Simple variant for increasing tension in the bidding process of the 3 player game:

Roll 2d8 at the start of the bidding phase, re-rolling doubles. The 2 boxes with the corresponding numbers are not used this round. (Do not put a random influence marker in these areas to show that they are not used.)

Thoughts? It would probably make the 3 player game more dynamic and fun, but increases the luck factor slightly.

Couldn't that end up blocking out some certain key colors that way? (i.e. Brown)

Besides, where am I going to get an 8-sided die?

Draw discs from the bag in 1-8 order, but stop placing them once you have placed at least one of each color.

Shouldn't be too much of a problem with some sort of a fixing, much like what ekted is saying. A tweak here and there should make a good variant out of this idea.

d8s are common is stores. But if you don't want to buy one, you can improvise with numbered tiles (1-8) in a bag. Or even a deck of cards: grab an Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 [of a suit] and use those.

I have a doubt regarding the influence disks. Are those removed from turn to turn, or do they remain in the auction boxes for the next turn?

From the rules concerning the influence points phase.

"Make sure all of the influence tokens are placed in the bag. Randomly draw and place one influence token in each Influence box. The token placed in each box adds to the points already marked there."

Italics mine. I think that's pretty clear in the first part and reinforced in the second (only adding to existing marked influence). Every time this phase comes around, all the tokens are placed back into the Magic Randomising Bag.

B>

They are removed, put in the bag and new ones are drawn at the start of each turn.