HF4A 26 - Altruism Solo (1)
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This is the first what will probably be many plays of the Altruism variant of High Frontier 4. This series will definitely be using the Solitaire Sol Assembly placard, as well as at least Module 1 and possibly Module 2.
The following was processed from the original game play log on a Google Sheet. The game was supposed to go for 72 turns as I had rolled in Module 1 to start learning the Freighter and Terawatt thruster rules, but by turn 67 I just didn't have anything else to do, despite having produced both a freighter and a GW thruster. The freight was even promoted. So I called it there.
It was a long game, spread out over three days of play. In comparison to the games of "My First Claim," a lot more decisions need to be made, and much earlier, and those decisions will affect game play many cycles into the future.
Turn 1
- Operation: Research: Carbo-Chloronation refinery, Catalyzed Fission Scintillator
- Event: Inspiration
- Notes: Crew: B612 Foundation. 1 re-roll when Raygun prospecting. I'm playing on easy mode this game, using Werner's Star variant for patents, and the Module 4 Solo Politics. For patents I didn't see anything else which struck my fancy. Normally I would go for a robonaut or a thruster first. A sail thruster was up, but I don't have push and won't for a while.
- Starting Aqua: 8
- Net Δ Aqua: -2
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 2
- Operation: Research: Nuclear Drill robonaut, D-T Fusion Tokamak reactor.
- Notes: The Nuclear Drill robonaut ET Produces on a D site yielding the Helical Railgun robonaut, which is ISRU 0.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: -2
- Ending Aqua: 4
Turn 3
- Operation: Fund Raise: +1 Aqua, delegate to Centrist.
- Event: Budget Cuts, discard Catalyzed Fusion Scintillator.
- Notes: In the early game, it makes sense to me to load up the Political Assembly with delegates as there are no factories yet.
- Starting Aqua: 4
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 4
- Operation: Fund Raise: +1 Aqua, delegate to Centrist, then move to Individuality. Active Law to Individuality.
- Notes: Individuality will get me free boosting.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 5
- Operation: Research: Phase-Locked Diode Laser robonaut, Cascade Photovoltaic generator.
- Event: Pad Explosion, no effect.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 6
- Operation: Boost
- Notes: Put the whole stack in LEO for free. (Note the error here: Boosting is Free Action in Individuality. I could have done a different operation here.)
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 7
- Operation: Research: In-code Thermionic generator
- Event: Pad explosion, Cascase Photovoltaic back to hand.
- Notes: Get the generator this turn, the radiator the next turn.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 8
- Operation: Research: Steel/Pb-Bi Pumped Loop radiator
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 4
Turn 9
- Operation: Research: Ether Charged Dust radiator
- Event: Inspiration
- Notes: I think I have a rocket…need to boost it.
- Starting Aqua: 4
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 10
- Operation: Boost
- Notes: I don't know what I want to do exactly. Boosting everything makes it easier to deal with building a rocket. I can get to Ceres no problem, the main question is whether to do it in 1 trip or two to establish a colony. I need 9 steps of fuel to land on Ceres, and I just don't have it this turn.
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 11
- Operation: Free Market: Steel/Pb-Bi Pumped Loop radiator for +3 Aqua
- Free Actions:
- Decommission: Steel/Pb-Bi Pumped Loop
- Cargo Transfer: build rocket
- Event: Glitch
- Notes: Rocket::
- Thruster/Robonaut: Nuclear drill
- Reactor: D-T Fusion Tokamak
- Radiator: ETHER Charged Dust
- Refinery: Carbo-Chloronation
- Generator: In-core Thermionic
- Crew: B612 Foundation
- Mass: 9
-
Net Thrust: 7
Need another round of Free Market to fuel up.
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 12
- Operation: Free Market: Cascade Photovoltaic generator for +3 Aqua
- Free Actions:
- Decommision: Cascade Photovoltaic generator.
- Internal Tankage: -7 Aqua.
-
Movement: Not going to afterburn because I don't have the fuel for it, it would put me in the Tug class.
Move to first Blue Hohmann for 3 burns.
- Notes: Seniority disk on Honor.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: -4
- Ending Aqua: 2
Turn 13
- Operation: Research: Rock Splitter robonaut, Magnetoshell Plasma Parachute generator
- Movement: Move to next blue Hohmann.
