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ErikPeter Walker
United States
New Haven
Connecticut
Uplifting
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Hello again. If you're glancing over my log for the first time, I've been sharing some of the cards and design decisions for my work-in-progress, a homebrew expansion for Race for the Galaxy.
One of the things my expansion introduces is a stronger anti-military pathway. I've added more pay-for-military powers as well as a 6-cost analog to Brink of War's Universal Peace Institute, and a number of -1 Military cards. One night as I was falling asleep (which is, let's face it, the time I get most of my creative work done), I had an idea which may broaden the Military spectrum even further.
In the base game, negative military used to balance a couple low-cost worlds, and add flavor and balance to a couple developments (I assume). Since Military is an inexpensive way to place worlds, it's generally bad to have less of it.
Takeover mechanics introduced a semi-interesting risk/reward decision. Was it worth it to play Space Marines and a couple cheap military windfalls to increase card flow, knowing that a little Military makes you vulnerable to takeovers?
It's usually a worthwhile risk; the players most often punished by takeovers are not the ones with "little Military" but instead those without a big enough military--e.g., enough to have high-defense worlds that are worth taking over, but not to defend against the player who got lucky military draws.
Even so, the risk of takeovers is a neat thematic deterrent that deepens the rules. The Universal Peace Institute went one step further and rewarded players for going negative. I felt "active peace" was an interesting strategy pathway, and I've taken a chance and introduced a few rule-defying new worlds to further deepen the interplay between war and peace.
Peaceful worlds represent reclusive, benevolent worlds that refuse to join your civilization unless you actively take steps toward peace; e.g, your total Military is negative. They are settled like Military worlds, except that players must have a total military that is equal to or less than the Peaceful world's (negative) defense.
Each of the three Peaceful worlds (with "defense" values of -1, -2, and -3, respectively) has potent powers which could provide a strong incentive to pursue peace.
The first is Peaceful Elerium Miners, a rare production world which should generate good card flow. The version presented here was actually toned down from the original version; we'll see how it fares in play-testing.
The second, Peaceful Uplift Architects, is a genes production world that earns Destiny when you settle an uplift code world, as well as sporting a genes-for-2VP consume power.
Finally, a future update will highlight the Peaceful Alien Emissary, an alien production world which generates Destiny whenever it produces a good. The emissary can also help settle any world with ease.
That's all for now. I'll have more cards and commentary for you next time.
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