One of the main comments I get from players of “Jump Gate” is that they wish that scanning would be a more powerful option. A lot of times, it’s your second or third best option … and that doesn’t feel right to some people. It’s almost always a better option to just Jump to a planet and immediately Land & Claim, if you can do it.
So, for those folks, I’ve been toying around with an extra variant rule that can be added-on when playing. I call it “Scanners Prosper”, and while it was intended to just increase the number of Scans in the game, it’s really added some interesting tactics and player interactions … let me know how you like it! 🙂
“Scanners Prosper” Rule: Before you can “Land & Claim” on a Planet, you must have more Scan Markers on that Planet than any other player.
- You must Scan a Planet at least once before you can “Land & Claim” that Planet
- The “Long Range Scan” Special Action becomes a powerful weapon for messing with other players’ plan
- This changes the opening strategy, since Jump/Land & Claim combos aren’t available
I would not use this add-on rule with newer players, or when playing with kids. It ups the player interaction, which can get frustrating when you’re first learning the game … and it also amplifies the luck-of-the-draw, as you look to get the scan card you need.
Have fun, playing!
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