StarForce 13 - The Rescue Mission (2)
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(Note: this was started on January 24, 2021.)
This scenario is an optimization problem. Once the moves are plotted out, everything cycles until the nova. The key is determining what the most efficient cycling is. However, as will be seen, there are interesting things discover, such as the actual stars involved.
Let's set it up and get started.
Setting up
The star determined for this scenario play is "BD"" located in hex 2537+2. While this star isn't labeled on the map, from Winchell Chung's StarForce map it turns out to be BD+4°4048 A. Further investigation finds that it's better known as Gliese 752 A. Gliese 752 is a binary system, with the other star (Gliese 752 B) known as VB 10, notable at one point for being one of the faintest stars visible from earth.
There is more of interest here:
Some rules from the previous play of The Rescue Mission:
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A star force must begin and end it's turn in a system to either pick up or offload a group of colonists.
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Each star force carries one Population Point.
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All shifting is allowed.
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Enhancing operations may not be performed by any star force which is loading or unloading. This is probably moot as unloading would be at a system which already has a gate.
The closest tertiary star appears to be Altair at 2734+2, so that's what we'll use for this game.
The goal for this game is getting all the colonists to Altair.
Turn 1
This is all about planning.
- Sol: The forces at Sol need to get to the area of operations as quickly as possible. They can make a move to CD-39.
- Gliese 752: stay put for 1 turn to load colonists.
- Altair forces can gate into Gliese.
- Sigma Draconis forces can gate-to-gate shift to Altair.
Chit pull: 3.
Rescued: 0.
Turn 2
Movement:
- The Gliese 752 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) can now move to Altair.
- Sol forces GGS to Altair.
- The Altair forces E, F load at Gliese 752.
- Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) shift to Gliese 752.
Chit pull: 6.
Rescued: 0.
Turn 3
Movement:
- Gliese A, B, C, D (yellow) unload.
- Sol G, H, J, K (black) to Gliese.
- Altair E, F (blue) to Altair.
- Sigma Draconis V, W (green) load.
Chit pull: 6.
Rescued: 4.
Long ways to go, but now the cycle is established. I should be able to do some math here to figure out what the odds of Nova versus score are.
Turn 4
Movement:
- Gliese forces A, B, C, D (yellow) moves from Altair to Gliese.
- Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) load at Gliese.
- Altair forces E, F (blue) unload at Altair.
- Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) move from Gliese to Altair.
Chit pull: 4.
Rescued: 6
Turn 5
Movement:
- Gliese forces A, B, C, D (yellow) load at Gliese.
- Altair forces E, F (blue) move from Altair to Gliese.
- Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) move from Gliese to Altair.
- Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green)A unload at Altair.
Chit pull: 2.
Rescued: 8.
Turn 6
Movement:
- Gliese forces A, B, C, D (yellow) from Gliese to Altair.
- Altair forces E, F (blue) load.
- Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) unload.
- Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) from Altair to Gliese.
Chit pull: 1.
Rescued: 12.
I'm doing better than the first game.
Turn 7
Movement:
- Gliese forces A, B, C, D (yellow) unload.
- Altair forces E, F (blue) move to Altair.
- Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) move to Gliese.
- Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) load.
Chit pull: 5.
Rescued: 16.
Turn 8
Movement:
- Gliese forces A, B, C, D (yellow) move to Gliese.
- Altair forces E, F (blue) unload.
- Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) load.
- Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) move to Altair.
Chit pull: 9.
Rescued: 18.
Turn 9
Movement:
- Gliese forces A, B, C, D (yellow) load.
- Altair forces E, F (blue) move to Gliese.
- Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) move to Altair.
- Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) unload.
Chit pull: 4.
Rescued: 20.
Turn 10
Movement:
- Gliese forces A, B, C, D (yellow) move to Altair.
- Altair forces E, F (blue) load.
- Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) unload.
- Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) move to Gliese.
Chit pull: 0, 7. Whew.
Rescued: 24.
Turn 11
Movement:
- Gliese forces A, B, C, D (yellow) unload.
- Altair forces E, F (blue) move to Altair.
- Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) move to Gliese.
- Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) load.
Chit pull: 5.
Rescued: 28.
Turn 12
Movement:
- Gliese forces A, B, C, D (yellow) move to Gliese.
- Altair forces E, F (blue) unload.
- Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) load.
- Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) move to Altair.
Chit pull: 8.
Rescued: 30.
Three more turns and it's marginal win.
Turn 13
Movement:
- Gliese forces A, B, C, D (yellow) load.
- Altair forces E, F (blue) move to Gliese.
- Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) move to Altair.
- Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) unload.
Chit pull: 0, 0!
Rescued: 32.
That's the game!
After Action Report
This isn't much of a scenario, really. I may or may not play it again. Actually probably will, but not very many more times. One good reason to play it again is to learn more about the stars on the map. I really enjoyed learning about Gliese 752. I imagine many other interesting stars are present as well. Playing solo gives me an excuse to learn more about them.
Another reason for playing solo would be to work out the math for the winning condition. I suspect with how I play it, getting to 40 is reasonable, but probably possible to get to 60. Once the cycle is set up, it should be possible to work out the number of turns it would take to get to any particular number, and the odds per turn of going full nova. For example, the odds of nova on the first turn are 1%.
In any case, I'm going to put it up for now.