TWILIGHT IMPERIUM Board Game STRATEGY GUIDE Top 10 Tips and Strategies 2022

The board game Twilight Imperium is undoubtedly  one of the best board games ever made.   Today we’re looking at the top 10  strategic principles you need to   know when you’re getting into this  game. This is Legendary Tactics  Twilight Imperium is an epic game that will  engage players with multiple paths to victory   and intense diplomatic play. Today  I’m speaking with the player who   first introduced me to the game, Gastel  Etswane. If you’re just getting into it,   or if you’re a rabid fan who just loves thinking  about this game, we hope this top 10 list will   give you a solid foundation for playing Twilight  Imperium. Thanks for joining us today Gastel. thanks for having me i remember our  first game together uh i was sardark noor   and you were the l1z1x mindset we  did not get along at all no we didn't   but that was the game where my number one piece  of advice uh for twilight imperium came from but   we'll get to that soon enough i'm excited to talk  about this game uh where would you like to start  One of the most important decisions a player  makes in this game is which faction to use.   I know that math plays heavily into your board  gaming, so I’d love to hear your thoughts on   which race is the best based on some stats I  found. According to reddit, the Federation of   Sol has the best win percentage, but I think  that more goes into choosing a race than just   these percentages. What are your thoughts? uh absolutely uh when picking a faction   you have to consider whether you're playing  to win or you're playing to have fun   uh there's one way to accomplish both uh but not  simply to play as your faction every faction has   benefits play to your strengths and use  them to help you influence the game flow   don't fall into the trap where one strategy fits  for all factions equally except maybe my top two   strategy tips but i'll reveal them later playing  your faction will also give you a perspective on   the game which will increase your enjoyment my  personal top three factions are joel nar the   arboric and the sardac noir they suit my personal  style of play because they produce beautiful   intense moments i don't always win with them but  when i get them i know i'm gonna have a great game   the highest strength faction is the federation  of saul i've never played them but i've seen   them crush many an opponent but really part  of the fun of the game comes from discovering   a new faction finding its strengths and using  them wisely for new players however i think a   great starting faction is the emirates of hud  khan it promotes the idea of trade and building   relationships with the other players i agree yeah  that makes absolute sense because they'll have   a much less adversarial or hostile experience if  everyone at the table wants to trade with them so   if if a player enjoys the military part of the  game then maybe they should play as the barony   of leitner or as the sardoc noir or if they enjoy  the political uh sort of devious or defensive side   then the zachar kingdom would be a good choice if  they want to have strong movement then the embers   of muat or the ghosts of cruess are a good option  or if like me they enjoy science and technology   and advancements then maybe the universities of  joel nar or the arborek might be a good choice   exactly and the list you just said shows  the diversity of options in the game   i don't like to play the same way very often i  want to diversify my play style to keep me engaged   twilight imperium lets me do that absolutely um  how important would you say action cards are in   the game these are the cards that give bonuses  special maneuvers lots of other advantages i know   when i play cosmic encounter it's the bonus cards  that really surprise my opponents and can cause   serious shifts and battles are they something  that players should be focusing their attention on   action cards add a whole new factor of variety to  the game even your best laid plans can be stopped   by someone else's well-timed use of an action  card action cards serve a few purposes in the game   one of which is to allow you to time your tactics  and strategies delaying the use of a key command   or strategic action until the time is right  for the player for example it might be wise   to wait a turn and see if an opponent alters  their influence in nearby systems or activates   a strategy of their own you can't pass but  maybe you have an action card which allows   you to upgrade a ship you can play that for your  turn and then wait for your opponent's reaction   but as previously mentioned an action card can  also be very handy in disrupting the carefully   considered strategies of an enemy or bolster the  plans of an ally movement of units can be hampered   battles can be influenced and actions cancelled  knowing when to play your action cards is vital   that's great let's move to number eight the  mechanic i love most about the game is the   one that's borrowed from puerto rico and that's  the strategy cards when you're choosing your card   the timing is critical but so is the difference  between the primary and secondary abilities on   the card i think of these as short-term  strategy boosts so what suggestions do   you have for getting the right card at the right  time uh knowing what your opponents are thinking   is key uh you can select a strategy card to  defend against their plans hamper their progress   of course some cards are better in specific  scenarios uh and you can't just try to defend   against your opponents for example if i'm planning  on expanding warfare is an obvious choice uh if   i need a certain technology to improve my  empire then obviously technology is good   but what makes this question so hard to answer  and also why this mechanic is such a robust and   interesting decision maker is that each faction  interacts with a strategy deck a bit differently   for example joel gnar doesn't need to select  technology unless they want to prevent someone   else from having it right uh whereas the  necro virus can't even research technology   uh so them taking it would again be  a block or maybe they get a supply of   command counters if they play it and that might be  what they're looking for strategy cards also set   the initiative order for the round uh so that is a  factor to consider uh but of course uh with every   rule there's an exception the nalu they always go  first so that that simplifies your choice right   so i think awareness of all the other players  factions and what they might need and who they're   playing as will absolutely determine what you're  going to choose so that makes tons of sense now   what are your thoughts on the viewer liking this  video and subscribing to our channel guest now   like trade goods it is wise to