Well, the dice were with Mssr. Wood this past week. With a high roll
to start, he chose Hutts. Ric went with the E-Vile Empire, leaving
yours truly with the Rebels. In a daring variation, the set up left the
Hutts with 6 planets and the Rebels with much of the Mid Rim.
Out
of the gates, General Karl did quite well, capturing the El'Rood Sector
and setting the Empire back significantly. The Hutts gradually gained
strength and the Emperor's storm troopers were able to push the force
meter farther to the dark side with each turn.
The
turning point was when the Death Star destroyed the garrison at
Sullust. A turn later and a second system, Byss, was eliminated. With the
force meter pegged and the El'Rood bonus lost, it looked like a sure win
for the Storm Troopers.
But in Sith Laban's efforts
to claw his way back from the initial setbacks, he left the Hutt's too
strong. A lucky run and a faction card straight gave Kent the Hutt his
second victory and two thirds of a trifecta. But next week, he must win
as the Rebel faction... a desperate and forlorn hope.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Resumption of Hostilities
After nearly six weeks without a battle for galactic supremacy, dice-driven hostilities resumed this week after Ko Palace take-out. Horak the Hutt, recently returned from Planet Caledonia, faced off against Rebel Leader Ric and Sith Lord Wood.
With a strong position in the Wild Space, it wasn't surprising that the Hutts were able to control that sector by the second turn and hold on to it for the duration of the war. The Rebels also started strong, very nearly sweeping the Outer Rim. Faction cards let Rebel Ric push the force meter far to the light side. However, the dice and the faction cards still favored the Storm Troopers. Darth Kent was able to reclaim the Outer Rim from the Rebels, capture the El'Rood Sector, and even destroy the large Rebel garrison on Bespin.
Somewhere along the way, the cask-strength Campbeltown Whiskey came out. After that, the quality of strategic thinking rapidly declined among the Hutts and Rebels.
With the Rebels reeling from the Imperial counter-attacks and the Scotch, the Hutts reinforced their 15 legion assault force with a capital ship and struck back at the Empire, taking a round-about path through Mon Calamari all the way to Sluis Van and Sullust. But eight resource planets were not enough.
Armed with a faction card straight and a small fleet, Darth Kent plowed through the remaining Rebels, surprising the Hutts at Yavin 4, and finished the game on Turn 5. Victory Empire.
With a strong position in the Wild Space, it wasn't surprising that the Hutts were able to control that sector by the second turn and hold on to it for the duration of the war. The Rebels also started strong, very nearly sweeping the Outer Rim. Faction cards let Rebel Ric push the force meter far to the light side. However, the dice and the faction cards still favored the Storm Troopers. Darth Kent was able to reclaim the Outer Rim from the Rebels, capture the El'Rood Sector, and even destroy the large Rebel garrison on Bespin.
Somewhere along the way, the cask-strength Campbeltown Whiskey came out. After that, the quality of strategic thinking rapidly declined among the Hutts and Rebels.
With the Rebels reeling from the Imperial counter-attacks and the Scotch, the Hutts reinforced their 15 legion assault force with a capital ship and struck back at the Empire, taking a round-about path through Mon Calamari all the way to Sluis Van and Sullust. But eight resource planets were not enough.
Armed with a faction card straight and a small fleet, Darth Kent plowed through the remaining Rebels, surprising the Hutts at Yavin 4, and finished the game on Turn 5. Victory Empire.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Catch-up Time
8/15 -- Kent won. Maybe someday I'll remember what happened. He was probably a Hutt.
8/22 -- Ric won. I think there were opportunities for everyone, but in the end, the Peetza da Hutt pulled it out of the fire.
8/29 -- With the nephews from Vermont in town, there was only one way to avoid a total victory by the Easterners: split them into opposing factions. In a rare 5-player game, the Imperial Ric and David took on the Rebellious Kent and Peter (with a nod to Karl the Hutt).
Despite my best efforts, the Hutts were only able to claw their way once up to six resource planets. Meanwhile, the Empire inexorably ground down the Rebels and finished them off in turn 6.
Game -- Empire.
9/1 -- With Ric and Kent otherwise occupied, we had just a couple hours to knock out a final game before the Vermonters headed out to the airport. Sith Lord Karl took up the Imperial Storm Troopers. Peter donned the Rebel crown. David the Hutt filled out the final force for our 3-way battle for galactic supremacy.
In a now classic move, the Empire quickly overran the Wild Space and fortified both points of egress with starbases and the Death Star. Even with the Emperor in play on the first turn, he was safe behind layers of defenses.
The Rebels responded with an all-out assault on the Ison Corridor and gained an off-setting sector. The Hutts nearly captured the Mid Rim as well.
Even so, the Storm Troopers suffered severe losses as the force meter moved to the light side. The Hutts looked poised to win, when the Rebels made a desperate attack on the Death Star with minimal faction card assistance. Luck was with them and they were able to enter the Wild Space, defeat a second starbase, and attack Elom. Victory there resulted in the capture of the Emperor.