- Event: Glitch
- Starting Aqua: 2
- Net Δ Aqua: -2
- Ending Aqua: 0
Turn 14
- Operation: Free Market: Rock Splitter robonaut for +3 aqua
- Movement: Land on Ceres.
- Notes: I could have, probably should have landed on Minerva and taken the chance on the prospecting roll.
- Starting Aqua: 0
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 15
- Operation: Prospect:
- Ceres claimed.
- Free Actions:
- Boost: Magnetoshell Plasma Parachute.
- Event: Budget Cuts, no effect.
- Notes: Boost is a free action when Active Law is Individuality. I get the Ceres Zone Glory marker as well.
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 16
- Operation: Industrialize: Ceres.
- Free Actions:
- Build Colony.
-
Notes: Since my whole stack is back in my hand, I better boost next turn, then research to protect from budget cuts.
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 17
- Operation: Research: Met Steamer robonaut
- Free Actions:
- Boost (because Individuality)
- Event: Inspiration
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 2
Turn 18
- Operation: Research: Photon Heliogyra
- Starting Aqua: 2
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 1
Turn 19
- Operation: Research: Amtec Thermoelectric generator
- Event: Solar Flares for no effect.
- Notes: I have a bunch of cards. It's time to start ET Producing to figure out how to get my stuff off the ground. Ceres kind of blows as it's Size 6, so I'm going to need to send a rocket over there to boost any factory or other components. Being that it's solar season, I have some time before I care to fly.
- Starting Aqua: 1
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 0
Turn 20
- Operation: Free Market: Magnetoshell Plasma Parachute generator
- Starting Aqua: 0
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 21
- Operation: Free Market: Phase-Locked Diode Laser
- Event: Pad explosion, D-T Fusion Tokamak decommissioned.
- Notes: No big deal as Individuality is still active for Boost Free Action.
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 22
- Operation: ET Produce: Nanobot robonaut
- Free Actions:
- Boost: reactor.
- Cargo Transfer: build rocket.
- Internal Tankage: 5 Aqua.
- Movement: Move to first blue route Hohmann, belt roll 4, pass.
- Notes: Rocket::
- Thruster: Nuclear Drill robonaut
- Robonaut: Nuclear Drill
- Radiator: ETHER Charged Dust
- Mass: 5
-
Net Thrust: 8 with afterburn.
Nanonbot is a buggy with mass 0 and ISRU 1, which is excellent for banging around on small sites.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: -5
- Ending Aqua: 1
Turn 23
- Operation: ET Produce: Electric Sail
- Movement: Move to second Blue Hohmann
- Event: Inspiration
- Starting Aqua: 1
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 1
Turn 24
- Operation: Site Refuel: factory, 7 Aqua on site.
- Free Actions:
- Cargo Transfer: add black side cards to rocket stack.
- Internal Tankage: 7 Aqua, wet mass 12.
- Movement: Land on Ceres.
- Notes: The factory pumps out fuel while the landing is in progress, then adds components and fuels up. Since these are the only two C cards I really care about at the moment, I'm not going to industrialize any other C sites yet. But since I'm in the neightborhood, it might be worth prospecting Minerva (C), Miahelena (S), and Aegis Moonlet (C), about 30% chance of success with buggy, and Size 1 site just makes freighters a lot easier.
- Starting Aqua: 1
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 1
Turn 25
- Operation: Prospect: roll 1, Miahelena claimed!
- Movement: Launch from Ceres, land on Miahelena.
- Event: Glitch
- Notes: It's probably worth going back to Ceres to remove the glitch. It will cost some turns. This is a good argument for getting black cards into play, many of them have Rad-hard > 6 and are immune to glitch rolls.
- Starting Aqua: 1
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 1
Turn 26
- Operation: Free Market: AMTEC Thermoelectric generator
- Free Actions:
- Decommission AMTEC Thermoelectric generator
- Glitch removal.
- Movement: Take off from Miahelena and land on Ceres.
- Notes: I have a number of different ways to go at this point. I could focus on getting a V site claimed and industrialized, or I could Industrialize the S size I just claimed, or I could do a tour of the inner system to attempt to get an M or D which is also push. The push would be super handy. With the ISRU 1 Buggy, I could take Crew along for free and bag some glories as well. I'm not seeing a downside to this, and that Sail stack with buggy and crew could claim Mercury and get the glory chit.
