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.

The Draw of the Three

(with apologies to Stephen King)

Ric da Hutt, General Horak, and Sith Lord Wood took to their space pods after polishing off an entire CostCo pepperoni pizza.  Most of the action concentrated in the Mid and Outer Rim due to the Death Star occupying Elom in the initial placement. 

The Rebels did a passing fair job of hunting down and destroying lone legions on Imperial systems.  That cut their reinforcement rate down, although they made valient and sometimes very effective counterattacks.  That included denying the Rebels control of the Mid Rim.  The Hutts chugged along, biding their time. 

When the Death Star finally struck forth, it took out Sullust and a large Hutt garrison.  Then the Empire captured the Wild Space.  A large Rebel force attempted to reinvade the sector, but they were beaten off.  However, stormtroopers elsewhere were being decimated.  The Force Meter swayed back and forth before becoming lodged in the light side. 

Meanwhile, the Hutts slowly regained their strength.  After the stormtroopers captured Gamorr from the Rebels, the Hutts invaded the Mid Rim, but were stymied by a well-played faction card.  The Empire fortified their newly captured resource planets, constructed starbases in the safety of the Wild Space, and used the Death Star to block egress.  They were otherwise helpless to resist the Hutt onslaught. 

The Rebels attacked across the asteroids left from the destruction of Sullust and set up a force on Eriadu, set to invade the Wild Space.  The Hutts swept past the fortified starbases and conquered systems as far as Rodia, which fell to their Gamorran battle axes and laser blasters.

Thinking the game over, we congratulated Ric.  But in that final moment of "trust but verify," we counted systems.  Alas, the Hutts held only nine.  Gamorr was protected by the Death Star, Nar Shaddar was garrisoned by a starbase with five legions, Elom was safe deep in the Wild Space, and Sullust was gone.  There was little hope that the Hutts could take 10 resource planets until they could reduce Nar Shaddar or destroy the Death Star.  The Empire was effectively barracaded in the Wild Space and the Rebels would need many more turns (and faction cards) before they could defeat that hardened target. 

The exhausted players sued for peace and called it a draw.  

Ringing out the Old and Ringing in the New

Friday December 5

Peetza arrived about 45 minutes late after a day-trip to Taos and back.  Horak the Hutt, Rebel Ric, and Sith Lord Wood battled until exhaustion set in around 11:30.  Despite being fortified by gringo chile, we called it a draw.

Thursday January 1

Same forces again, due to the luck of the draw in choosing fondue forks.  Ham, broccoli, yellow squash, baguette, mushrooms, merlot-soaked pears, melted cheese made for good eats.  Ric came out with all guns blazing and sent the Empire reeling.  Something like 8 systems captured with only two Rebel losses.  The Hutts did their gradual Hutt thing, snagging a couple stragglers and getting two faction cards.  The Empire limps along with terrible dice rolls, but manages to get three cards with help from the Force Meter.  Turn 2 is much the same, except the Sith pushes the Force Meter deeper into the dark while the Hutts eliminate the few Imperial garrisons at Omwat and Arbra to take the Wild Space. 

By turn 3 the Rebels have taken the Ison Corridor, but the Hutts are able to turn in a faction card straight and capture Bespin.  In later turns, while the Empire is still weak, the Hutts run up to 7 resource planets and poise themselves for a run for victory, but they weaken the Rebels, who might also win, significantly in the process.  The Empire starts to slowly gather its strength.  Eventually, they are able to destroy a large Hutt garrison at Elom, which simultaneously denies them their sector bonus.  

The Force Meter stays pegged on the dark side.  The Rebels have a set of lousy dice rolls against the Hutts that break their momentum before they can engage the Stormtroopers.  The Hutts are looking at having to reduce several starbases before they can garner 10 resource planets.  Good Hutt cards help them resist assaults from both opponents.  The Empire simply hunkers down behind a bevvy of starbases in the Mid Rim. 