spread your  influence at a minimal cost to yourself   i can't imagine a reason for not liking  this video and subscribing to this channel   thank you let's move on to number seven  now uh this is the tech tree consideration   so long-term strategy seems to play out and  how players decide to advance on the tech tree   are there some paths that benefit players  more than others or is this something   that needs to be customized depending on  what other players at the table are doing   you have to look at technology as a means to  support your goals rather than a goal itself   if you can accurately predict what you will be  doing and maybe even more importantly what your   opponents will do then the tech tree probably  has something that will support your empire   there are four different colors of technology  which represent different aspects of gameplay   biotic cybernetic propulsion and warfare  uh my advice is to mainly focus on one or   two tech types and use them well a scatter shot  approach will leave you with weaker earlier   technologies as you enter the mid game and you  might find yourself behind in certain areas   uh the exception to this rule is joel nar  who will likely get most of the tech tree   each game in their case it's all about deciding  which technology best suits the situation at hand   and which one is your personal preference  if you're focusing on one technology it does   depend on the faction but i'd say in general  i like the biotic technologies they give you   a boost to some of your resources and makes  your economic engine run a little more smoothly   but all of them have their time in place  excellent on to number six and this is resources   so the main resources in the game are command  counters resource and influence what would you   say are the relative strengths of these  and what's the best way to manage them   well in order to be efficient in any game it's  important to manage your resources as well   uh the most important are the command and  strategy tokens uh they are the engine to   your ability to do things in the game as such  uh managing their use is vital to playing well   if you use them too early in the game you're going  to leave yourself open to opponents reactions if   you wait too long you might miss key opportunities  again going back to that biotic technology   uh they give you more command counters and that's  probably the most universally important technology   now planets uh that you capture uh give you  resource and influence resource to build units   and influence to do certain strategies uh  and uh to help you with the agenda phase   i would focus early game on gathering planets that  give you resource influence only grab it when it's   convenient the advantage of planets is that their  resources and influence refresh each round at the   end of the action phase and again at the end  of the agenda phase uh this means that you can   slowly build an engine where you're able to buy  more and more impressive and luxurious units and   technologies etc as the game progresses but it's  important to talk about commodities at this stage   commodities are a great currency that can be used  both as resource or influence but you can only   realize the value of your commodities by trading  with somebody and gaining uh trade goods in return   well that leads us to the often undervalued  consideration of the value of trades   you mentioned earlier that the emirates of a khan  are a great faction for players who want to focus   on trade if you're one of the other factions who  should you be trading with how important is trade   and how often should you be trading trade is a  very important aspect of your empire's engine   first of all trading with your neighbors builds  good relationships and maybe makes you not so   antagonistic against each each other allowing you  to expand also as i mentioned before commodities   are useless until traded so you start with  something that you can trade with your neighbors   now hakan has a special ability that they  can trade with the whole table not just with   their neighbors so that allows them to sort of  start this diplomatic relationships very early   uh other factions might struggle to find good  cause to trade i i'm constantly discouraged when   the mental coalition becomes a neighbor uh they  have an ability that allows them to steal incoming   goods if you already are a certain level of wealth  i don't like trading when they're around i don't   like giving them free resources on the other hand  i recently played as the arboret i had a great   relationship with one neighbor where we traded  regularly and left each other alone for a bit   and i was able to focus my units and expansion  towards my other neighbor of course with the   arbor act leaving them undisturbed will find  them so numerous as to clog the board with lovely   little plants i won that game almost solely  on my neighbor's agreement to trade with me   but before someone criticizes that player  he almost won the game and we definitely   were not friendly towards the end i think looking  back he waited one turn too long to turn on me   but he did take full advantage  of the income that i provided   so it's almost how how welcome players take  advantage of each other without angering   them or turning too late on the player so that's  really cool now i've just decided that i'm going   to play as the menta coalition when i'm your  neighbor in our next game thank you for that   curses strategy tip number four is about diplomacy  so one reason that i love this game so much is   that it blends elements of so many other games  that i really love like the game diplomacy and   it it brings them all and mashes them up into  an ultimate board game so diplomacy in this game   or inter-player relationships is an area that's  often considered an intangible but also one that   can completely change the outcome of a game what  thoughts do you have on how to forge alliances   how to get other players at the table to work  with rather than against you and at what point   would you consider jettisoning an ally well  you need to forge strong allies in the game   as there's too many fronts on which you'll be  battling you simply can't battle everyone you   need good consistent trade partners but you also  need strategic allies who will defend your flanks   trust is built slowly but you need to find  a way to make both parties happy however in   every game there comes a time when your allies  destruction might be your best path to glory   i have a table presence of being a good ally but  also one of stabbing deep when i take advantage   of a neighbor's misstep look for allies during  agenda phases which happen sort of in the mid game   this phase only starts once mechatol  rex has been captured by a faction   you've had some time to form alliances and  define