- Starting Aqua: 1
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 4
Turn 27
- Operation: Research: Re Solar Moth thruster
- Free Actions:
- Cargo Transfer: split into 2 rocket stacks.
- Movement: Take off from Ceres, stop at Gelfon Langrange.
- Event: Budget Cuts, Re Solar Moth goes back.
- Notes: One argument for collecting Glory is that Fund Raising becomes lucrative.
- Starting Aqua: 4
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 28
- Operation: Research: Electroforming refinery
- Movement: Move sail to Hohmann on the way to Deimos.
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 2
Turn 29
- Operation: Free Market: Electroforming refinery
- Movement: Move Sail to Deimos.
- Event: Glitch, goes on Outpost 1.
- Starting Aqua: 2
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 30
- Operation: Prospect: roll 5, roll 4, Deimos busted.
- Movement: Move Sail to Phobos.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 31
- Operation: Prospect: roll 3, roll 5, Phobos busted.
- Free Actions:
- Cargo Transfer: Load Crew.
- Movement: Sail moves to LEO, belt roll 6, passes because Sail immune to belt rolls.
- Event: Inspiration
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 32
- Operation: Prospect: roll 3, roll 4, Nereus busted.
- Movement: Sail moves to Nereus, belt roll 3, pass.
- Notes: Claim another Glory chit.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 33
- Operation: Research: Dielectric X-ray Window radiator
- Movement: Sail moves to GEO, can't get all the way back on 2 thrust.
- Event: Pad explosion, Carbo-Chlorination refinery back to hand.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 34
- Operation: Free Market: Dielectric X-ray Window
- Movement: Sail moves to LEO, belt roll 4, pass.
-
Notes: Ticker tape parade.
I've been suffering from excessive analysis paralysis over the last several turns. I think I'll collect some Glory for a cycle, and see how the patent decks rotate, maybe save some Aqua for a big push later.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 8
Turn 35
- Operation: Research: SS/NaK Pumped Loop radiator
- Free Actions:
- Boost refinery
- Internal Tankage: 2 Aqua to fuel Crew for Mecrury landing
- Movement: Sail moves (3 burns) to burn before Mercury L2.
- Event: Inspiration
- Starting Aqua: 8
- Net Δ Aqua: -3
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 36
- Operation: Free Market: SS/NaK Pumped Loop radiator
- Free Actions:
- Cargo Transfer: move Crew to primary booster.
- Movement: Sail moves to Mercury L1.
- Notes: I would have failed 3rd board meeting in CEO at this point.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 3
- Ending Aqua: 8
Turn 37
- Operation: Research: Solar-pumped MHD Exciplex Laser
- Free Actions:
- Boost robonaut to LEO.
- Movement: Crew lands on Mercury.
- Event: Anarchy for no effect.
- Notes: More glory.
- Starting Aqua: 8
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 7
Turn 38
- Operation: Prospect: Mercury claimed.
- Starting Aqua: 7
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 7
Turn 39
- Operation: Site Refuel: Mercury, need 1 Aqua.
- Free Actions:
- Internal Tankage
- Movement: Crew launches from Mercury, stops in L1 to switch thrusters.
- Event: Inspiration
- Starting Aqua: 7
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 7
Turn 40
- Operation: Fund Raise: delegate moves to Honor, Active Law switches to Honor.
- Free Actions:
- Cargo Transfer: switch to sail.
- Movement: Move to Sol-Venus L4.
- Notes: Almost home.
- Starting Aqua: 7
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 8
Turn 41
- Operation: Research: Fusion Fragment Sail freighter
- Movement: Move Sail to LEO, belt roll 4, pass.
- Event: Inspiration
- Notes: Ticker Tape parade +2 VP. Let's go for some prospecting in the solar zone and see if we can get more claims on small sites.
- Starting Aqua: 8
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 7
Turn 42
- Operation: Prospect: roll 6, roll 2 Mjolnir busted.
- Movement: Move sail to Mjolnir in 3 burns and 1 pivot, sweet! (Belt roll 1, pass)
- Notes: Take the glory but don't tote it back.
