Trifecta Averted

After General Wood's Rebel victory last week and Kent the Hutt's green victory the week before, he took up the mantle of Darth Patrick and sought a 3-game winning streak.  The man who would be king needed an Imperial victory to win the rare and much sought-after Individual Trifecta. 

From the get-go the Rebels vexed the Empire.  The setup was highly irregular and nonconformist:  the Rebels garrisoned no resource planets and concentrated all of their troops on two systems.  The result was Hutts beginning with 6 resource planets and heavy Rebel concentrations on Da Soocha V and Dathomir.  The initial Rebel assault ran from Dathomir through Tatooine, Wayland, Alderran, Correlia, and Byss, stopping only at the Imperial firewall on Bakura.  A lesser but still damaging attack started in Da Soocha V and took out the Empire's single garrisons on Toydaria, Bothawui, Kothlis, Falleen, and Coruscant.  The result was a mere 3 reinforcement for the Storm Troopers in their first turn.

By soldiering on gamely, the Sith Lord slowly recovered strength.  When the Rebels captured the Outer Rim, they were able to mount an effective counter-attack two turns later.  They managed to push the Hutts out of the Wild Space and made it their last stand.

The Rebels were unable to break through the Hutt blockade at  Sluis Van and so  had to attack Gamorr and Excarga.  With the Emperor safe for the time on Elom, the Hutts struck hard with a multi-pronged assault that carried the day with resource planets captured at Bespin and throughout the Mid Rim.  Victory Hutts.

Above, a 10 sec mini-video #throughglass showing some of the desperate action late in the game as the Sith Lord holds off the Hutts. 

Meanwhile, Somewhere in the El'Rood Sector...

Ric the Hutt, Darth Karl, and General Kent took to the galactic playing board once again, giving the Hutts a shot at a trifecta.  Horak the Hutt and Wood the Hutt each had won in the last two weeks.  A LaBan win would put the Hutts in the record books. 

The Rebels put in an excellent show on their first turn, slaying Storm Troopers, but lost most of their advantage in an ill-fated attack on Bespin, which the Hutts easily turned.  The Hutts held their own and Empire came out of the gates with much of the El'Rood Sector under control.

By turn 2, Imperial numbers were down but the El'Rood Sector was theirs.  Alas, repeated efforts by both Hutt and Rebel kept the sector from ever yielding an Imperial bonus.  Starbases accumulated, Rebel battalions proliferated, and Hutts frustrated the Empire with "Money is Power." 

In the end, poor Hutt cards let the Rebels score the first faction card straight.  6 + 7 = 13 legions led to an overwhelming force that crushed Hutt garrisons and allowed the Rebels to pound their way into the El'Rood Sector from Corellia.  Once past Sullust, Eridou fell quickly and with it, the Emperor's final redoubt.  Victory Rebels. 

Hutts, again

Kent the Hutt thumped General LaBan and Darth Horak yet again.  As leader of the imperial faction, I set up with the Death Star on Gamorr, serious garrisons on resource planets, and smaller concentrations acting as firebreaks scattered about.  These firebreaks served to contain any large Rebel runs against long chains of singly garrisoned systems.  It was fairly effective. 

Despite initial good results that diminished the Rebel forces and kept the Hutts at bay, the green hoard grew in power.  They were able to sweep the Wild Spaces even though the Empire was able to counterattack and drive them out.  The Hutt fleet slowly grew and they were able to take Sullust and eventually Sluis Van.

Unfortunately, the blowie-uppie card for the Mid Rim had been taken by a well-played Rebel card.  When a replacement card came along to permit some destruction in the Ison Corridor, the Death Star stumbled in its move towards its target.  The wily Hutts were able to put together an assault along multiple lines that just barely got to ten systems.  Victory Hutts. 

Next week we'll see if Peeta, aka Ric, the Hutt can claim a trifecta of three wins in a row by the Hutts.  Stay tuna'ed.