Obelisks variant: "Side A" (prev: "Random")

Innovation:

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

Iwari:

• Starting hand: "Drafting" (prev: "Guaranteed wild card")
• Feats: "No feats" (prev: "All feats")

Jump Drive:

• Cardset: "Base game + Terminal Velocity" (prev: "Base game")
• Starting worlds: "Choose starting worlds" (prev: "None")
• Goals: "Use goals" (prev: "None")

Khronos:

• Hold'em: "On" (prev: "Off")

King of the Pitch:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "2")
• Two Extra Match Cards for 3 and 4 Players: "enabled" (prev: "disabled")

King of Tokyo:

• Number of players: "5" (prev: "4")
• Pick monster: "Automatic" (prev: "Pick")
• “Halloween” event (Costume cards): "Disabled" (prev: "Enabled")
• “Nature vs. Machine: the Comeback!” event (Berserk): "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")

Koi-Koi:

• Game length: "Half a year (6 hands)" (prev: "Full year (12 hands)")
• Base Bright multiplier: "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")
• Cards of the month: "Disabled" (prev: "Enabled")

Konane:

• Board size: "6 × 6" (prev: "8 × 8")

Krosmaster Arena:

• Format: " BGA Season 15" (prev: " BGA Season 14")

Krosmaster Blast:

• Game mode: "Blast : 3 vs 3" (prev: "Blast : 4 vs 4")
• Board: "Retail (10x8) - back side" (prev: "Mountain (10x10)")
• Rules: "Sram's Labyrinth of Traps" (prev: "Xelor's Time Rift")

La Granja:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Le Dernier Peuple:

Lewis & Clark:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")
• Rules: "First Edition" (prev: "Second Edition")

Liverpool (Cozy Oaks) Rummy:

• Game Length (Set and Run targets needed for each hand): "Full game (2Sets, 1Set1Run, 2Runs, 3Sets, 2Sets1Run, 2Run1Set, 3Runs)" (prev: "3 hand game (2Sets, 1Set2Runs, 3Runs)")
• Maximum number of Jokers (normally 2x per deck): "All (2x number of decks)" (prev: "4 jokers")
• Number of buys: "Unlimited" (prev: "3 per hand")

Living Forest:

• Extensions enabled: "Kodama" (prev: "Base game")

Lost Explorers:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Lost Ruins of Arnak:

• Board side: "The Snake Temple (advanced)" (prev: "The Bird Temple (standard)")

Madeira:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Mech A Dream:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Mercado de Lisboa:

• Money - Visible/Hidden: "Visible" (prev: "Hidden")

Nidavellir:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Nile:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

No Thanks!:

• Chip tracking: "Visible" (prev: "Hidden")
• Tactical variant: "On" (prev: "Off")

Oh Hell!:

• Game style: "Down, then up" (prev: "Up only")

Oh-Seven:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")
• Card-passing variant: "Disabled" (prev: "Enabled")

Oriflamme:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Panic Lab:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Game Duration: "Normal (5 points)" (prev: "Short (3 points)")

Papayoo:

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

Patchwork:

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

Photosynthesis:

• Duration: "Long mode" (prev: "Normal mode")

Pugs in Mugs:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Railroad Ink:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Rallyman: GT:

• Track length: "Random" (prev: "Medium-length track")

Rauha:

• Board Side: "B-side" (prev: "A-side")

Reflection:

• Ensure balanced teams: "Yes" (prev: "No")
• Players compete on the same puzzles: "No" (prev: "Yes")
• Maximum time to solve a puzzle: "10 minutes" (prev: "5 minutes")
• Grid size: "10×10" (prev: "8×8")
• Items: "23 items" (prev: "16 items")
• Special shapes: "Squares and triangles" (prev: "Squares")

Rift Valley Reserve:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Rolling Pins:

• Parallel Players: "Full" (prev: "Turn by Turn")

Saboteur:

• Tournament rules: "Off" (prev: "On")

Sea Salt & Paper:

• Extra Salt expansion: "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")

Seasons:

• Difficulty level: "Archmage Level + Enchanted Kingdom & Path of Destiny expansions - Ability tokens" (prev: "Official Tournament authorized cards")

SETUP:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Signorie:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Space Empires: 4X:

• Scenarios: " - SMALL 2-PLAYER MAP" (prev: " - NORMAL 2-PLAYER MAP")
• Difficulty : " Easy" (prev: " Normal")

Splash Down:

• Fly Thief: "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")

Spots:

