Stalemate

Horak the Hutt took the field against Rebel Leader Wood and Darth LaBan.  The Hutts made steady progress and slowly constructed a fleet.  Armed with a bomber and a capital ship, the green slime made repeated assaults that captured up to 9 resource planets, but never grabbed the gold ring at 10.  Kessel was the resource planet that swung back and forth, always hanging in the balance.  Some great defensive cards were played that thwarted the repeated Hutt straights and flushes.

The Empire destroyed a resource planet held by a large Rebel garrison.  The Rebels quickly responded by destroying the Death Star and continued pushing the Force Meter far to the Light side.

With the Empire seriously weakened and the Hutts about to win, Darth LaBan opened a pathway to the Imperial starbase.  Wood captured the proffered starbase only to discover it did not conceal the Emperor.  

After the Rebels fought off yet another Hutt assault and the Empire was unable to make much ground against the Rebels, a draw was offered.  

Oh well, maybe next week...

August in the Galaxy

August in the Galaxy

Let's see if my mind can recall all the craziness of this past month. 

This Week (9/8/16)

Sith Lord Wood, Rebel Leader LaBan, and Horak the Hutt marked off in a Pizza 9-filled extravaganza.  After a fairly typical setup (despite the others generously granting a fifth Hutt resource planet), the Rebels came out with only a minor initial assault.  The Hutts followed up and were severely punished in their attempts to take Sullust.  The Empire then struck hard and deep.

In the turns that followed, the Hutts kept garnering cards, while the other two parried each attempt to gain a sector.  A Hutt capital ship permitted some dangerous excursions.  Rebel fighters did their work and Imperial fleets attacked at will.

Eventually, the Wild Space fell to the Empire with the Death Star on Sluis Van and a concentration of troops on Excarga protected by a layer of Hutts in the Mid Rim.  Little did the Sith Lord expect an assault by a Hutt straight (on turn 3) producing a 10 legion invasion force plus a capital ship.  Elom quickly fell and with it the Wild Space bonus was lost.

Despite well-fought counter-attacks, the Empire was seriously hampered.  The Rebels took advantage to clear lanes of Storm Troopers in the Mid Rim.  The result was an opportunity for the Hutts to run up to 8 resource planets, dangerously close to victory.

The Empire struggled to regain supremacy and the Rebels responded in kind.  The Hutts were set back significantly.  Alas, Rebel reinforcements moved to the Core Worlds to prepare for an attack on the Imperial Starbases there.  This left a gap in the Mid Rim that the Hutts quickly exploited for victory.

Last Week (9/1/16)

It's difficult to remember the exact chain of events.  The Imperial Starbase came out on turn 1 and was cleverly placed on Nar Shaddar, protected by layers of Hutts, but not too obviously "protected."

Somewhere early on the Empire under General Karl dramatically injured Kent the Hutt's forces and locked them out of several resource planets.  Then fortune favored the Empire thrice more:  in four turns the Death Star was able to destroy Elom, Bespin, and Duro.  With most other resource planets secure beneath Starbases, the Hutts could only turn on the Empire in a desperate bid to throw off the oppressive yolk.

Meanwhile, the Rebels slowly and steadily chipped away at the Imperial holdings, running the Force Meter far to the Light Side.  Convinced that the Emperor was hidden deep within the Wild Space, Rebel assaults in turn leveled Sullust, Sluis Van, Omwat, Arbel, and finally Excharga.  The Emperor was in none of them.

With the Empire seriously weakened, the Hutts vented their ire on the Sith and destroyed the last Imperial Starbase and with it, the Emperor.  Though the Hutts were far short of 10 resource planets, the Emperor was dead, so victory went, in a bizarre twist, to the Rebels.  A Hutt trifecta was averted, sort of.

The Week Before (8/25/16)

Peetza da Hutt aka Ric played Kent and Karl like fools for an easy green victory.

And Before That (8/18/16)

After a restart on Star Wars Risk, Horak the Hutt took home the win.

Still Earlier in the Month (8/11/16)

Star Wars Risk resumed in force.  Sith Lord Kent took up the reins of Imperial power only for everyone to forget about Starbases until turn 3.  Abort...

The Game Marches On

March 3rd

General Wood, Peetza da Hutt, and Darth Horak joined in the never-ending struggle for galactic supremacy once again.  The Empire rather rapidly captured the Wild Space and, soon after, a the El'Rood Sector.  While the Rebel's were able to eventually neutralize the El'Rood Sector, the Wild Space reinforcements kept the Rebels on the defensive.  Ric's Gamorran mercenaries were never able to make serious inroads. As exhaustion overtook all forces on turn 7, the Death Star made a display of power by destroying the mostly harmless Coruscant.  An armistice was signed on Stardate 0.87.3.3.2016.  

