Federation & Empire vs. Twilight Imperium

Godeke · Post by **Godeke** » Sat May 23, 2009 4:57 pm

Yes, I chuckled a bit at the "6 hours = long time" comment, but really couldn't come up with the words to put F&E into perspective.

EnochRoot · Post by **EnochRoot** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 3:10 pm

I've played TI3 via PBEM (or PF [Play by Forum]) at http://www.ti3wiki.org/index.php?title=Main_Page. I even GM'd a game using the forums on the wiki and the game details on my site, http://ti3.enochsplace.com.

TI3 is a good game. It plays like a typical 4x computer game (Master of Orion, Galactic Civilizations I and II, etc.). However, it is not a wargame. That fact can't be stressed enough. If you focus solely on fighting, you will lose to players who are focused on the VP goals. I like TI3 because it combines diplomacy, trade, and combat into a relatively quick-playing package.

I'm more of a wargamer though, so I recently purchased F&E because I wanted a strategic level space wargame. From what I've seen so far, it looks like it fits that bill.

Sweeper · Post by **Sweeper** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 6:21 pm

I've played F&E, not TI. But I've seen TI in action, and I can say They both suffer from the fiddly bits syndrome and The Set Up grind. I never could get past hunting for the peices. So, I started playing F&E online via vassal. Lot easier to setup a game.

Tophat · Post by **Tophat** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 6:52 pm

Well Sweeper let me know if you need another player in a vassal game. I'm just getting back into F&E but I have a 1986 addition. Going to buy the 2010 rulebook on e23 and go from there.

I also have TI....it's been in a box in my closet unplayed for over 5 yrs. Time and real life getting in the way of good gaming.

Jeffr0 · Post by **Jeffr0** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 11:43 pm

Twilight Imperium makes me angry... as I've described in great detail here and here.

In a nutshell: the euro elements of the game overwhelm the violent ameri-trashy elements... to the point of making it into a 6 hour version of Puerto Rico.

SYKOJAK · Post by **SYKOJAK** » Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:41 am

I have played numerous games of Twilight Imperium and I can safely say its more
Like a regular boardgame than Hardcore Wargame sim. That is what F&E is, a hard-
Core wargame sim.

It takes roughly 4 to 6 hours to play a game of TI. F&E Turns can take hours each.

Bill Stec · Post by **Bill Stec** » Mon Nov 19, 2012 6:59 pm

Godeke wrote:Yes, I chuckled a bit at the "6 hours = long time" comment, but really couldn't come up with the words to put F&E into perspective.

Heck, I've played starbase assaults or capital assaults that go longer than 6 hours.

pinbot · Post by **pinbot** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:03 pm

Requete wrote:...
2. It is an Empire Builder, not a Wargame.
3. Conflict seems rare and optional; it is easy to "turtle" and build an impenetrable empire.
...

2--It's not really either. You need victory points. Some can come from buildup but most (especially if you use only objectives from the 1st expansion) will come from conflict situations.
3--You can certainly turtle, but a turtle will never win against even semi-competent opponents. The points are out there to be seized. Defensive minded players usually lose their first game badly. They'll have almost all their plastic out and maybe 1 or 2 victory points when somebody else wins.