Finally, turn 7 arrives with an Imperial faction card straight (their second in a row) and they run the board on the dozen or so Rebels systems that are left.  Not needed:  their ace in the hole--a blowie-uppie card for the last Rebel outpost in the Mid Rim.  Clearly, the extra cards from the skewed Force Meter was a tremendous asset to the Empire.

Victory:  Stormtroopers. 

Hutts, Hutts, and more Hutts

After Horak the Hutt gained the coveted mirror ball trophy, it was up to Kent and Ric to win it back.  And that they did, or rather, Kent did (Oct. 30).  As the wily Hutt leader, he was able to sweep to victory.  Unfortunately, I've slept since then, so I don't remember how exactly he managed to pull it off.  I suspect he got Rebel Ric and Sith Lord Karl to go after one another, while he quietly gained strength and cards.

The week following (Nov. 5), Ric as Peetza da Hutt made an excellent run at gaining the trophy and a trifecta for the Hutt faction.  Initially, it looked like a sure thing for General Horak as his Rebels overran much of the galaxy.  But two well-placed attacks by the Death Star decimated his forces and destroyed the Rebel fleet.  That said, the Empire was not able to take out the Hutts nor finish off the Rebels.  After many, many dice rolls, a draw was declared and the Hutt trifecta averted.

Now (Nov. 13) we've had two more battles for galactic domination.  In Game #1, Sith Lord Ric was able to overcome the Rebellion in just 3 turns.  Horrendously bad dice rolls in the initial turn and poor faction cards left the Rebels vulnerable.  The Hutts never got traction and were never much of a threat.  Game Empire.

In Game #2, the same arrangement of forces led to a different outcome.  The Rebels held the advantage for most of the game, even taking out 3 starbases.  But as luck would have it, the Emperor's starbase was the last one to come out.

Meanwhile, the crafty Hutts built up a fleet and made good on mopping up the Stormtroopers in the Mid Rim before succeeding in a flanking attack against Sullust and then a breakthrough to Tattooine.  Game Hutts.

Postscript:  We've completed 242 games.  Watch this space for the big 250th Galactic Battle Celebration.

The Long Drawn Out Draw

The initial dice roll sequence for choosing sides went 1-2-3.  Kent, always seeking a trifecta, took up the Imperial forces, Ric chose the Rebels, and I was left, surprisingly, with the Hutts.  The game started off with the Death Star on Elom, Storm Troopers on Arbra and Excharga, and Rebels on Omwat. 

Initially, the Rebels stumbled with poor dice rolls against lucky Storm Troopers, the Hutts did only slightly better, and then the Imperial forces kicked ass everywhere.  The game looked to be in the bag for the Emperor.  Sith Lord Kent managed to eliminate the Rebels on Omwat and then destroyed Sluis Van and Gamorr with the Death Star.  Safe in the Wild Space, he drove the Rebels down to a handful of scattered systems.  They even captured the Ison Corridor, which had briefly been held by the Rebels. 

But the combined Rebel and Hutt attacks finally put the breaks on an easy victory for the Dark Side.  The Hutts amassed a fleet of 2 capital ships and 2 bombers.  That combined with a faction card flush let them sweep from Tatooine all the way to Bespin, doing considerable damage to the Imperial legions in the process. 

Despite an invasion through the asteroid field of Sluis Van and an unexpected uprising of Hutts on Elom, the Empire held on to the Wild Space.  With the Emperor's starbase safely behind impenitrable asteroid fields in the Wild Space, it looked like an Imperial victory.

But wait!

The Rebels clawed their way back from 4 systems to 7 and then totally pwned the Storm Troopers invading Falleen in an attempt to break into the Mid Rim.  The pesky Hutts split their fleet in two and made a run at a win.  Only stubborn resistance at Kessel by the Rebels prevented a 10 system takeover. 

After that, the Rebels were sitting on a faction card straight in a good position to counterattack both Hutts and weak Storm Troopers remaining outside the Wild Space.  The Hutts were sitting pretty with 8 resource planets and 20-odd garrisoned systems.  The Emperor was strongly protected in his fortified Wild Space. 

