HF4A 44 - My First Colony (2)

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It's Juneteenth, which is a holiday where I work, which I did not know, so I'm pretty stoked to be able to get another play of High Frontier in today. I'm going to time this one, and along with the times, I'm going to mark time when I break to do chores, lunch, various tasks, etc. Most likely, the first part of the game will go very quickly, then I'll get bogged down later.

Also, here is temporary writeup for a potential 3 way competitive game I'm hosting this weekend.

  • I'll provide hot and cold caffeinated bevs, with panini for lunch.
  • Looking for chips-n-dips.
  • Will have everything set up is intended, walk in, sit down, play.
  • Core game with Module 0.
  • Rules As Printed, PDFs attached.
  • We'll play 4 cycles, which is 48 turns. We'll take a dog and lunch break at Turn 18, which is 1 1/2 cycles. The turns can go very quickly once everyone has some experience.
  • Videos for Core: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZBdZwoBsEMO5ek7pCfZJN84F2Xm_omQV Research Operation is critically important, we'll be spending most of the first 12-18 turns doing research auctions.
  • Video for Module 0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoF3Oov_8tY&list=PLZBdZwoBsEMO5ek7pCfZJN84F2Xm_omQV&index=4
  • First player is based on clout of Crew.
  • Factions are assigned in advance: ESA and NASA to Josh and friend, I'll be taking Taikonauts.

Epochs:

  • 9:12 am: Everything is set up, start the game.
  • 9:49 am: End of Cycle 1. Break time. Did some video watching on Research Operation. I've been playing supports wrong. Small sugary snack.
  • 10:23 am: Let's knock out the next cycle.
  • 11:09 am: End of Cycle 2. This game is a going a little slower than my first game of this series, but I have a pretty interesting stack. Let's take another break for a bit, check the mail or something, bring the garbage cans in.
  • 11:35 am: ? FInish up the game. I forgot to record when sat back down.
  • 12:07 pm: Finished the game in 27 turns. Next is doing the download and blog post, and entering it into BGG. Let's break for few before getting into that.
  • 12:21 pm: Had a small bit of lunch. Now it's time to do the write, which I already started with screenshots, so this will be shorter then it would otherwise be.
  • 12:41 pm: Blog post and BGG updated, turn log is added here. So that takes about 20 minutes. Now take a break, and time how long it takes to put it all away.
  • 12:49 pm: Start putting it all back in the box.
  • 12:55 pm: Everything is put away.

So that turned out to be about 4 hours from set up to tear down. I wonder if I can get it any shorter, like into 3 hours setup to teardown? Two hours would be awesome.

Here's the end of the game:

End of game

AAR

I'm thinking there may be some shortcuts using more Political Assembly jank. Specifically, keeping a delegate in Centrist allows placing a delegate into any ideology. At Turn 12, I need to cycle between Individuality, Honor, and Equality.

Also, I have not been playing Research Operation correctly. "Direct Supports" means the first cards in the support chain, regardless of whether the card itself is or is not a support card. This has always confused me a little bit, and I've been playing that the support bonus only applies to Thruster, Robonaut, or Refinery components.

Direct support cards are free

Turn 1

  • Current hand: Empty
  • Operation: Fund Raise: Add delegate to Unity, then move one to Authority.
  • Starting Aqua: 6
  • Net Δ Aqua: 1
  • Ending Aqua: 7
  • Active Law: Authority
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew

Notes: Crew: B612 Foundation. I'm bumping Academia Hand Limit to "5 or more" for this game.

Event: Glitch, no effect

Turn 2

  • Current hand: Empty
  • Operation: Fund Raise: Add delegate to Authority, move one to Equality and set as Active Law.
  • Starting Aqua: 7
  • Net Δ Aqua: 1
  • Ending Aqua: 8
  • Active Law: Equality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew

Turn 3

  • Current hand: Empty
  • Operation: Fund Raise: Add delegate to Equality, move one to Individuality.
  • Starting Aqua: 8
  • Net Δ Aqua: 1
  • Ending Aqua: 9
  • Active Law: Equality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew

Notes: Could have used an Inspiration here to get rid of the sail on the top of the thruster deck, but whatever. Patents aren't really great right now.

Event: Glitch, no effect.

Turn 4

  • Current hand: Empty
  • Operation: Research: Free Electron Laser, Solar Stirling
  • Starting Aqua: 9
  • Net Δ Aqua: -2
  • Ending Aqua: 7
  • Active Law: Equality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew

Notes: Not great, not bad.

Turn 5

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Solar Stirling
  • Operation: Research: Flywheel Tractor, In-core Thermionic
  • Starting Aqua: 7
  • Net Δ Aqua: -3
  • Ending Aqua: 4
  • Active Law: Equality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew

Notes: Re Solar Moth is top of thruster deck, not so great.

