The Final Frontier Continues with Turn 8
Tags
The Final Frontier is sort of addictive.
I can play a few turns of solo in an hour, and even write them up. In fact, I'm getting comfortable enough with the system, I should be able to knock out a turn in a few minutes before I go to work.
The writing up every turn part may not continue much linger.
Continuing from the weekend, here's Turns 8 through 10.
Turn 8
Chartreuse:
- Income: Mercury C2 2 x 5; Moon C2 2 x 4; Mars M1 5: 23 total
- GNP: 115 + 23 = 138
- NI: 3
- BP: 6
- Spend: Launch M1 from Earth, 1 BP; build C2 on Earth, 4 BP.
Space movement: inactive M1 to 0426
Magenta:
- Income: 23
- GNP: 123
- NI: 4
- BP: 6
- Spend: Mine to Asteroid 1 BP, build C2 on Earth, 4 BP.
Space movement: M1 (inactive) to 0525
Planets:
- Earth: 0326
- Mars: 0126
- Jupiter: 0121
- Saturn: 1220
- Uranus: 0809
- Neptune: 1703
Status:
- Chartreuse: M1 (inactive) 0426; Mercury C2, Earth C2; Moon C2; Mars M1
- Magenta: M1 (inactive) 0525; Mercury C2; Earth C2; Moon C2; Mars M1.
The strategies are just now starting to diverge, where Magenta has used the faster movement to get a Mine into the Asteroid Belt before Chartreuse. Magenta is still spending to get that C2 on to Mars, will probably shoot for the C3 build on Turn 10 or 11.
Turn 9
Chartreuse:
- Income: Mercury C2 2 x 5; Moon C2 2 x 4; Mars M1 5: 23 total
- GNP: 115 + 23 = 138
- NI: 3
- BP: 6
- Spend: Launch C2 for Mars 1 BP; build M1 on Earth 2 BP, launch M1 to Asteroid Belt 1 BP.
Deep space: M1 (inactive) to 0223, M1 (inactive) to 0526, C2 to Mars.
Magenta:
- Income: Mercury C2 2 x 5; Moon C2 2 x 4; Mars M1 5: 23 total
- GNP: 100 + 23 = 123
- NI: 4
- BP: 6
-
Spend: Activate M1 on 0525 2 BP; launch C2 for Mars 1 BP.
Magenta has more BP remaining than Chartreuse.
Deep space: Move C2 to Mars.
Planets:
- Earth: 0226
- Mars: 0126
- Jupiter: 0121
- Saturn: 1221
- Uranus: 0809
- Neptune: 1703
Status:
- Chartreuse: Mercury C2; Moon C2; Mars C2; inactive M1 on 0526 and 0223.
- Magenta: Mercury C2; Moon C2; Mars C2; active M1 0525.
Magenta will leverage increased movement from higher NI to score some Asteroid income next turn.
Turn 10
Chartreuse:
- Income: Mercury 2 x 5, Moon 2 x 4; Mars 2 x 5; 28 total
- GNP: 115 + 28 = 143
- NI: 3
- BP: 7 + 3
- Spend: C3 on Earth and launch to Mars, 10 BP.
Deep space: move C3 to Mars.
Random events: roll 6:2 + 3 NI, 9:2, espionage. Take Magenta's M! at 0525.
Magenta:
- Income: Mercury 2 x 5, Moon 2 x 4; Mars 2 x 5; 28 total
- GNP: 100 + 28 = 128
- NI: 4
- BP: 6 + 4
- Spend: C3 on Earth, launch to Mars, 10 BP.
Deep space, move C3 to Mars.
Random events: roll 2:4 + 4 NI, 6:2, No Effect. Dammit.
Magenta got screwed here, there was only a 1/6 chance of not getting enough income for that extra build point which would continue to carry over turn by turn. Definitely bad luck for Magenta, and great luck for Chartreuse.
Planets:
- Earth: 0126
- Mars: 0125
- Jupiter: 0220
- Saturn: 1221
- Uranus: 0809
- Neptune: 1803
Status:
- Chartreuse: Mercury C2; Moon C2; Mars C3; M1 (inactive) in 0526, 0222
- Magenta: Mercury C2; Moon C2; Mars C3; M! destroyed!
Magenta may need to rethink. Chasing Chartreuse may not be the best strategy, but it's not clear what a better strategy might be.
Summary for the evening
Not a bad hour's worth of play. This game could go really fast with experienced players. It would also go faster if I didn't type in turns results for every turn. What I am doing is keeping track of turn details on paper, then punching them in. I could get more game play in if I only typed up the last turn in enough detail to rebuild the game state in the event I have to put it away. Keep track of turns in detail on paper still makes good sense.