Perhaps the Rebels could hold on and neutralize the Storm Troopers.  Somewhere in the few remaining cards was the "death from above" card that would enable an invasion into the Wild Space despite the blockading asteroid fields.  Perhaps the Hutts could garner the last few resource planets.  Perhaps the Storm Troopers trapped outside the Wild Space could turn the tide and eliminate the Rebels.

We'll never know.  After 3 and a half hours, 12 turns, one large pizza, two eclairs, and lots of wine and beer, a draw was called. 

July 31st Battle for the Bottle

First things first, the Battle for Galactic Domination was declared a draw.  Yeah, Ric was on the ropes, but Kent had drunk two beers and pretty much an entire bottle of Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon.  Ric and I had tucked into the Scotch and were pretty much useless.  After beating each other senseless with ridiculous dice rolls, no one had victory in sight.

So we'll just wave all the loyal blog readers past this catastrophe, "Move along.  Move along.  Nothing to see now.  Move along."

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
I'm just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

-- Cold Play, Viva la Vida

Two-thirds of a Trifecta

After winning an unexpected Rebel victory, Darth Horak took the field as the Imperial Overlord with an eye towards an easy victory next week for a trifecta.  The Stormtroopers did passing fair by clipping the Hutt wings early on and aggressively targeting Rebel Ric's strongholds.  Dice and faction cards won the day (June 13 BTW) and put the trifecta within reach.

On the 20th Horak the Hutt took up the dice of power in an epic struggle of good against evil against spice trade.  Alas, my dastardly opponents conspired with a pre-game pact:  to assault the Hutts mercilessly and only take one system from the other each turn.  Amazingly, with all those Stormtroopers and Rebels arrayed against the Hutts, the Hutts still held on for three turns.  Unfortunately, with 20 Imperial systems on the board against 19 Rebel systems, they called for a draw, having defeated the Hutts--their sole ambition.  We have no idea how a one-on-one battle between the Rebels and the Empire would work out. 

Game:  Draw.

Intergalactic Exhaustion

Yeah, we fizzled out... after hours of strenuous dice rolling, there was no obvious winner waiting to claim this week's title.  So when Sith Lord Kent needed a nappy-poo, we called it a draw.

Not that there wasn't plenty of Greek food and insanely bad dice rolling.  (I suppose it was good dice rolling if your 6-5 beat Ric's 6-5-5 attack.)  Hutts held on to one section, the Empire another, but the yellow and orange hoards couldn't be stopped.  No one got that killer set of cards, dice, and position that let them put the game away. 

Next time we go through 7 or 8 turns of heartache and loss, destruction and thwarted plans, we're going to photograph the board, record our faction cards, stabilize our card decks, and continue where we left off the next week.

Two Draws in a Row

Despite glorious deeds of daring dice rolling, two weeks ago the Battle for Galactic Domination was fought to a draw.

Last week was cancelled due to a galactic malaise and was in essence another draw.

Just thought you should know.

Rebel Dawgs Put Fear in Emperor's Eyes

With the chance of a third straight Rebel victory looming over last week's game, Ric the Hutt and Sith Kent went immediately on the attack.  Only one slight problem, the Rebels go first in each turn.  So it was that the good guys were able to capture the Ison Corridor and knock off a Hutt or two, gaining two faction cards. 

The Hutts came back with a limited attack just to gain cards, but the Storm Troopers attacked into the Corridor and moved the Death Star up to completely block egress. 

Unfortunately, those first two faction cards were exactly the two cards that allowed the Rebels, dawgs that they were, to destroy the Death Star.  From there it was all downhill for the Empire. 

Eventually, the Hutts managed a couple faction card straights and blew away the weak Imperial garrisons on the resource planets in the Mid and Outer Rim.  Victory Hutts. 

A second game was begun with Ric and Karl switching roles.  It went fairly evenly for six turns, but with the lateness of the hour and the Force Meter pegged fully in the Rebel's favor, a truce was declared.  Drawn game. 

