Hutt Quadfecta

In a surprising turn of events, the Hutts pulled off their fourth victory in a row, a quadfecta.  With Rebel Leader Wood and Sith Lord Ric both swearing that the Hutts would be halted in their tracks, it was a foregone conclusion that the Hutts were doomed. 

Sooo...

Horak the Hutt implemented Cunning Plan #17 -- start with only 3 resource planets... but garrison them with 7 legions each.  The other 4 systems were merely bait for Rebels and Stormtroopers looking for an easy faction card from capturing a single Hutt system. 

The game, as is always the case, had its share of crazy statistical anomalies.  This time it was a strong bias towards the defender.  Imperial systems stood strong against the Rebel assaults.  Rebels defeated overwhelming numbers of attacking Stormtroopers.   Hutts successfully warded off both factions. 

Only the Empire seemed to have any initial success, capturing the Ison Corridor, garrisoning one side with a heavily reinforced starbase  and the Death Star at the other.  Rebel counter-attacks managed to break the sector but at great cost. 

Soon the galaxy was littered with systems having singleton garrisons, except for the 3 original Hutt concentrations.  Rebel schemes to cause mass casualties fell victim to a rules technicality, but the Hutts returned with the same assault.  However, in the aftermath, the starbase involved fled to a distant and safe system.  Meanwhile, the Rebels pushed the Force Meter towards the light side. 

However, the original 3 Hutt systems stood firm for four turns until they broke away on a run for 10 systems based on the resource planets of the Mid Rim.  As noted, the defense dice were preternaturally strong and the green hoard was stopped by a single Rebel force on Kessel, surviving attacks from both direction.  Both Rebel and Empire counter-attacked, but the 5 faction cards from the previous turn gave the Hutts a reinforced fleet and a straight worth 7 legions.  Again, it came down to a battle for Kessel, but this time the Hutts overcame the Rebel resistance for the win. 

Rules note:  In an experiment, we chose to give each side a single faction card at the beginning of the game from the top of their deck.  It seemed to have little effect on the game, although this meant that the Rebels and Hutts had a chance for a turn 2 faction card straight.