HF4A 24 - My First Claim (9)
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What follows is a log showing what happens when attempting to optimize a rocket too soon, and making a mistake with the therms. Hence, 51 turns before being able to make a claim.
The main lesson here is do not chase patents. Get whatever you can as fast as possible and get that claim.
It may be in other variants there will be value in stalling the first claim or industrialization, but not in this one. A crappy rocket which can make a claim right now beats a great rocket which requires an extra cycle to get going.
Turn 1
- Operation: Research: Ponderomotive VASIMIR thruster
- Event: Inspiration
- Notes: Crew: United Nations Cosmonauts (A).
This inspiration event really sucked as I had all the cards I needed up top to drive the thruster at 1/4 step per burn. - Starting Aqua: 8 - Net Δ Aqua: -1 - Ending Aqua: 7
Turn 2
- Operation: Research: Brayton Turbine Laser generator
- Notes: The Brayton Turbine is an Air Eater, might be really helpful in a longer game.
- Starting Aqua: 7
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 3
- Operation: Research: Solar Pumped MHD Ecxiplex Laser robonaut
- Event: Glitch
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 4
- Operation: Research: Mini-Mag RF Paul Trap reactor
- Notes: Cycle the deck, fodder for Free Market or Budget Cuts.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 4
Turn 5
- Operation: Boost: thruster
- Event: Budget Cuts
- Notes: Reactor goes back.
- Starting Aqua: 4
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 6
- Operation: Research: Rubbia Thin Film Fission Hohlraum reactor
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 2
Turn 7
- Operation: Research: Ti/K Heat Pipe radiator
- Event: Solar Flares
- Notes: Will free market, too heavy.
- Starting Aqua: 2
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 1
Turn 8
- Operation: Free Market: radiator
- Starting Aqua: 1
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 4
Turn 9
- Operation: Research: Qu Tube radiator
- Event: Solar Flares
- Starting Aqua: 4
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 10
- Operation: Free Market: QU Tibe radiator
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 11
- Operation: Research: SS/NaK Pumped Loop
- Event: Anarchy
- Notes: I outsmarted myself here, I need 1 more therm than I planned on. This makes the difference between a mass 7 and mass 9 rocket. I'm probably not going make the belt roll here.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 12
- Operation: Free Market: SS/NaK Pumped Loop
- Notes: I'm now chasing cards, which is really bad in the core game without Politics module.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 8
Turn 13
- Operation: Research: Microtube Array radiator
- Event: Glitch
- Starting Aqua: 8
- Net Δ Aqua: -2
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 14
- Operation: Free Market: Microtube Array radiator
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 9
Turn 15
- Operation: Research: Li Heat Sink Fountain
- Event: Pad Explosion
- Notes: This is a super heavy radiator, but it's also super rad hard 6. I will pass belt rolls. I am susceptible to Budget Cuts, but the pad explosion sends the thruster back down.
- Starting Aqua: 9
- Net Δ Aqua: -2
- Ending Aqua: 7
Turn 16
- Operation: Boost: everything but the robonaut, which I can replace in my current support chain.
- Notes: Now it's just income operations until I get enough for fuel.
- Starting Aqua: 7
- Net Δ Aqua: -6
- Ending Aqua: 1
Turn 17
- Operation: Income: +1
- Event: Inspiration
- Starting Aqua: 1
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 2
Turn 18
- Operation: Research: Black Body Pumped Laser robonaut.
- Notes: This is 0 mass, less therms, ISRU 2 raygun, with the disadvantage of producing on an S site. The current robonaut produces on a C site for ISRU raygun. In the interest of getting that fast claim, this is a better deal. In the long game I'd try to hold on to both.
- Starting Aqua: 2
- Net Δ Aqua: -2
- Ending Aqua: 0
Turn 19
- Operation: Boost: Blackbody Pumped Laser robonaut.
- Event: Glitch
- Notes: Now it's just getting income to be able to fuel.
- Starting Aqua: 0
- Net Δ Aqua:
- Ending Aqua: 0
Turn 20
- Operation: Income: +1
- Starting Aqua: 0
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 1
Turn 21
- Operation: Income: +1
-
Free Actions: * Cargo Transfer: build rocket
- Internal Tankage: 2 steps of fuel
- Event: Pad explosion
-
Notes: Rocket:
- Thruster: Ponderomotive VASIMIR
- Generator: Brayton Turbine
- Reactor: Rubbia Thin Film Fission Hohlraum
- Radiator: Li Heatsink Fountain
- Robonaut: Blackbody Pumped Laser
Not going to move this turn, pod explosion is less risk than Solar Flares. So what happens, pad explosion of course. Radiator back to hand. - Starting Aqua: 1 - Net Δ Aqua: -1 - Ending Aqua: 0
Turn 22
- Operation: Income: +1
- Starting Aqua: 0
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 1
Turn 23
- Operation: Income: +1
- Event: Inspiration
- Starting Aqua: 1
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 2
Turn 24
- Operation: income: +1
- Starting Aqua: 2
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 25
- Operation: Boost
- Free Actions: * Cargo Transfer: radiator to rocket.
