StarForce 14 - The Rescue Mission (3)

Previous:
Next:
Tags

(Note: this game was started 2021-01-30.)

The Rescue Mission is a dedicated solitaire scenario from the StarForce rules. I don't consider an especially good scenario as far as game play is concerned, but it's interesting in so far as it encouraged exploring the local region around our own solar system. Since I have the map set up from a previous play, I might as well play another rescue mission.

Let's get started.

Pick 17+17 results in Alpha Centauri, not a tertiary system, pick 02+2 which results in 2002-7, labeled on the map as CD-21. Web search for "CD-21" turns up nothing, but a search on "BD-21" turns up Gliese 229, which is in the right location at the right size. We'll go with it.

This is going to be pretty interesting as there aren't many stars close by. Ross 47 is close hex-wise, but the zulu is large -7 to +5, which means two jumps to ferry population points. Ross 614 at -2 zulu makes more sense, this has a true distance of 8, which means cycling in one move. Also, can do a gate-to-gate shift from Sol to Ross 614, which is super helpful.

Here's the set up, with Ross 47 (blue) shown instead of Ross 614. Black forces are at Sol, green at Sigma Draconis. The system in danger, Gliese 229 has forces in yellow.

StarForce Game 14 start

Turn 1

Sol and Sigma Draconis forces are going to require a couple of turns to get across the map.

Movement:

  • CD-21 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) Load.
  • Ross 614 forces E, F (blue) move to CD-21.
  • Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) GGS to Ross 614.
  • Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) GGS to BD+59 (Gliese 725).

Chit pull: 0, 8.

Rescued: 0

Turn 2

Movement:

  • CD-21 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) GS Ross 614.
  • Ross 614 forces E, F (blue) Load.
  • Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) CD-21.
  • Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) Sol.

Chit pull: 6.

Rescued: 0.

Turn 3

Movement:

  • CD-21 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) Unload.
  • Ross 614 forces E, F (blue) move to Ross 614.
  • Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) Load.
  • Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) move to Ross 614.

Chit pull: 0, 4.

Rescued: 4.

Turn 4

Movement:

  • CD-21 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) move to CD-21.
  • Ross 614 forces E, F (blue) Unload.
  • Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) Ross 614.
  • Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) CD-21.

Chit pull: 6.

Rescued: 6.

Turn 5

Movement:

  • CD-21 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) Load.
  • Ross 614 forces E, F (blue) move to CD-21.
  • Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) Unload.
  • Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) Load.

Chit pull: 0, 5.

Rescued: 10.

Turn 6

Movement:

  • CD-21 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) move to Ross 614.
  • Ross 614 forces E, F (blue) Load.
  • Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) move to CD-21.
  • Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) move to Ross 614.

Chit pull: 0, 1.

Rescued: 10.

Turn 7

Movement:

  • CD-21 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) Unload.
  • Ross 614 forces E, F (blue) move to Ross 614.
  • Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) Load.
  • Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) Unload.

Chit pull: 6.

Rescued: 16.

Turn 8

Movement:

  • CD-21 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) move to CD-12.
  • Ross 614 forces E, F (blue) unload.
  • Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) move to Ross 614.
  • Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) move to CD-12.

Chit pull: 7.

Rescued: 18.

Turn 9

Movement:

  • CD-21 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) Load.
  • Ross 614 forces E, F (blue) move to CD-21.
  • Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) Unload.
  • Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) Load.

Chit pull: 0, 5.

Rescued: 22.

Turn 10

Movement:

  • CD-21 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) move to Ross 614.
  • Ross 614 forces E, F (blue) load.
  • Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) move to CD-21.
  • Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) move to Ross 614.

Chit pull: 7.

Rescued: 22.

Turn 11

Movement:

  • CD-21 forces A, B, C, D (yellow) unload.
  • Ross 614 forces E, F (blue) move to Ross 614.
  • Sol forces G, H, J, K (black) load.
  • Sigma Draconis forces V, W (green) unload.

Chit pull: 0, 0.

Rescued: 28.

After Action Report

I didn't get as far in as the previous game, which went to 13 turns before nova.

The scenario is really not very interesting, but I am enjoying learning about the local stellar neighborhood. I believe Sol is the only G type star on the map.

Previous:
Next:
Tags

What to play next?

Deciding what to play next is always a tough call when faced with a closet full of games, all of which were purchased with intent to play. Here's one I'm dealing with the decision.

  • Something New: this means both something new to me and a game which has been published recently, within the last two or three years.
  • Something Classic: I've acquired a number of games properly considered "classic" which haven't yet been played. The current example would be PanzerGruppe Guderian.
  • Something Again: mastery requires constant practice, which means playing games many, many times to allow nuance to appear.
  • Something Vietnam: as I'm on a Vietnam binge. I don't have all the Vietnam games ever published, but I can say that I have a lot of them, and probably more than most people.
  • Something Obscure: as it's fun to poke around in the dustier corners of game design.
  • Something Different: break away from the same old publishers and try a game from one of the new kids on the block. Or, conversely, dip into legacy with a classic tried and true.
  • Something Light: once in a while it's nice to actually finish a game all the way through in one sitting, in an hour or two.
  • Something Heavy: if possible, it's nice to set up something big and complicated which can be left out for days or weeks or even months, for a leisurely stroll through a very large or long game.

There are surely many more ways to choose, but the above method keeps me busy enough, helps me get both breadth and depth into my play, and provides me with a sense of progress.

The odd man out

When there is an odd man out:

  • Have a solo game ready to play.
  • Keep score or advise on a game in progress.
  • Referee a game in progress.