Board Game Arena

When you select variable starting empires, you see a warning that this setting is "only recommended for beginners on their first game". When I filed a bug report (https://boardgamearena.com/bug?id=188906), I was advised by the developer that it is this way because the rulebook says so.

However, that's not what the rulebook says. It says: "Choose whether to play with side A or B of the Empire cards (for your first few games, use side A)." This to me implies that side A (variable empires / asymmetric play) is intended to be the default or normal use, not the 'beginners-only' setting. Nowhere does it imply that side A is NOT recommended once you know the game.

I was told to take this to the forum, so... opinions? Is it correct that BGA flags asymmetric play as being ONLY for beginners on their first game?

I don't see any reason to play with asymmetric empires after you've grasped the basics of the game. To me, their only function is to push new players towards specific scoring options (different multipliers, specifically). Once you know how to score, symmetric empires are the way.

So yes, I believe they're intended for beginners only.

To my mind the only reason symmetric is more used is because it is more balanced, and therefore better suited for competitive play.
I think asymmetric is actually more fun, and when I play this game IRL I always use asymmetric.

I agree with OP. Symmetric starting position pushes everyone into a similar early-game strategy. I like asymmetric starting positions for all play. I don't like the game being decided by who gets lucky to draw the best couple cards that all players would be going after.

I agree to say that asymetric play is more fun even if it is less competitive that the usual one more for competition. and by the way both are fun to play remotely

I have to admit that I have only one rl game under my belt, but both semantically and judging from that play as well as from similar options in games I know better, I think it’s pretty clear that OP is right. The sentence doesn’t imply that it’s an option for beginners only. First, it tells you that it’s your choice if you pick A or B. Then, it tells you that as a beginner, you are advised to choose A. There is no advice to ditch A after a few games.

I’d like to compare that to two games I know better, even if it isn’t about true asymmetry in these cases: Barrage has a clear introductory setup which is for beginners only, as it takes fun elements out of the game to reduce its complexity. Then there are games with a focus on maps like Ark Nova or Castles of Burgundy. It is totally ok and not only for beginners to choose maps or pick them randomly (on the table, it’s the only option most of the time), but when you play competitively, you’ll always play on the same map to even things out.

I agree - the wording should be changed.
The point is not that asymmetric is not recommended if you're not a beginner, but that asymmetric is recommended if you are a beginner (or conversely, that symmetric is not recommended if you are a beginner).

There are many other games on BGA with advice that certain options should not be chosen by beginners.

This confused me, too, and it's helpful to know that there is no recommendation about what to do beyond the first few games. It seems reasonable to change the wording to line up with the manual... "This setting is recommended for beginners" rather than "*only* recommended for beginners."

nebcanuck wrote: ↑21 February 2026, 12:58 It seems reasonable to change the wording to line up with the manual... "This setting is recommended for beginners" rather than "*only* recommended for beginners."

There is no such way to do that in BGA's system. This is the closest thing available of the limited flags.

Refer to https://boardgamearena.com/doc/Game_opt ... ns.inc.php for
details.

OP is right. The official wording is a <if -> then statement>; not a <if and only if statement>; The implementation of BGA is done as if it would have been written as a <if and only if> statement, which is not the case and therefore BGA implementation is a mistake according to rulebook.

This is the same than Ark Nova. The map 0 is recommended to be used on your first play. it is presented as a "If first play, then use 0"; not as a "map 0 can be use if and only if this is your first play". And the way BGA integrated this, is by asking you when you start which map you want to use, by clearly stating difficulty link to it and recommendation.