• Tricks: "Random Recommended Set" (prev: "Randomly Generated Set")

SteamRollers:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")
• Black coal goods: "Enabled" (prev: "Disabled")
• Order tiles: "Disabled" (prev: "Enabled")
• Game Difficulty: "Hard" (prev: "Medium")

Stir Fry Eighteen:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Points goal: "50 pts (standard game rules)" (prev: "100 pts")
• Close the Kitchen: "On" (prev: "Off")

Super Fantasy Brawl:

• Draft mode: "Random pool draft" (prev: "Competitive draft")

Talon:

• Terrain?: "Randomly chosen (1d10)" (prev: "2 = Moderate Terrain")
• Type of battle?: "4 = Priority Target Mission" (prev: "Randomly chosen (1d10)")
• Ship Points: "4 = 500 Ship Points" (prev: "Randomly chosen (1d10)")

Tapestry:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")
• Automa Level: "2 - Automa the Average" (prev: "1 - Automa the Underachiever")

Tash-Kalar:

• Etherweave: "Off" (prev: "On")

Terra Mystica:

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

The Gnomes of Zavandor:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

The Jelly Monster Lab:

• Shuffled labs: "yes" (prev: "no")

The King's Guild:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

The Voyages of Marco Polo:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Through the Ages:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Through the Ages: A new Story of Civilization:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Tic-Tac Match:

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

Tichu:

• Game length: "Half Game (500 points)" (prev: "Classic (1000 points)")

Tigris & Euphrates:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")
• Scoring: "Open Scoring" (prev: "Hidden Scoring")

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")

Tournay:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Trio:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")

Turncoats:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")

Twin Palms:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "2")

Twin Tin Bots:

• Rocks: "None" (prev: "A few")
• Blobs: "None" (prev: "A few")
• Teleporters: "None" (prev: "A few")
• Mud: "None" (prev: "A little")

Tzolk'in:

• Number of players: "4" (prev: "3")

Ultimate Railroads:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

Uncle Chestnut's Table Gype:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "4")
• Variant: "Random start" (prev: "Rule of Chaos")

United Square:

• Team play (with 4 players): "Every man for himself" (prev: "Team Play")
• Number of rounds: "1-round game" (prev: "2-rounds game (2 players only)")

Uptown:

• Number of players: "2" (prev: "3")

VektoRace:

• Number of players: "3" (prev: "4")
• Track layout: "Oval" (prev: "Tri")

War Chest:

• Game Options Predefined: "Beginners" (prev: "Beginners Exp")
• Game Options: "Base" (prev: "Complete")
• Teams: "By table order (1st/3rd versus 2nd/4th)" (prev: "Random")

Wizard:

• Variant: "Plus / Minus 1" (prev: "Hidden prediction")

Worldwide Tennis:

• Game Length: "2 Sets Match" (prev: "1 Set Match")

Yahtzee:

• Rule set: "Yam" (prev: "Yahtzee")

[Vandaley]

Thurn and Taxis is on a rotation and should have rotated to 3 player but did not, can that be fixed?

[doctorchris]

I had thought 7 wonders would be rotating to 5 players. Is that not right?

[Pompkin]

Chicago express and Railways of the world maybe missed the rotation aswell.

[Specialk205slim]

Interesting to see Caledonia change to 2 players. Totally different game that way. Surprised it was voted that way.

[miklomike]

Can we please have the arena standings page display what trophies will be awarded based on current player count? 2 seasons ago I placed top 20 but did not get anything, then I found the FAQ that said it needs 1000/300 players for top 20/top 10. This past season I placed 4th in one game but got no top 5. Since the FAQ only mentioned top 20/10, what is the cut off for top 5? And why is this information not readily available.

Providing the XP rewards for each League ahead of time should also be given, so users can decide if it is worth their effort.

[bugggg]

Is Ned Flanders hidden in the arena announcement images? These have been only ones where I can't find him!

[frogstar_A]

Can we please have the arena standings page display what trophies will be awarded based on current player count? 2 seasons ago I placed top 20 but did not get anything, then I found the FAQ that said it needs 1000/300 players for top 20/top 10. This past season I placed 4th in one game but got no top 5. Since the FAQ only mentioned top 20/10, what is the cut off for top 5? And why is this information not readily available.

Providing the XP rewards for each League ahead of time should also be given, so users can decide if it is worth their effort.

I agree that the XP and trophy rules should be set out somewhere as I was caught out once by placing 12th but no trophy

[87ii]

Great stuff