Today’s playtests focused on both 1-on-1 and 3-player sessions. Everything ran smoothly, which is a great sign, though I know that only continued, intensive testing will reveal the deeper balance issues. I’m staying vigilant.
In the 1-on-1 game, things ended early in round four: one player successfully escaped and delivered the aetherium load to the board edge. While this is a rare outcome, it’s worth monitoring. On one hand, given the maneuverability and the board size, it should be avoidable with good play—but since it actually happened, I need to investigate how “easy” this shortcut really is.
The 3-player battle, however, hit the sweet spot. It was intense, balancing combat, maneuvering, dice luck, and deck management perfectly. The aetherium worked exactly as intended; the prospect of a massive payoff at the board edge serves as a strong primary driver for the game, while remaining difficult enough to keep it a challenge rather than a guaranteed goal. I’m really happy with how this setup feels!