A 3-way Tie?!

Well... I never would have guessed.  After hours of see-saw warfare... well, see-saw dice rolling... exhaustion set in and no victor was in sight.  We called it a 3-way draw -- the first ever.  When you consider my opponents (see photo below), you'll understand why it was shocking to have victory slip through my fingers

It started out just fine:  Peetza da Hutt attacked the Rebels at Kessel and the Rebels rolled (6,6), then (5,6), and then another (6,6).  Six dead Hutt legions and all for nought. 

Actually, the night went on like that with (5,6) rolls coming up any time there was a critical battle.  Rebel Leader Horak was able to hold onto the Outer Rim for two turns and that was a huge bonus.  But the cards weren't helpful at all.  A fleet was never assembled, large numbers of reinforcements never arrived, and Imperial star bases stood their ground. 

Meanwhile, the Hutts, although tightly hemmed in to the Mid Rim, managed to break out into the Core Worlds and inflict terrible damage to Rebel and Empire alike.  Also, the Hutts continued to destoy star bases, forcing the Empire to relocate them. 

The Storm Troopers tried repeatedly to corner the wily Rebels, but their forces always managed to bounce back.  With all the star bases (and the Emperor himself) deployed, perhaps it was only a matter of time.

At any rate, after ten rounds of play, we agreed to the first-ever three-way draw. 

Two Weeks in One

OK, so I'm late in posting last week's results in the seemingly never-ending battle for Galactic Domination. 

Star Date Jan. 28, Game 1.  The Hutts fairly quickly overwhelmed the combined defenses of Rebels and Storm Troopers.  Kent the Hutt once again ruled the galaxy. 

For a brief while...

Star Date Jan. 28, Game 2.  The Evil Empire, led by the merciless Darth Nadir, marched to victory in a moderately long campaign.  Eventually every vestige of the rebellion was eliminated.  Deputy Rebel Leader Horak was captured along with all members of the Jedi Council.

Star Date Feb 4.  In a remarkably even match, the pendulum of fate swung repeatedly, but never far enough to topple the other powers.  Darth Horak began with a strong showing but the Rebels rebounded. Even they met their match when several enormous waves of freedom fighters perished in failed invasions of Ord Mantell. 

Late into the game Kent the Hutt made a strong bid for galactic supremacy, but the Death Star's destruction of Ord Mantell denied him the victory he sought.  Heavily fortified Imperial Star Bases denied the Hutts control of several Mid Rim resource planets and, critically, Balmorra.  Rebel concentrations on Tattoine denied him Outer Rim control. 

Eight rounds into this epic struggle found Deputy Rebel Leader LaBan well ensconced in the Outer Rim with strong garrisons in the Core Worlds.  Kent the Hutt desperately thrashed out and reduced all factions to hollow shadows of their former glory.  After hours of dice rolling and the emotional roller coaster of battles won and lost, a truce was called and the campaign declared a draw.

Will those pesky Rebels just stop it!

This dispatch just in from our reporter embedded with the Rebel forces:

Stardate: 2 JU 20009

WHEREABOUTS: FERENGII QUARTER

GALACTIC NEWS LLC: Clagg Mondrehedron reporting

Starfolks of the Galaxy, I have not long to report as evacuation Stardusters are about to launch us to safer places after an incredibly botched job by the Rebel High Command. Nowhere in any quadrant along the Galactic Axis or the Concourse is safe. Imperial troops whipped into a frenzy by Lord Sith Thor are out for Rebel blood and Hutt slime.

Lord Sith Thor is humble and mute on the turn of events claiming a draw. Draw, Hah, my Imperial Stuchensucher! (However rebel insect-droid spies did report the High Lord immediate ordered another dram of single malt upon receiving the news of the devasting trap sprung by a relatively unknown Rebel commander). I will tell you this, it is a black hole day across the Universe for the Rebellion. Imperial storm troopers are everywhere, in vast numbers
here-to-fore unseen with new weapons of mass disintigration. Desperate days are ahead.

