Homeworlds - Tutorial

Andy Looney teaches you, step by step, how to play the game "Homeworlds," one of the many games you can play with a copy of Pyramid Arcade, and Andy's favorite game of all time! Pyramid Arcade is available at your FLGS (Friendly Local Game Store,) or at www.looneylabs....
Index:
0:41 Setup
1:26 Basic principles: terms; how the game works
3:50 Power of green = growth
4:58 It’s all about the Economy
5:26 Power of yellow = movement
6:41 Choosing the sizes of your home Star System pieces (regular vs. small universe)
7:38 Preferred organization of the Stars/Ships on the playing surface
9:06 Power of red = taking over enemy Ships
10:20 Power of blue = changing Ship colors
10:40 Choosing the colors of your home Star system pieces and first Ship
11:56 Third turn decisions: grow or change colors?
12:36 Next big decision: when to move out from your Homeworld
13:36 Catastrophes: how to destroy things
14:58 Sacrificing Ships for multiple actions
16:43 Factory example
18:51 How do you actually win?
19:18 Direct Assault
20:12 Fleet Catastrophe
21:04 Star Demolition
22:09 Doomsday Machine

[@Cheeetos352]

Thank you so much for this tutorial! I got the game, and a day later couldn’t resist ordering Pyramid Arcade off Amazon!

[@serser1990]

The best board game tutorial I've ever watched. Your enthusiasm is inspiring! Thank you!

[@LooneyLabs]

Thank you!

[@drhapi5308]

Just bought it this week. Has been sitting on my desk, and when I opened it up to learn I immediately looked online for a tutorial for what the basic gameplay was supposed to look like. I LOVE the style of the box/instructions/pieces. The 80's aesthetic is impeccable. Can't wait to master it, maybe get some more of your stuff.

[@simonb4689]

Martian chess is great too

[@sojourner650]

Definitely consider Pyramid Arcade!

[@SuperWolfkin]

Excellent. and it cleared up the timing of sacrifice for me. Big fan and I still always get those mixed up.

[@VB-ds4bp]

Please have more of these videos, i bought my pyramid arcade because of it. I think more people would pick up copies and play these great games if they saw them played.

[@DoppelgangerF02]

this is my favorite youtube video of all time

[@Calicoo-x4d]

Why so?

[@TheSerthn]

I really love this game and many other Pyramid Arcade games. They all kinda feel like the games I made up with my friends in elementary school.

[@DerekHohls]

... except that they actually work properly (unlike our childhood games..) :)

[@user-ht4xt2sh9m]

Great tutorial and I like the editing :)

[@jamesman5878]

Favorite game in the box

[@LasTheGreen]

Thank you for the tutorial from a new learner in the Netherlands! Also Bonnie says hi!

[@LooneyLabs]

You're welcome! (Hi, Bonnie!)

[@purxiz902]

When you sacrifice a ship, do you have to take all of the actions, or can you sacrifice a 3 pip ship and only choose to take two actions?

[@LooneyLabs]

You do not have to take all your actions; the second scenario listed is fine to do.

[@simonb4689]

Please do more strategy videos

[@horoshiHT]

YAY. Thank you!!!

[@andrewlehman3319]

I wanna be this guys friend

[@darbyl3872]

It's similar to but very different from chess. It took a little effort to clear up some confusion. An FAQ would be helpful. - The power of colors only come from your own ships or the star, never from an opponents ship. Really fun game, and very portable.

[@LooneyLabs]

We're glad you enjoy the game, @darbyl3872! Here is that FAQ in case you need it: faq.looneylabs.com/looney-pyramids/homeworlds

[@frankiethefrank]

I've started reading about this game and I'm intrigued... I'm a big fan of Go and of Diplomacy. This seems like it would really appeal to me. But where can I play online?

[@devinward461]

You can play it for free online on Board Game Arena, I've been playing it there for a while and I really enjoy it

[@msolec2000]

Do you have some comment on _what_ half of the opponent's Homeworld you should destroy first? In the standard "three step" universe, there will be a half that matches one of your halves, and a half that does not. (For instance, in the video small-large vs small-medium, the smalls match, the other two don't), and the consequences on star connectivity of destroying one half or the other are very different.

[@LooneyLabs]

You have answered your own question, @msolec2000. Which half to destroy first depends on whether or not it is in your favor to change the star connectivity.

[@aleortiz9740]

Can you create as many stars as you want/need? And does it take multiple actions? Can you also use those actions if you sacrifice a big ship?