enemies now's the time to honor those   relationships and use them to your best advantage  giving up a minor minor victory in the agenda   phase could forge a great alliance and provide  clarity to your action plan on the other hand   some agendas can really deflate your tires and  even your allies might be hesitant to support it   thank you very much we are moving on  to number three and that's warfare   we can't do a strategy guide on this game without  talking about it so let's face it this game really   shines when players get into disputes over  territory how much do you think a player   should focus or invest on the militaristic part of  this game and is it worthwhile to get mktal wrecks oh there's something majestic about capturing  mkhitaryan we all know it uh whenever it's taken   it's always a big moment in the game there's some  glory in it for sure definitely definitely i have   a few strategies that i suggest when it comes to  warfare don't appear stronger than you are if you   appear to be too strong especially early opponents  will be more motivated to impede your progress   uh balance territorial expansion with protecting  your gains mechatal rex is a tempting objective   located in the center of the board taking it can  definitely help you towards a victory as it can   grant you victory points but taking it and holding  it will be costly don't unbalance your empire for   a temporary gain uh fleet usage is critical a  fleet can work as a deterrent or a provocation   the placement of a single ship can influence the  actions of those around you be sure to have a   reason for your building so that your allies can  feel safe while your enemies may be caught unaware   remember that military might rarely scores points  it can help you score resources which will achieve   objectives but a large military is not the only  way to play well thank you moving on to number   two victory points one rule that applies to every  single strategy game is that you win with victory   points in this game while it may seem cool to  have the best fleet or the most advanced weaponry   or mkhitaryan wrecks in your possession  ultimately any strategy that leads to vps   is one you need to focus on so what tips can  you offer about staying focused on the primary   objective and being the first to get to 10 victory  points and this would also be a great place to   mention objective cards and how focused a player  should be on these if you have thoughts on that   well if you're dedicated to winning uh be sure  to average better than a victory point per turn   uh harder at the beginning of the game uh  easier later on uh keep a close eye on the   objectives you have yet to score and plan  the order in which you'll try to score them   be sure to score a public  objective every time that you can   the game doesn't last forever and if you fall  too far behind it may be difficult to win   secret objectives mecca tall racks increasingly  more valuable objectives as the game continues   and the imperial strategy card which allows you  to essentially score an extra public objective   during the round mean that the game can often end  with a flurry of scoring be sure you're the one   scoring and not your opponents know where you're  going to get your points and be sure to keep that   a secret we're on to our most important strategy  tip number one here before you share your thoughts   i'd also like to invite the person watching  to add their own thoughts in the comments or   to offer counterpoints to our strategies let  us know what we've missed if there's one ethos   guest style more important than all of your other  ideas that should guide a player's game play in   twilight imperium what is it if you're playing to  win the game you'll find an interesting challenge   and a fully formed game but i would argue  that you're missing part of the equation   this game is truly too epic to be only  concerned with a victory victory is   great but not at the expense of the game itself  remember when playing a game the goal is to win   but it is the goal that is important not the  winning i love twilight imperium because it   constantly produces a story that unfolds at the  direction of a group of friends as such i look   for these moments a surprising upset in a battle  a vital trade agreement which sees a player inch   closer to seizing control of the galaxy even those  annoying men tax it is part of the joy of the game   uh i don't know if you remember but in our  first game we had a very reluctant truce and   we were both just looking for an excuse to attack  each other i had mechatal racks and was behind a   little on military development compared to you  i managed to secure the diplomacy strategy card   and used it to protect a key system that limited  your advance on mkhital racks it was dramatic and   hilarious intense and amazing i didn't win but it  was such a fun moment from a game of fun moments   that i'll remember that more than my score  you remember you play with people and it's   important to look up from the board and see  those people as your source of inspiration   i mean you're dedicating at least an afternoon  to play with them you might as well enjoy it   they often say that miserable makes memories  so maybe it's the games where we lose where   we actually have the most fun too thank you for  your your strategy tips all of your your ideas   and especially that number one point which is  really valuable and having played many games   with you though i'm wondering if there's a meta  strategy here it sounds like you want to have   an enjoyable experience so that the next time you  play with the same group no one will suspect that   you've been playing a multiple game hustle to take  mechatal wrecks when they're least expecting it   why do you think i agreed to this interview well  i'm hoping it's because you wanted to reveal   all of your strategies to me so that i would  stand a chance against you next time we play   so thanks for all of your thoughts and  for sharing your insights with us gestel   i can't believe i let the men tack  things slip anyways it's been my pleasure   if you got value from this video please  consider subscribing if there's another   board game you'd like us to cover let us know  in the comments thanks so much for your time you

Channel: Legendary Tactics

Views: 40,942

Keywords: twilight imperium, twilight imperium strategy, twilight imperium board game, wilight imperium strategy tips, twilight imperium 4th edition, twilight imperium strategy cards, strategy for twilight imperium, twilight imperium game, legendary tactics, strategic principles, strategy, tips, best board game ever, objective cards, action cards, resources, twilight imperium tech tree, twilight imperium 2022

Id: wZ4PQdQ_EbQ

Length: 20min 22sec (1222 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 16 2022