Event: Budget Cuts, Lobby Authority to trigger Inspiration.

Turn 6

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Solar, Stirling, Flywheel Tractor, In-core Thermionic
  • Operation: Fund Raise: Move delegate to Authority from Unity.
  • Starting Aqua: 4
  • Net Δ Aqua: 1
  • Ending Aqua: 5
  • Active Law: Equality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew

Turn 7

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Solar, Stirling, Flywheel Tractor, In-core Thermionic
  • Operation: Research: Kuck Mosquito, Penning Trap
  • Starting Aqua: 5
  • Net Δ Aqua: -2
  • Ending Aqua: 3
  • Active Law: Equality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew

Notes: I need to get a thruster, which means I need to start boosting, also need a refinery.

Event: Solar Flares, no effect.

Turn 8

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Solar, Stirling, Flywheel Tractor, In-core Thermionic, Kuck Mosquito, Penning Trap
  • Operation: Fund Raise: Active Law to Individuality.
  • Free Actions:
    • Boost: In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito, Penning Trap
  • Starting Aqua: 3
  • Net Δ Aqua: -2
  • Ending Aqua: 1
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito, Penning Trap

Turn 9

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Solar Stirling
  • Operation: Free Market: Solar Stirling
  • Starting Aqua: 1
  • Net Δ Aqua: 3
  • Ending Aqua: 4
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito

Notes: Need cash, may need to cycle patent deck as well.

Event: Pad Explosion, Penning Trap back to hand as I want the lightweitght refinery

Turn 10

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Penning Trap
  • Operation: Research: Supercritical Drying
  • Starting Aqua: 4
  • Net Δ Aqua: -1
  • Ending Aqua: 3
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito

Notes: I need a thruster and some therms and I've got a decent rocket.

Turn 11

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Penning Trap, Supercritical drying
  • Operation: Research: Re Solar Moth
  • Starting Aqua: 3
  • Net Δ Aqua: -1
  • Ending Aqua: 2
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito

Event: Glitch, no effect.

Turn 12

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Re Solar Moth
  • Operation: Research: Metastable Helium
  • Starting Aqua: 2
  • Net Δ Aqua: -1
  • Ending Aqua: 1
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito

Notes: Metastable Helium will be my thruster for this game, now to get some therms.

Turn 13

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Re Solar Moth, Metastable Helium
  • Operation: Free Market: Re Solar Moth
  • Starting Aqua: 1
  • Net Δ Aqua: 3
  • Ending Aqua: 4
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito

Event: Glitch, no effect

Turn 14

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Metastable Helium
  • Operation: Research: Brayton Turbine, D-T Fusion Tokamak, Bubble Membrane
  • Free Actions:
    • Lobby, Equality.
  • Starting Aqua: 4
  • Net Δ Aqua: -4
  • Ending Aqua: 0
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito

Notes: I need 3 therms to operate the robonaut.

Turn 15

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Metastable Helium, Brayton Turbine, D-T Fusion Tokamak, Bubble Membrane
  • Operation: Free Market: D-T Fusion Tokamak
  • Starting Aqua: 0
  • Net Δ Aqua: 3
  • Ending Aqua: 3
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito

Notes: Therms therms therms

Event: Budget Cuts, Brayton Turbine discard

Turn 16

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Metastable Helium, Bubble Membrane
  • Operation: Fund Raise: delegate to Equality
  • Free Actions:
    • Boost: Penning Trap
  • Starting Aqua: 3
  • Net Δ Aqua: -1
  • Ending Aqua: 2
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito, Penning Trap

Turn 17

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Supercritical Drying, Metastable Helium, Bubble Membrane
  • Operation: Research: Dielectric X-Ray Window
  • Starting Aqua: 2
  • Net Δ Aqua: -1
  • Ending Aqua: 1
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito, Penning Trap

Event: Budget Cuts, discard Dielectric X-ray Window

Turn 18

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Supercritical Drying, Metastable Helium, Bubble Membrane
  • Operation: Research: Ti/K Heat Pipe
  • Free Actions:
    • Boost: Supercritical Drying
  • Starting Aqua: 1
  • Net Δ Aqua: -1
  • Ending Aqua: 0
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying

Notes: I need to pad explosion insurance, a delegate into Centrist

Turn 19

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium, Bubble Membrane, Ti/K Heat Pipe
  • Operation: Fund Raise: delegate to Centrist
  • Starting Aqua: 0
  • Net Δ Aqua: 1
  • Ending Aqua: 1
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying

Notes: Now I need a lot of Aqua.