March 10th

General LaBan, Empiror Wood, and Horak the Hutt continued the weekly battle for mastery of the known universe.  The Rebels and Stormtroopers both started cautiously, playing mainly for cards.  The Hutts began with 5 resource planets and eventually mustered 6 after taking Duro on the 3rd attempt.  (I blame that on too many beer-soaked brats consumed before the battle.)

Eventually, the Sith overran the El'Rood Sector and, combined with an early faction card straight, they went on to gain the Wild Space.  Starbases defended most egress to their territories except where the the Death Star protected Excarga.  The Rebels held on, developed their fleet, and amassed a considerable force.  Their garrison at Hoth held fast.  The Death Star stuck with swift finality and destroyed Kessel.  

The Stormtroopers, safe behind their Starbases, were surprised by the successful invasion of El'Rood when the Rebels took Dagobah and then Bffassh.  Then, to everyone's amazement, the Hutts struck out from Duro with a large force (read:  faction card straight) and two capital ships.  Faction card bonuses allowed them to overrun the Imperial garrison on Sullust (4 legions), but the attack stalled with heavy casualties taken on Sluis Van (1 defending legion).  The Hutts persevered and took Omwat, denying the Empire any sector bonuses.  

The Imperial forces responded by again using the Death Star, destroying Balmorra.  In the next turn they destroyed Bespin.  Despite these heavy losses, the Hutt High Command still provided "yuuuge" banana splits to power the conflict into its final stages.

The Hutt capital ships and their elite fighters were still intact on Omwat.  But before they could neutralize Elom and march into the Mid Rim, General LaBan assembled a strike force outside Bothawui.  Reinforced by a capital ship, a bomber, and two fighter squadrons, the battle group captured Gamorr and then pushed into Excarga.  When the system's Starbase fell and the Emperor was discovered in his cowardly lair, it was game ova.  Victory (and the trophy) to General Ric.  

Some Catching Up

January 16 -- Game of Thrones Risk

With Gareth in Santa Fe and Archie about to head back to school, it was time for a F2F game night.  Everyone but Peter was able to convene in Albuquerque for dinner and an epic round of GoT Risk. 

The rules are similar, the board done in dark pastel shades, but with 5 players, it had quite a different dynamic.  The ability to combine attacking forces from multiple adjacent regions made for some massive battles.  The ability to move from any east/west coast port to any other east/west coast port made for massive and surprising invasions. 

The Valar Morghalis card turned up after my play and Gareth ran the board.  According to our interpretation at the time, we thought this meant that Gareth won.  See Feb. 20 for a different story. 

All hail, King Gareth who sits on the Iron Throne.

February 18 -- The Grizzled  

Off to a new year, we thought to try a new game, The Grizzled.  It's a cooperative game, so either everyone wins or everyone loses.  We played the easy level (without traps) to learn the rules.  In the end we were all able to demobilize.  Victory, everyone.  And the Special Favorite pizza from Village Pizza was a huge success. 

February 20 -- Revenge of Game of Thrones Risk

We had another opportunity to pull the group together.  This time Peter and Gareth were far afield.  Kent took Gareth's chair and we marched on.  Rosemary pot roast and a Greek salad fueled the conflict. 

This time the luck went out of my sails straight away and it was a struggle to stay on the board.  A last minute run at the northern territories gave me a lot of territory, but only briefly.  Valar Morghalis did not appear and the combined forces of Kent and Ty were able to push me back to a pitiful remnant.  Archie had a good night and when VM turned up, he sat upon the Iron Throne.  All hail, King Archie!

February 25 -- We now return you to our regularly scheduled Star Wars Risk 

After The Grizzled, we finally have gotten brave enough to go back to SWR.  Kent the Hutt, Darth LaBan, and General Karl sought to conquer the galaxy.  Kent's aunt's sloppy joes, aka Sloppy Kents, were the kickoff event. 

Initially, Kent had the luck of the setup and scored 5 resource planets, but that's where it ended.  A ferocious onslaught from the Rebels destroyed his large garrison on Bespin and the Rebel success continued with huge gains against the Empire. 

But down does not mean out; both factions fought back and regained strength.  The Hutts clawed their way to 7 resource planets and started turning in faction-card straights in rapid succession.  The Stormtroopers were never able to critically damage the widespread Rebels.  The Hutts never completely failed.  The Rebels never were able to pick off a single starbase.  The Ison Corridor was taken from the Hutts, held for 3 turns, lost to a desperate Imperial attack, and won back again by the Rebels. 

