Twilight Imperium 4th edition Review and Tutorial

The Board Game Kaptain reviews and shows you how to play Twilight Imperium 4th edition.

[@trenthogan4212]

This was such a fantastic presentation of TI4. Thank you!

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

You’re very welcome, thank you for watching. I’ve actually done a lot of TI4 content on the channel including an entire series called Grokking Twilight Imperium where I covered every faction. Check it out if you’re a big TI4 fan.

[@notpresidentduterte3979]

I'm very happy that you made this video! I saw other How to Play videos on this game but yours made everything click together. I also got to see all the stuff that made this game fun. Please keep up the good work!

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Thanks for the positive feedback! I’m glad that my video helped you!

[@ericjones6596]

We've played 3 times, 5 players each time, and the fastest game we managed was just over 7 hours. the longest was 12 hours. This weekend we'll be playing with 6 people, and we're guessing will be close to 12 hours again. Of course, we're using all the expansion rules now available for 4th edition, which changes the game a little.

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

It’s definitely a whole day affair, but worth it. 😉

[@michaelmuchness]

Thanks for video. Note around min 33 you skipped #2 1. SCORE OBJECTIVES then: 2. REVEAL PUBLIC OBJECTIVE: The speaker flips the next unrevealed public objective card faceup. The first stage II objective is not revealed until all stage I objectives have been revealed.

[@CosmicTavern]

Great review. I am finishing up organizing my box then I'm going to try to get a game going. Had to throw out my organizer tray because I sleeve the cards.

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Thanks for the positive feedback. The organizer is a big step up from the cardboard troughs that Fantasy Flight usually uses, but it still isn't perfect. I could definitely see it being a problem if you sleeve the cards. I didn't sleeve, but I did separate and bag each faction's components because of how there just aren't enough places in the organizer for them to be separated. I really want the organizers from Wasteland Express to become the new industry standard for larger games.

[@AlexIvasuc]

great tutorial!watched other ones,none of them explained as good as you!

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Thanks very much, I'm really glad that my tutorial was able to help you. It really makes my day brighter to hear that one of my videos helped someone to enjoy a game. 😁

[@betterthanflapjacks]

Best instruction video, thank you!

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

You're very welcome. I'm glad my tutorial was helpful. Thank you for watching and commenting, I love to get feedback! :)

[@RamboJoe]

I'm new to Twilight Imperium and after two times playing it, I can't stop thinking about it, I would also rate it a 10/10 PERFECT FREAKING GAME as well.

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

What's your favorite faction so far?

[@RamboJoe]

SOL is my favorite so far, because the extra command token went a long way. Then there infantry where so great, that they were harder than a Tick to get removed from any planet. My least fav is Hylar for now, but I got to give them another chance, since they where the ones I played my first game with and didn't know what I was doing half the time hahaha.

[@mitchsommer1023]

This is the best video for watching a round unfold. Great job! Are you from Long Island too?

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Thanks so much. I am from Long Island, though now I live over in the burbs of Chicago. Did my accent give me away? ;)

[@mitchsommer1023]

Haha, yea here and there. I'm right there with you bud.

[@hellboy7424]

EPIC game !!! Barbacue , good company and TI4 ... and the best day of my life . I can not wait to the expansions . Good video !!

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Thanks for the positive feedback. I also can't wait for the expansions. I'm half expecting them to add even more factions. ;)

[@hellboy7424]

The Board Game Kaptain You're welcome !!! A pleasure. I miss the suns. And already if they make new races and mechanics it would be great. Personally I would love an app with a simple tutorial and / or a third player to play two players. Or any other solution to play two without losing the game charm. As I said ... a pleasure and a greeting from Spain. Thanks to you !!

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

I agree, a method for playing the game at 2 players would be fantastic!

[@Andy-dm4oh]

I have yet to play this version, but I'm looking into the rules ahead of time to avoid spending more time looking at the rules than the board. I'd like clarification on a few things from the demo play. First, for play order after selecting the strategy card does it play in order of the lowest number to highest, or start with the lowest and go clockwise? I wasn't sure since it was only a 3 player demo. Second, at one point you left 2 fighter ships alone in the home system. Is this allowed? I thought they had to be with a carrier of some type. Lastly, after building fighters for the war sun you said it was okay to do so because there were only 2 ground units and 2 fighters, however the ground units were already on a planet, so the ground units would not count against the capacity in this case I am guessing? I enjoyed the video greatly though, the only one I found to show an actual gameplay demo without an entire gameplay session.

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Andy J in answer to your first question, turns go in numerical order or in a 3 player game numerical order of your lower number. The space stations have a carrier capacity, that was probably what you were referring to with your second question. As for the third question, you are correct about not needing carrier capacity for ground troops on planets, though I may have been referring to the ability to carry all those units or also possibly the build limit, I’m not sure. I hope this helps. :)

[@deepspaceexplorer4265]

My issue is how long the game can be and in today's busy world it's hard to find anybody that can spare 5 plus hours sitting at a table playing a board game, which at the end of the day, is what this is. I will homebrew a campaign and add RPG elements to it and shave down the sessions to about between 3 and 4 hours every other weekend. Otherwise i can't touch this massive epic game...

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

That does sound interesting to use TI as a background system for a RPG. I’d definitely be interested to hear about how that goes if you ever get a chance to try it.

[@MrPotatoHeadXL]

Quick Question: Don't you have to annouce retreat before you start actual combat? Great Video!!

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Indeed you do, if we didn't we may have made an error.

[@MrDejurado]

thank you for making this

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

You’re very welcome. ;)

[@MrDejurado]

Played my first game yesterday with some friends, and your play through was the best thing to prepare us.