- Starting Aqua: 7
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 7
Turn 43
- Operation: Prospect: roll 4, roll 1, Hathor claimed!
- Movement: Move Sail to Hathor, pay FINAO.
- Event: Inspiration
-
Notes: Hathor is a push site, which is excellent. I'll industrialize it for sure.
Get the glory to tote back.
- Starting Aqua: 7
- Net Δ Aqua: -4
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 44
- Operation: Fund Raise: +5 Aqua
- Movement: Move Sail to LEO, belt roll 5, pass.
-
Notes: Sail is net thrust 5.
Ticker Tape parade +1 VP.
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: 5
- Ending Aqua: 8
Turn 45
- Operation: Fund Raise: +5 Aqua, Active Law to Individuality
- Free Actions:
- Decommission Outpost 1.
- Event: Inspiration
- Starting Aqua: 8
- Net Δ Aqua: 5
- Ending Aqua: 13
Turn 46
- Operation: Fund Raise: +1 Aqua, move Active Law to Honor.
- Free Actions:
- Boost robonaut, refinery, radiator
- Cargo Transfer: build rocket
- Internal Tankage: 7 steps of fuel
- Movement: Move to pivot before Hathor, belt roll 5, with thrust 8 passes.
- Notes: I'd like to get either one freighter moving, or one GW thruster.
- Starting Aqua: 13
- Net Δ Aqua: -6
- Ending Aqua: 7
Turn 47
- Operation: Industrialize: Hathor for 10 VP.
- Free Actions:
- Build colony.
- Movement: Move to Hathor, pay FINAO.
- Event: Glitch for no effect.
- Notes: Now I need to get a V site industrialized for the freighter. I'm going to have to go to Vesta I think. I don't have time to get lucky at this point. On second throught, that's too much work. I'm going to get a cheap freighter and see if I can get an M site claimed for a GW thruster.
- Starting Aqua: 7
- Net Δ Aqua: -4
- Ending Aqua: 3
Turn 48
- Operation: Research: Mini-Mag Orion Z-Pinch Fusion GW thruster.
- Free Actions:
- Cargo Transfer: build Sail and robonaut.
- Movement: Sail moves to Hertha, belt roll 2, passes.
- Notes: See if we can get M action here.
- Starting Aqua: 3
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 2
Turn 49
- Operation: Prospect: roll 6, roll 5, Hertha busted.
- Movement: Move to Chaucer.
- Event: Inspiration.
- Notes: That's a bummer. Hopefully Chaucer will play ball.
- Starting Aqua: 2
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 2
Turn 50
- Operation: Prospect: roll 6, roll 1, Chaucer claimed!
- Notes: This is really good as Chaucer is a Size 1 site. I'll industrialize it and freighters will be able to use it easily.
- Starting Aqua: 2
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 2
Turn 51
- Operation: Fund Raise: +5 Aqua
- Event: Inspiration
- Notes: Where are all pad explosions? And budget cuts?
- Starting Aqua: 2
- Net Δ Aqua: 5
- Ending Aqua: 7
Turn 52
- Operation: Fund Raise: +5 Aqua, Active Law to Individuality.
- Free Actions:
- Boost everything.
- Cargo Transfer: build rocket
- Internal Tankage: 6 steps of fuel.
- Movement: Move to pivot before Hertha, belt roll 5 passes with thrust 8.
- Starting Aqua: 7
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 53
- Operation: Industtrialize: Just the factory here, no colony, this is net +3 VP due to reduction in market value. Decommissioning everything but the radiator which can stay for now as Outpost 1.
- Movement: Land on Chaucer.
- Event: Inspiration
- Notes: It was a mistake putting a colony on Ceres, it locks up a cube and would require a felony to decommission it. It just occurred to me that this game should go to 72 turns, not 60 as I was thinking. I do have time. In this case, Chaucer might just need a colony. I don't know if I have the energy to finish it today.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 54
- Operation: Reearch: Inflatable Solar-heated freighter
- Free Actions:
- Discard Fusion Fragment Sail freighter.
- Cargo Transfer: build Sail with Crew and robonaut.
- Movement: Sail takes off for Chaucer, belt roll 1, pass, moves to Hohmann at the Hohmann for Nysa Family cluster.