After seven turns, matters were fairly stable.  The Death Star had destroyed the Hutt garrison that had held Elom since the beginning.  Sluis Van and Gamorr were heavily protected Imperial starbases. Bespin was a resource planet too far.  But all starbases were on the board and the Emperor could well be "vulnerable."  Yet the Imperial forces were by no means a triffling pest, but a real menace.  The Rebels were somewhat weakened and a serious threat to the Stormtroopers if that distraction didn't give the Hutts their chance to snatch victory.  

In the end, the lateness of the hour made the decision for us:  a draw.  Victory, everyone.

Resumption of Hostilities

After a respite of several weeks, we return to our regularly scheduled galactic conflict.  The impetus for this was the arrival of the Vermonters, including my nephew David.  Rather than rolling for who got first and second choice of faction, we let the dice decide.  They awarded me the Hutts and David got the Empire.  That left Kent with the Rebels.

The setup was unremarkable except for the six systems left to the green worm.  That said, the Hutts quickly lost one and thereafter struggled to get even close to a bonus card.  It was well into turn four that they clawed their way up to seven resource systems. 

Meanwhile, the Storm Troopers and Rebels exchanged blows repeatedly.  Early in the second turn, the Rebels were able to destroy the Death Star.  Sectors were captured but never held.  Starbases accumulated but the Emperor was nowhere to be found.

A slight advantage in the Force Meter let David get ahead with faction cards, which led to more vessels, which led to more systems.  Rebel Leader Wood struggled to hold the line, but for every push of the Force to the light side, the Empire was able to push back to the dark side.  It began to look like the game would soon go to the Imperial forces.

But as luck would have it, the Hutts picked up a faction card straight for 7 legions of reinforcements just in time to take a run at a series of 3 resource planets.  It was turn 5 and the Hutts already had 7 resource systems and a capital ship (1d8) to help lessen the Starbase defensive rolls (2d8).  After a desperate and costly battle onYlesia, the remaining Gamorran mercenaries were forced to fight on against a reinforced Kessel.  Eventually, a few survivors were able to push on and attack Ord Mantell.  With the help of all things that the Hutts hold holy, they were able take the 10th system and a victory. 

Trifecta Averta (again)

After two crushing victories in a row, the Empire stood to win its first Trifecta, an Imperial win by each of Kent, Ric and Karl.  Alas, Kent the Rebel king-maker attacked Darth Horak's storm troopers to the benefit of the Peetza da Hutt.  Ric was able to easily take 10 resource planets, since the Rebels were intent on denying the Empire a clean victory. 

On Turn 2 the Rebels were able to use a fortuitous faction card to destroy the Death Star.  That led to a complete flip of the Wild Space, which the Rebels were able to use to good effect.  It took several turns for a new Death Star to be built and then it was able to convert Omwatt to a smattering of asteroids. 

With the Wild Space neutralized and the Force Meter well into the Dark Side, it was only a matter of time before the Rebels were crushed.  But the ever-resourceful Rebels threw in with the Hutts and refused to attack them.  (Perhaps a non-aggression treaty?  We'll never know.) 

In the end, Hutt cards won the day and Ric will be carrying the Funky Chicken Trophy to Utah to share with friends.  For my part, Kent now has a Death Mark upon his head. 

Trifecta Averted... Well, not really

It was an ugly match... with an ugly ending.  There were two conflicting goals:  Ric the Rebel needed an orange victory to gain his Trifecta Badge while Sith  Kent and Karl the Hutt sought to deny him this at all costs. 

The initial deployment had the Hutts at 3 resource systems, but firmly entrenched in the Wild Space and El'Rood Sectors.  The Death Star held sway over the Ison Corridor.  On turn 1 the Rebels had terrible rolls.  The Hutts fared slightly better, gaining ground in the El'Rood Sector.  But the Empire struck back with great good fortune, significantly hamstringing the Rebels. 

By turn 2, the Rebels were suffering from continued poor dice rolls.  The Hutts managed to capture the Ison Corridor and the Empire continued to grind down the Rebellion. 

On turn 3 the Rebels neutralized the Hutt sector, only to lose the Wild Space.  This sector bonus would greatly assist Horak the Hutt for several turns.  Meanwhile, the Empire continued to salt the Mid Rim with starbases. 

The Death Star marched forth and destroyed Dathomir with its large Rebel garrison.  Neither Hutt nor Storm Trooper elected to disrupt the tenuous balance between Dagobah and Hoth--each side gained benefit.  The Hutts managed to get sector bonuses from El'Rood and the Wild Space for one turn. 

Rebel assaults against the starbases in the Mid Rim failed miserably.  The Hutts could not gain traction beyond 6 resource planets.  In the end, the Empire slowly strangled the Rebels, ending Ric's dreams of a trifecta. 

In two weeks:  Darth Horak will attempt a first-ever Imperial trifecta, 3 Imperial victories in a row.