I agree that with many heavy games deciding balance issues is problematic without a lot of data, but that isnt to say you cant find problems in games, or know games have broken elements after even just a single play. I have posted up various issues with different games after only a single play. Also mathematically sometimes its obvious from a game to know 100% one faction or ability is better than another (as you suggested in previous podcast about Bloodrage) which is fine in some instances, but when its based on one faction vs another in games like Gaia, TM or Clans of Caledonio, then I see it can be problematic. Some examples would be my first play of Takenoko. So while not heavy, after one play its easy to ascertain the scoring is broken and skewed in favour of Bamboo cards. While you wont win every game, your chances of winning will be increased against going for other card scoring categories. After only a couple of games of Yamatai which is a middle weight game that I love, the Fu Hsi specialist giving you better return on coins, if obtained early gives a massive advantage and if I could play test I would say whoever grabs him would be incredibly hard to beat (especially if combined with some other specialist powers) My first game of Quadropolis, the player order i.e. taking the building tile that allows player to go first seems brokena nd a beter turn order implementation would be turn going counter clockwise from first player. As basically the incentive is for first player to keep going first and therefore last player is almost out of the game. My last play of Clans of Caledonia which was only my 3 or 4th play, had Clan Cunnigham start with 2 Milk\Barrel tile, with board having out the convert 1 basic good to 3 port bonus with the duplicate a port bonus for $3. Now in a game on BGA where you are bidding for that start that might be balanced, but in a casual game where you get that clan and then setup your butter engine, id say outside of the player making a lot of mistakes, that clan would have been unlikely to get beaten