Event: Inspiration

Turn 20

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium, Bubble Membrane, Ti/K Heat Pipe
  • Operation: Free Market: Kuck Mosquito
  • Free Actions:
    • Boost: Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium
  • Starting Aqua: 1
  • Net Δ Aqua: 0
  • Ending Aqua: 1
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying

Turn 21

  • Current hand: Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium, Bubble Membrane, Ti/K Heat Pipe
  • Operation: Research: Ether Charged Dust
  • Starting Aqua: 1
  • Net Δ Aqua: -1
  • Ending Aqua: 0
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium

Notes: Lighter weight therms, I'll get the turn back as weight goes from 10 to 9, which is an extra burn for an FT.

Event: Inspiration

Turn 22

  • Current hand: Bubble Membrane, Ether Charged Dust, Ti/K Heat Pipe
  • Operation: Free Market: Ti/K Heat Pipe
  • Starting Aqua: 0
  • Net Δ Aqua: 3
  • Ending Aqua: 3
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium

Notes: No need to boost this turn, no Budget Cuts coming up.

Turn 23

  • Current hand: Bubble Membrane, Ether Charged Dust
  • Operation: Research: H2O2 Fuel Cell, Rock Splitter
  • Free Actions:
    • Lobby: Equality
  • Starting Aqua: 3
  • Net Δ Aqua: -1
  • Ending Aqua: 2
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Supercritical Drying, Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium

Notes: By Spending one to Lobby Equality, I get two cards I can Free Market in successive turns.

Event: Pad Explosion, Penning Trap back to hand.

Turn 24

  • Current hand: Bubble Membrane, Ether Charged Dust, Penning Trap, H2O2 Fuel Cell, Rock Splitter
  • Operation: Free Market: Rock Splitter
  • Free Actions:
    • Boost: Penning Trap, ETHER Charged Dust, Bubble Membrane
  • Starting Aqua: 2
  • Net Δ Aqua: -1
  • Ending Aqua: 1
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • LEO: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Kuck Mosquito, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium, ETHER Charged Dust, Bubble Membrane

Notes: Now it's matter of fueling it up and getting after it. I'm going for Hygiea due to having the excellent D Met Steamer.

Turn 25

  • Current hand: H2O2 Fuel Cell
  • Operation: Free Market: H2O2 Fuel Cell
  • Free Actions:
    • Cargo Transfer: build rocket, crew thruster
    • Internal Tankage: 3 FT
  • Movement: Move to radiation belt with Crew.
  • Starting Aqua: 1
  • Net Δ Aqua: 0
  • Ending Aqua: 1
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • Rocket: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium, ETHER Charged Dust, Bubble Membrane

Notes: Rock and roll. Here's hoping for some die roll luck next turn. Note that the Foamglass Sintering refinery is at the top of the patent deck. This is a D card, and it's something I'd want to Research if I claim one of the D sites at Hygiea.

Event: Glitch, no effect

Turn 26

  • Current hand: Empty
  • Operation: Fund Raise: delegate to Equality
  • Free Actions:
    • Cargo Transer: switch to Metastable Helium
  • Movement: Move to Hygiea hohmann
  • Starting Aqua: 1
  • Net Δ Aqua: 1
  • Ending Aqua: 2
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • Rocket: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium, ETHER Charged Dust, Bubble Membrane

Notes: I forgot to do the Radiation belt move, technically the FT would ride as Aqua then get tanked up here.

Turn 27

  • Current hand: Empty
  • Operation: Prospect: Friederike roll 2, claimed! Badenia roll 6, busted, Hygiea roll 3 claimed. Reroll Badenia (B612 Foundation) 6, still busted.
  • Movement: Move to Hygiea barycenter
  • Starting Aqua: 2
  • Net Δ Aqua: 0
  • Ending Aqua: 2
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 0
  • Rocket: Crew, In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium, ETHER Charged Dust, Bubble Membrane

Notes: That's really nice, a good rocket and a good site. This rocket is probably too good for a pre-built.

Event: Pad Explosion, no effect

Turn 28

  • Current hand: In-core Thermionic, Flywheel Tractor, Penning Trap, Supercritical Drying, Free Electron Laser, Metastable Helium, ETHER Charged Dust, Bubble Membrane
  • Operation: Industrialize: Factory on Friederike.
  • Free Actions:
    • Colonize: Friederike
  • Movement: Land on Friederike
  • Starting Aqua: 2
  • Net Δ Aqua: 0
  • Ending Aqua: 2
  • Active Law: Individuality
  • Score: 12
  • LEO: Crew

Notes: The hand in this case is at the end of the turn, as it's end of game. If I were to play further, I'd grab the D refinery at the top of the patent deck and ET Produce both refinery and robonaut on Friederike for use Industrializing Hygiea.

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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.