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

I’m really glad it helped. How did the game go? Did you all like it?

[@joshuacaban1160]

I love board games my favorite is dungeons and dragons jumanji zathura monopoly clue and battleship those 6 board games are the best board games ever made love 😍 it

[@alexcamacho577]

If a group is short on time what if they played to less victory points say 7? Would this ruin the end game where more battles may occur? Any thoughts?

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

I think that it would diminish the fun of the game. It's just the sort of game that you shouldn't play when short on time. You need to set aside the day and order in food. ;)

[@CarlosGonzalez-km3uj]

Hello Very good resume Thanks for you effort I am a board game fan. From MEXICO and i liked very much you channel And you recommended Thanks for all

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

You're very welcome, and thank you for the compliments. What part of Mexico are you from? What's the best board game store there? Thank you for watching and commenting. :)

[@CarlosGonzalez-km3uj]

Thanks for you answers I am from MEXICO CITY And for me the top 5 board games more populate in Mex is .. 1- CHESS 2- RISK 3-MAGIC THE GATHERING 4-MONOPOLY 5-DUNGEON AND DRAGONS

[@CarlosGonzalez-km3uj]

The name is of my best store in Mexico . - GAME SMART - is the name

[@eddieb8054]

I would disagree on the length. I’ve played six player, with set up and tear down, and with three guys late by 30 minutes. Under 7 hours total. Started 8 am, with set up. Last guy there at 845am. Game over at 2pm. Tear down and put up at 245pm as we kept talking instead of putting up. So game went 5 hours. Plus set up and tear down included, under seven hours. 3 of us played TI4 before, 3 had only played TI3. But had watched videos.

[@KabukiKid]

Playing in a game this weekend! :-D Love TI3 and this is will be my first game of TI4.

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Nice, let me know if you agree that it's an improvement. ;)

[@KabukiKid]

I, indeed, shall! ^_^

[@KabukiKid]

btw... the last time I played TI3, we played a four player game and it actually lasted for almost exactly four hours, so it is possible! heh

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Damn, you're fast!

[@KabukiKid]

One player also sort of ran away with the game, so that was a major reason it was fairly fast. heh

[@scottdixon720]

Great video, just note scoring objectives starts with initiative order, not speaker.

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Thanks very much.

[@D00MM3L]

Don't you need to activate your home system first in order to produce ships? As result you won't be able to move them out of this system for the rest of the turn

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Yes, but "Warfare", as well as some cards can allow you to remove the token on the system you produced ships in so that you can later move out of that system. I know that "warfare" was used for that purpose during the example. If you are referring to a time when it wasn't, then it's possible we made a mistake while filming.

[@D00MM3L]

Thank you for your explanation!

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

You’re very welcome

[@supark3244]

Well done. Is it worth it for only 3 players? Usually, the first two players to fight lose to the guy on the sidelines.

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

I actually quite like this game at 3 players. There are such a variety of strategies available that anyone can still come back and win, and at 3 players the game time is quite manageable.

[@TheEldarGuy]

I find 3, 5, and 6 players being better combinations. There 8 initiative spots, and at 4 players, everyone has two, so you know what's coming. When there are spots left open, the trade goods go down and players have to decide what's being left behind.

[@theharvestfloor1]

I don't believe ground forces count towards ship capacity when they are on planets.

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

Correct, they do not. I’m not sure what I said that you’re referring to can you give me a time and quote me?

[@theharvestfloor1]

@@TheBoardGameKaptain at 29:58 you mention the War Sun is now holding 4 things, 2 fighters and 2 ground troops, when the ground troops are on planets. Am I correct?, I have not played yet and am learning. Thanks for doing this play through it's helped alot, no other 'how to play' videos have done this.

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

@@theharvestfloor1 you are absolutely correct, I made an error there, I should have explained that the war sun wasn’t currently carrying the troops. I was just thinking ahead because the war sun would be taking them with it when it left the system. You’re very welcome and thank you very much for the compliment and for watching. Welcome to the channel! :)

[@LeeroyPorkins]

Have you played Star Trek Ascendancy?

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

I bought a copy when it was first released at Gen Con, but at the time, I never had exactly 3 people to play it. Most of my game nights at the time had 4 people and they took forever to release the expansions. It took so long that I lost interest and actually never tried it. :(

[@LeeroyPorkins]

@@TheBoardGameKaptain Gotcha. I have been agonizing over which game to get, Star Trek Ascendancy (has player packs now) or Twilight Imperium 4 (No need for extra player packs).

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

@@LeeroyPorkins while I can't recommend Star Trek Ascendancy, I can definitely recommend TI4. I just played it again a week ago, and it is truly phenomenal.

[@LeeroyPorkins]

@@TheBoardGameKaptain How long do your average 3 player games run?

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

​@@LeeroyPorkins 5-6 hours.

[@HugoLiivak]

Have you played twilight inscription?

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

I bought a copy but haven’t played it yet. I’ve been super busy with review copies of games.

[@HugoLiivak]

@@TheBoardGameKaptain Very much understandable

[@paulbrown5937]

Have you played on tabletop simulator? I was playing almost every day for like 2 months there so I've played 86 games of TI4. If you get on there you can play almost every day and everyone plays quick. We get 6 player games done in 6 hours regularly. BTW Eclipse is better but TI4 is a close second lol

[@TheBoardGameKaptain]

I haven’t tried tabletop simulator yet. I guess I’ll have to check it out. ;)

[@paulbrown5937]

Ah younger me was so foolish. TI4 is the best game ever made, much better than Eclipse XD