- Movement: Move to Red route Hohmann for two burns, which is 1 step of fuel, and flips the radiator to its lower therms and lower mass side. Will need to afterburn from here out. Actually, I can't do it. I need 3 therms and will only have two even with the afterburn.
- Event: Glitch
- Notes: I completely miscalculated this stack, I can't move and will need to decommission the whole thing, get a different radiator, and reboost. I might try for a different stack altogether, it might be cheaper as patents now cost 3. The irony here is that I wanted to snap out a real fast game. For the moment, I'm going to leave the stack where it is so that I can acquire a patent. Otherwise it might take me another entire cycle.
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: -3
- Ending Aqua: 0
Turn 26
- Operation: income: +1
- Starting Aqua: 0
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 1
Turn 27
- Operation: income: +1
- Event: Budget Cuts
- Notes: Lose the Solar-pumped MHD Exciplex Laser Robonaut.
- Starting Aqua: 1
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 2
Turn 28
- Operation: Income: +1
- Starting Aqua: 2
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 29
- Operation: Income: +1
- Event: Pad explosion
- Notes: No effect as the rocket is still out at the Hohmann.
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 4
Turn 30
- Operation: Income: +1
- Starting Aqua: 4
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 31
- Operation: Income: +1
- Event: Pad explosion
- Notes: No effect. I'm subject to Solar Flare now, but I don't care as it won't change the result.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 32
- Operation: Income: +1
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 7
Turn 33
- Operation: Income: +1
- Event: Solar Flare roll 8
- Notes: This decommissioned my whole rocket.
- Starting Aqua: 7
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 8
Turn 34
- Operation: Income: +1
- Starting Aqua: 8
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 9
Turn 35
- Operation: Income: +1
- Event: Anarchy
- Notes: I may get myself into a situation which is mathematically impossible to win.
- Starting Aqua: 9
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 10
Turn 36
- Operation: Income: +1
- Starting Aqua: 10
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 11
Turn 37
- Operation: Income: +1
- Event: Inspiration
- Starting Aqua: 11
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 12
Turn 38
- Operation: Income: +1
- Starting Aqua: 12
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 13
Turn 39
- Operation: Income: +1
- Event: Glitch
- Starting Aqua: 13
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 14
Turn 40
- Operation: Boost: all but the radiator
- Starting Aqua: 14
- Net Δ Aqua: -3
- Ending Aqua: 11
Turn 41
- Operation: Free Market: radiator
- Event: Budget Cuts
- Notes: Whatever. I need an inspiration event very, very badly.
- Starting Aqua: 11
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 14
Turn 42
- Operation: Income: +1
- Starting Aqua: 14
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 15
Turn 43
- Operation: Income: +1
- Event: Inspiration
- Starting Aqua: 15
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 16
Turn 44
- Operation: Research: Salt-cooled Reflux Tube radiator
- Notes: Will boost it next turn.
- Starting Aqua: 16
- Net Δ Aqua: -4
- Ending Aqua: 12
Turn 45
- Operation: Boost: radiator
- Free Actions: * Cargo Transfer: attach radiator
- Movement: Staying at LEO risks a pad explosion, moving risks Solar Flares. I need to keep a heavy component in LEO to guard against pad explosions.
- Event: Glitch
-
Notes: Rocket:
- Thruster: Ponderomotive VASIMIR
- Generator: Brayton Turbine
- Reactor: Rubbia Thin Film Fission Hohlraum
- Radiator: Salt-cooled Reflux Tube
-
Robonaut: Blackbody Pumped Laser
- Starting Aqua: 12
- Net Δ Aqua: -4
- Ending Aqua: 8
Turn 46
- Operation: Income: +1
- Free Actions: Internal Tankage: I have a lot of Aqua, and I'm going to lose a thrust for total mass. Add 4 Aqua.
- Movement: Move to Red Route Hohmann
- Starting Aqua: 8
- Net Δ Aqua: -3
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 47
- Operation: Prospect: Phobos and Deimos busted.
- Movement: Move through Sol-Mars Lagrange to the next burn for prospecting.
- Event: Pad Explosion.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 48
- Operation: Insitu Refuel: Air eater, +4 steps
- Movement: Move to Aerobrake.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 49
- Operation: Income: +1
- Movement: Move to Hohmann near Ceres.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 50
- Operation: Income: +1
- Movement: Move to next Hohmann before Ceres.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 7
Turn 51
- Operation: Prospect: Aegis and Ceres claimed.
- Movement: Move to Ceres Lagrange.
- Notes: This was supposed to be a really fast game, and to be fair, probably could have been if I had not miscalculated the therms. It would have been half as long. The lesson I'm learning out of this is that to move fast, find robonauts which need very little support. The more support one needs, the harder it's going to be to escape the consequences of random events such as Budget Cuts, Pad Explosions, and Belt Rolls.
The irony here is that the whole strategy is likely to change when playing opposed, as there will be more cycling in the patent deck.
Also, playing with the politics module will also change things, as some of the risk can be mitigated. I do not see how CEO could possibly be beaten without leveraging the Politics module extensively. There is just too much unmitigated randomness otherwise. This was one hour and 40 minutes play time, not counting set up, and not counting logging the play. - Starting Aqua: 7 - Net Δ Aqua: 0 - Ending Aqua: 7