Arcs: Two Players First Look

Arcs is billed as a game for 2-4 players. The question of player count is one that plagues many games. We're famous for mostly loving Twilight Imperium at almost exclusively 6 players. So our question about Arcs has been: What are the big differences between the 3 and 4 player modes.
But the bigger unknown has been the 2 player mode! Originally there wasn't even talk of a 2 player mode, but it has since been included AND finalized. So this was our first look at the 2 player mode that anyone who receives the game will get to enjoy.
We were joined by yet again by friend of the Show Guerric ( @GuerricSamplesGames ) to try out 2 player mode. We had a great time and, surprisingly, it didn't feel too different from the 3-4 player modes.
You can still late pledge for Arcs and be included in the early waves of fulfillment by visiting arcs.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

[@kenmayhem]

you dont get the initiative immediately when surpassing, therefore you cant declare an ambition like that.

[@DrMcFly28]

I love the subverted expectations of players sitting next to opponent's pieces instead of their own :)

[@EliasBremer]

lol

[@grandad1982]

at 1.04.00 ish Guerric says he would have to place adamaged ship in when he builds it but thats no true. You only place damaged items if a rival CONTROLS the system. You were both tied for so no one controls the system,

[@wasaby123]

BLESS YOU FOR MAKING THIS

[@user-cw4zj6kc8u]

Part of me wanted this type of map, another part of me likes the previous map. But that map also felt off to me. It's kinda of surprising how hard it is to make a space map.

[@NathanaelHuber]

I liked the previous map more, the other one was more thematic, this feels to gamey.

[@oaxacenio]

Love it. Please upload more arcs. Played our first game yesterday. Two small things I spotted: at min 29 guerrics should have gotten back the weapon, right? And minute 30 he should have gotten your Starport as a trophy. Also there is one question I have: if you get resources in a prelude action (e.g. mining interest) can you spend them in the same prelude? It is specified for guild cards but not for resources.

[@SpaceCatsPeaceTurtlesPodcast]

Good catches! Poor Guerric accidentally missed out on two advantages. Oof! It's my understanding that yes you can use newly acquired resources in Prelude. Just remember when you spend those resources, they don't go back to the supply until the end of your turn so you can't easily reacquire them...something I think I have definitely done incorrectly, possibly even in this video!

[@oaxacenio]

Just finished watching. Ggwp :) These videos on arcs help a lot to figure out the details in the game, especially as this is just the "skeleton" to play the campaign. It will take some time till it feels intuitive I guess. Regarding your point, I think you have done it correctly. The rulessay that resources go back to the supply after the prelude. So you can spend a fuel to move in prelude, it gets back to the supply, and then tax a Fuel city (wouldn't want to live there tbh) with an action card to get it back.

[@oaxacenio]

Also, I would love to have Tycoon blocked in a two player game. It seems to be the most declared ambition as it is on all number 2 cards and therefore has the lowest "cost" in tempo. Declaring ambition on a 6 for empath feels just so much worse.

[@Telekrus]

around 29:00 you fix that you can't use the warrior ability if you surpass, but you missed that you can't use Admin to move. Nonetheless, a good demo of the 2p mode. It looks like it works better than it sounds like it would

[@Augustus-z1d]

Is this the final rules?

[@Benjamin-ri3rk]

Haven't seen Guerric in ages - will he be posting anything new soon?

[@SuperSeagull12]

I thought only the player with initiative can declare ambitions??

[@RobWinton]

That's correct. They fix it a few minutes later

[@wasaby123]

I was checking the channel like "well let's see if... OMG ARCS 2 PLAYERS MODE! " Im learning the last game edition and I'm enjoying it a lot. (only got to play 2player game and wanted to know your thoughts). Never played classic space board games and this felt so familiar and so easy to grasp that I just loved it. However this, SpaceCats videos and your podcast in Spotify made me consider playing Twilight Imperium in the neat future. Do you think of this game as a mini Twilight Imperium? I guess Cole Wehrle was very influenced by TI and wanted to make his own, quicker pace game. How different do you feel it is?

[@SpaceCatsPeaceTurtlesPodcast]

They certainly have differences, but as you say, Arcs definitely has Twilight Imperium as one of its inspiration. The Base game we're playing here I would say is only lightly similar. The bigger Campaign game I think is much much more related to the TI experience, and is one of the biggest reasons we're excited for Arcs

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

It’s such a good game.

[@william_lynch]

How can i play TTS version?

[@IskandarStrategist1689]

solo mode no?

[@alexterzaghi7256]

No solo mode

[@JoostN86]

I don't really understand why people would play this with 2 players. This is clearly best at 4.

[@johnathanrhoades7751]

And yet many people do not have three other people to play with. That is like saying “I don’t understand why people go to Outback Steakhouse. Ruth’s Chris is clearly better”. While true, not everyone has any access or at least as frequent access to that restaurant or the money required for the better experience. And it is still excellent at 2.