And talk of faulty initiator crystals by inept Rebel Generals is old and wearing thin. Please, quit blaming the Hutts, it is always Hutt this and Hutt that. The High Command should get off its fat Starbase Ass and do something worthwhile for a change, providing they actually want the Galaxy to be safe (or are Rebel Pod contracts too lucrative?). The Hutts are nothing more
than opportunistic stellar capitalists, nothing more. If Hutt initiator crystals are actually the cause, a detachment should be sent to Beyond and dealings made with Ferengii smugglers for whatever terms.

After a brilliant feint and trap in the Elrood sector led by rising Star Commander Erwin Patton of the 3rd Rebel Star Army Korps, the High Command fell into disarray. Internal squabbling over which Rebel Bozo should receive credit for the Commander's promotion and the illustrious Polar Star Medallion initiated a Peter Principle upward through the High Command, splitting it
into two factions for and against Commander Patton. Note: The Galaxy is being overun and the silly k-nig-hets of the High Command are concerned about their chest medals, Stellar Saints Almighty!

Of course, a momentary lapse of judgment when Commander Patton slapped General Monty's eldest nephew, breaking his Ray Bans and denting his Beret did not help. Scuttlebutt has it Patton was immediately relieved of command, widening the split between High Command factions. Many consider Monty's nephew foppish. Alliance Dimwits then bungled every attempt to stave off further Imperial Expansion. So a brilliant opening move in the galactic chess
game evaporated into stellar dust. One can only hope the High Command will come to its senses, reinstate the Commander, rally our forces and turn this Imperial onslaught around.

Gotta board, the finally klaxons are wailing.

Faulty Initiator Crystals Doom Rebel Cause

Stardate 03Juni2009, Orion Belt Quadrant

Today, Rebel sources blamed yeterday's setbacks on faulty photon torpedo initiator crystals.

"Right from the get go, our squadrons had problems with their weapon systems," stated an disgruntled Ursa Major. "Every time we attacked we had malfunctions."

Despite sound tactics and a huge increase in Rebel recruitment figures, battle after battle was lost due to substandard cracked dylithium crystals procurred under government contracts.

"We suspect the batch of defective crystals was left over NC-1101 stock from the Klingon wars," an anomynous staff supply sargent disclosed. "Dilythium crystals radiate in six major wavelengths, " he explained. "As they age, overheat or are damaged the so called "luck of the dice" vascillate between the first and second wavelengths instead of the proper oscillation in five
or six wavelength range."

All of the squadrons routinely had vascillations in the lower ranges. It is suspected that the Hutts were to blame for the inferior crystals. Their capitalistic zeal is legendary and they will go to any length to to make an extra profit and undermine anyone faction who gets in their way. "This is
not speculation," retorted Ursa Major, "how else could they recuit vast numbers of mercenaries turn after turn? In our rush to find the Emperor (who was rumored to be hidden on an outpost far from the major engagements) we relied on dylithium smugglers whose mercenaric sympathies lie with PeetZa. Obviously they had a better offer from the Hutts and made out from both sides."

Ursa Major was criticized for spending too much of the meager Rebel resources protecting the important belt of resource planets that he couldn't mount an effective hunt for the Emperor. It is rumored that he was heavily sedated and distracted by nefarious Nationstar Intergalactic and Planetary Mortgage Company whose underwriters secured bases for the Rebel movement.
_______________

Remarks from Peetza da Hutt:

The first question has been answered. Ursa Major has relinquished his status as Galactic Dominator to a most unworthy Successor. Peetza de Hutt took over the galaxy in brilliant fashion. In game one, ten resource planets were secured on Peetza's very first turn. In game two, it took a bit longer as it was turn two before Peetza could rest easy with ten resource planets cowering under his iron fist. At least he was holding a piece of iron in his fist.

Here come de Hutts! Here come de Hutts! Order in the Galaxy 'cause here come de Hutts!

_______________

In summary, Peetza da Hutt won the first two games in near record time. The third game was called a draw after exhaustion set in.