[@LooneyLabs]

You have only one action per turn. That action could be used to create a single star by using the power of yellow to discover that new star. That action could also be used to sacrifice a large yellow, giving you three moves. If you used them all to discover new stars, you could potentially create as many as three stars in one turn in that way. Keep in mind that all of this is only possible if the needed size and color of pyramid is available in the bank. If the bank is empty, you cannot create any new stars.

[@jeremyhillpot8232]

at time marker 19:19, how did you take two ships on one turn with your big red ship? I thought you could only take one ship per turn, unless you were to sacrifice a red ship with 2 pips on it?

[@CPFace]

I don't think it's correct as shown in the video. The situation that he's showing *would* make it difficult for his opponent to retaliate, since they wouldn't have anything sitting in their homeworld to counter the attack, but he'd have to capture those ships one at a time.

[@LooneyLabs]

You are right... Andy took a bit of a short-cut there for time's sake in the video. It would actually take either two turns or a sacrifice of his medium red at the star near his homeworld to finish his opponent off. But his point stands... if your opponent has no red available anywhere, they are in trouble.

[@drewmichele2179]

I don’t quite understand what happens at 19:29. If a large red ship moves into the opponents home world why does it take all the ships? Doesn’t it need to “seige” them one at a time?

[@msolec2000]

The opponent has no red, so it will take a couple turns, but it can't be stopped.

[@peterevensen]

Or if you have a two or three red someplace else you could sacrifice it to defeat both. In this case you wouldn’t need to move in a red.

[@LooneyLabs]

You are right... Andy took a bit of a short-cut there for time's sake in the video. It would actually take either two turns or a sacrifice of his medium red at the star near his homeworld to finish his opponent off. But his point stands... if your opponent has no red available anywhere, they are in trouble.

[@msolec2000]

Cool. Who was your enemy for this video? I know it's not Kristin. She's kinda allergic to all things Homeworlds. ;)

[@LooneyLabs]

Ha! It was Laurie. She had some time when we were filming and wanted (and knew enough) to help Andy out.

[@Yovani130]

What if the star is yellow? What does that imply?

[@1.125-u6i]

It provides you with the movement ability. You can move from it to any connected system.

[@willhelpforfree]

I love this game so much, but I can't find enough people to play with :( Anyone wants to play on Board Game Arena?

[@jirimothejzik5389]

Hello, a question here - When you discover a new star, can you pick any size/color, or are there any restrictions?

[@LooneyLabs]

You can pick any size available in the Bank. It’s an important strategy point. Also, you have to be able to move to that star to “discover” it, and that won’t necessarily be the smallest available.

[@jirimothejzik5389]

Oh right, the "you can only move between stars of different sizes" thing - that's what I was missing there! Thanks :-)

[@1.125-u6i]

​@@LooneyLabs But you still have to follow the travel rule right? (for example discovering small star from small star isn't possible because of it)

[@LooneyLabs]

@@1.125-u6i Yes, you must still follow the travel rule, even when traveling away from your homeworld. So if you Homeworld contains a small, you can't go to smalls from there.

[@1.125-u6i]

@@LooneyLabs thanks ;)

[@HorribleHomeVideo]

this is too convoluted. martian chess tho, good job

[@LooneyLabs]

We're glad you enjoy Martian Chess! Thank you! :) Homeworlds is definitely one more step up in strategy level and complexity. Some are looking for that level of challenge, but we hear that you are not. :)

[@XoIoRouge]

This kind of game market makes no sense to me. Like I'm all into strategy board games but I can't fathom playing a "complex" (see note) game with abstract pieces and no board. Feels like some playtesting trash that was worked on it half way and never finished. Feels like a waste. Note: The game isn't actually complex, but it's more complex than the components provided in the game box can warrant. Tone down the complexity (even as middling as this) or provide more tangible content.

[@LooneyLabs]

We respect that you require custom pieces for a game to be worth your attention. However, some of the most popular strategy games of all time are abstracts, including Go, Chess, Checkers, and Mancala. Regarding Homeworlds, it has been a highly rated and awarded game for over two decades now. We assure you it is thoroughly playtested and one of the most balanced and strategic abstract games on the market.

[@XoIoRouge]

​@@LooneyLabsComparing your game to those created before Genres were invented isn't the strongest argument... But the following statement is. Good job on your successful game.

[@LooneyLabs]

Thank you, @XoloRouge! Have a great day!