- Notes: Can do more prospecting after dropping off the crew.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: -1
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 55
- Operation: ET Produce: Inflatable Solar-heated freighter.
- Free Actions:
- Build colony.
- Decommission radiator.
- Boost my hand.
- Movement: Land on Chaucer.
- Event: Solar Flares
- Notes: Can I promote it next turn? Do I need to?
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 5
Turn 56
- Operation: Fund Raise: +1 Aqua, Active Law to Honor.
- Movement: Sail moves to Hohmann before Sol-Mars L3.
- Starting Aqua: 5
- Net Δ Aqua: 1
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 57
- Operation: Prospect: roll 1, Lutetia claimed.
- Free Actions:
- Cargo Transfer: build rocket for industrialziing.
- Internal Tankage: fuel it up 5 Aqua to burn 9 steps.
- Sail is Outpost 1.
- Movement: Sail moves to Lutetia.
- Event: Inspiration
- Notes: This is an M site. It's also the first time I've claimed Lutetia. I'll have to pull a delegate from the assembly to industrialize.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: -5
- Ending Aqua: 1
Turn 58
- Operation: Fund Raise: +5 Aqua
- Movement: Rocket moves to Hohmann at Lutetia, belt roll 5, pass.
- Starting Aqua: 1
- Net Δ Aqua: 5
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 59
- Operation: Industrialize: Lutetia gets an M factory, +8 VP.
- Movement: Land on Lutetia, 3 thrust is sufficient. Note: Lutetia has errata coming, it will be size 4 spectral M ISRU 1.
- Event: Inspiration(!)
- Notes: An M factory lets me build my Mini-mag GW thruster. Very weird I haven't gotten a V site, but I really need a D site next.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: 0
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 60
- Operation: ET Produce: Mini-Mag Orion Z-pinch Fission GW thruster.
- Free Actions:
- Build rocket from Sail and robonaut on Lutetia.
- GW thruster is Outpost 1.
- Movement: With a free pivot and 3 thrust, Sail can land on Badenia in the Hygiea Family.
- Notes: Needs 3 thrust to take off.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua:
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 61
- Operation: Prospect: roll 6, roll 6, Badenia busted.
- Movement: Move Sail to Fredereike
- Event: Inspiration(??!!)
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua:
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 62
- Operation: Prospect: roll 2, Friederike claimed!
- Notes: I'm not going to industrialize until I need to.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua:
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 63
- Operation: Site Refuel: +1 isotope M on Lutetia.
- Event: Glitch, apply to rocket stack on Friederike.
- Notes: I'm feeling stuck right here. I don't really have the right supports for the GW thruster, I would need 6 therms to drive it with my current cards.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua:
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 64
- Operation: Promotion: Archimedes Palmer Lens freighter fleet
- Notes: Because I can.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua:
- Ending Aqua: 6
Turn 65
- Operation: Fund Raise: +5 Aqua, move Active Law to Individuality.
- Event: Budget Cuts, discard ETHER Charged Dust radiator
- Notes: That really blows.
- Starting Aqua: 6
- Net Δ Aqua: 5
- Ending Aqua: 11
Turn 66
- Operation: Research: Qu Tube radiator
- Free Actions:
- Boost: everything
- Cargo Transfer: build rocket
- Internal Tankage: 6 steps of fuel
- Movement: Move to Hohmann at Hygiea cluster.
-
Notes: Qu Tube is really heavy, mass 4. With afterburn I can use the single therm end which is mass 1.
Sail stack is Outpost 2 on Friederike.
- Starting Aqua: 11
- Net Δ Aqua: -7
- Ending Aqua: 4
Turn 67
- Operation: Industrialize: factory on Friederike, pull delegate from Individuality.
- Movement: Land on Friederike.
-
Notes: What happens to Active Law when a delegate is pull like this?
I don't see any point in playing this out any further. I'm not going to get any use from the freighter or GW thruster in 5 turns, I just don't know enough at this point, and I have other things pressing right now. This was a pretty long game.
For the next game, consider only using the Solo Assembly for patent acquisition, and also consider playing it as "my first factory" to get used to the solo assembly module interactions.
- Starting Aqua: 4
- Net Δ Aqua:
- Ending Aqua: 4