Twilight Imperium is a huge sci fi game which will not only take up your entire banquet table but can also last 8+ hours. For those of us who may have joined this hobby after playing Ticket to Ride, Twilight Imperium can feel like a huge step up and a steep learning curve. But don’t worry, it’s a lot of fun!
But before you even start playing the game, here are some top tips to prepare for what’s to come.
Do your homework
With 17 factions to choose from in the fourth edition of Twilight Imperium, there’s lots of choice.
Whether you choose the L1Z1X Mindnet, the Federation of Sol or the Yin Brotherhood, each faction gives you a very different way to play. Having a little knowledge before you start can really help, as there’s already plenty to learn without trying to work out what they can do halfway through the first round!
A blend of reading from the Twilight Imperium wiki and watching videos is a great way to digest the information. You don’t need to memorise everything, but having a good understanding of your faction before you sit down will make the whole experience much smoother.
Clear your schedule
This isn’t your run of the mill games night. Twilight Imperium can easily take over 8 hours, especially as people start brokering deals, fighting in huge space conflicts and, of course, when you factor in the many breaks you’ll need.
Clear a whole day so you don’t have to stretch the game across two sessions, as this can really ruin the flow.
Also, don’t be alarmed by the length. After many plays, I can confirm that those hours really do fly by. With every decision affecting you and the ability to join in with secondary actions, there’s rarely much downtime as a player.
Just don’t book anything for 8pm. Or 9pm. Actually, just keep the entire evening free.
Snacks!
This is a whole day affair, and snacks are super important, alongside your main meals and a good spread of sandwiches.
I’d also recommend having some kitchen roll nearby to wipe your fingers, because nobody wants their unsleeved cards covered in crisp dust.
For anyone who enjoys a drink, don’t open that too soon. You need to make sure you have your wits about you in the early game at least. There are enough questionable diplomatic decisions being made without adding alcohol into the mix!
Comfort over style
Don’t go in with your best dress. You want comfy trousers and, especially, ones with a good waistband so you can fill up on snacks throughout the day.
For those gracious hosts, make sure the chairs are comfy too. Cushions are a bonus, and please don’t leave someone sitting on a bar stool with no back support for 8 hours.
You may think the chair doesn’t matter at the start. You’ll think very differently six hours in.
Create a group chat
Getting the gaming group together can be tough, but creating a group chat with your Twilight buddies keeps the game going long after you’ve played. You can discuss factions, game plans and, most importantly, when you can next get together.
The chat is also good for laying down treaties so 10-year friendships aren’t at stake when the battles start.
It’s here you can remind everyone that it’s just a game.
Hopefully.
Get into character
To help the experience, getting into character is super important. Not only does it remind everyone that it’s a game and no friendships are on the line, but it means everyone knows it’s just the Xxcha being difficult and not you.
It also connects you to the game on a deeper level and, most importantly, it’s fun!
It takes the game beyond simply plotting your next strategy and makes it an experience you’ll remember and quote from game to game.
Perhaps just don’t dress up as your faction. Wearing a full lion suit for the Emirates of Hacan could get quite warm.
Game setup
This game isn’t the easiest to organise as there’s lots of pieces and cards. At the end of a game, say 11pm, you really won’t want to put everything back neatly, but trust me, you’ll thank yourself later if you do.
Get yourself lots of bags and organise all those tokens. We like to separate them by faction and colour, so when you’re setting up the next game you can just grab everything you need for each player. Starting cards, tokens, homeworlds, all together and ready to go.
It’s also worth having a few table accessories, like token trays, to help keep everything a little more organised. Nothing is worse than rolling the action dice and sending someone’s ships scuttling across the board. A dice tray can put a stop to the carnage.
Another little hack my gaming group has found useful is setting up your ships on your player board. It makes it much easier to see which ships you’re building and which ones you already have on the board.
Some of the ships can look surprisingly similar, especially when you’re trying to work out whether that’s your dreadnought, flagship or cruiser, so having them laid out in front of you saves a bit of time during the game.
And if you’re feeling particularly dedicated, you can even make your own cardboard galaxy pieces if you can’t afford the expansion. Is it as good as the real thing? Probably not. Does it count? Absolutely.
Take breaks
It might make an already long game longer, and I don’t want to sound like HR making sure you’ve done your training, but it’s important to add breaks throughout the day.
Whether it’s to walk around, stretch, eat some lunch or dinner, or just have some downtime, taking a break will help everyone.
Not only will this help your body after sitting for hours, but it will also refresh your brain and help you return to the game with more gusto when you reconvene.
Energy levels are important in a game like this, especially when you’re 6 hours in and someone starts invading your home system.
Choose your seat carefully
When you set up the galaxy, you’ll put everyone’s faction in order of where they are sat. This means that the people sitting either side of you will be the closest players to your home system.
You’ll therefore want to choose your seat carefully.
Who is everyone else playing as? How well do you trust them? Are you the person looking for a fight? Or are you hoping to spend the game making deals and avoiding conflict?
Seat placement sets you up for what’s to come in the early game and who you might fight or ally with first.
So don’t just pick the most comfortable chair. Pick wisely.
Get your excuses ready
Ultimately, even if you are the peacekeeper and the most ethically sound person in the group, this game will have you firing on someone. So, get those excuses ready.
“I’m sorry, I had to.”
“I promise, after I’ve got that planet, I’ll leave you alone. I just need it for an objective.”
“Oh, that fleet of Dreadnoughts? No, they aren’t heading towards your borders.”
“I’m not even bothered by Mecatol Rex.”
Now you've done your homework, stocked up on snacks and secured the comfiest chair, all that's left is to get Twilight Imperium to the table. Just make sure everyone agrees that any betrayals are strictly business!
About the author:
Sophie is a gamer, blogger, podcaster, and book lover with a passion for solo narrative video games. When she's not immersed in games or writing, she's probably out hiking. Her favourite board games feature worker placement, nature themes, and smart tableau-building mechanics.