Game -- Rebel.
8/22 -- Ric won. I think there were opportunities for everyone, but in the end, the Peetza da Hutt pulled it out of the fire.
8/29 -- With the nephews from Vermont in town, there was only one way to avoid a total victory by the Easterners: split them into opposing factions. In a rare 5-player game, the Imperial Ric and David took on the Rebellious Kent and Peter (with a nod to Karl the Hutt).
Despite my best efforts, the Hutts were only able to claw their way once up to six resource planets. Meanwhile, the Empire inexorably ground down the Rebels and finished them off in turn 6.
Game -- Empire.
9/1 -- With Ric and Kent otherwise occupied, we had just a couple hours to knock out a final game before the Vermonters headed out to the airport. Sith Lord Karl took up the Imperial Storm Troopers. Peter donned the Rebel crown. David the Hutt filled out the final force for our 3-way battle for galactic supremacy.
In a now classic move, the Empire quickly overran the Wild Space and fortified both points of egress with starbases and the Death Star. Even with the Emperor in play on the first turn, he was safe behind layers of defenses.
The Rebels responded with an all-out assault on the Ison Corridor and gained an off-setting sector. The Hutts nearly captured the Mid Rim as well.
Even so, the Storm Troopers suffered severe losses as the force meter moved to the light side. The Hutts looked poised to win, when the Rebels made a desperate attack on the Death Star with minimal faction card assistance. Luck was with them and they were able to enter the Wild Space, defeat a second starbase, and attack Elom. Victory there resulted in the capture of the Emperor.
Game -- Rebel.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Third Consecutive Hutt Victory (sort of)
The usual suspects conspired to meet at Ric's place for tamales and burritos while Marlene was out of town. Twas a good thing that we only had a couple beers and a bottle of Cab -- lesson learned from last week.
After eating our fill, we had the usual crazy dice rolls before things settled down with Ric as Peetza da Hutt, Kent as the e-vile Emperor, and I was stuck with the luzer Rebels. The setup was a little strange with the Storm Troopers and the Rebels giving the Hutts two shots at claiming their fifth resource planet, which they eventually accepted.
The Emperor placed his first starbase on Sluis Van but both failed to sweep the Wild Spaces clear of Hutts and to block the Wild Spaces with the Death Star. Then the Rebels had an exceptional round with 8 consecutive victories as they rolled from Bespin all the way to Topowara. It looked like the Empire was already on the way down.
But the Storm Troopers slowly fought their way back from the brink of defeat, blew up Sullust and Rodia, and pretty much hammered the Rebels back into place. The Force Meter got pushed to the extreme darkside, so faction cards flooded in.
But while that was going on, the Hutts amassed 15 planets, 7 then 8 of them resource planets. When they cashed in a huge straight and thought to win the game, a single Rebel garrison at Bespin held off 7 invading Hutts and denied them victory. But with 5 new faction cards, time was running out.
The Empire made a valiant attempt to halt the Hutt swarms, but was thwarted at Nar Shaddar by a stubborn Hutt resistance. The Rebels abandoned the Ison Corridor and made a desperate effort to take out the Emperor, but they guessed poorly and only knocked out a couple ordinary starbases. The Hutts were able to capitalize on the resulting weakness and their superiority in faction cards to bring on board 7 + 4 legions to finish off the lightly held Imperial resource planets.
Victory Hutts.
After eating our fill, we had the usual crazy dice rolls before things settled down with Ric as Peetza da Hutt, Kent as the e-vile Emperor, and I was stuck with the luzer Rebels. The setup was a little strange with the Storm Troopers and the Rebels giving the Hutts two shots at claiming their fifth resource planet, which they eventually accepted.
The Emperor placed his first starbase on Sluis Van but both failed to sweep the Wild Spaces clear of Hutts and to block the Wild Spaces with the Death Star. Then the Rebels had an exceptional round with 8 consecutive victories as they rolled from Bespin all the way to Topowara. It looked like the Empire was already on the way down.
But the Storm Troopers slowly fought their way back from the brink of defeat, blew up Sullust and Rodia, and pretty much hammered the Rebels back into place. The Force Meter got pushed to the extreme darkside, so faction cards flooded in.
But while that was going on, the Hutts amassed 15 planets, 7 then 8 of them resource planets. When they cashed in a huge straight and thought to win the game, a single Rebel garrison at Bespin held off 7 invading Hutts and denied them victory. But with 5 new faction cards, time was running out.
The Empire made a valiant attempt to halt the Hutt swarms, but was thwarted at Nar Shaddar by a stubborn Hutt resistance. The Rebels abandoned the Ison Corridor and made a desperate effort to take out the Emperor, but they guessed poorly and only knocked out a couple ordinary starbases. The Hutts were able to capitalize on the resulting weakness and their superiority in faction cards to bring on board 7 + 4 legions to finish off the lightly held Imperial resource planets.
Victory Hutts.
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."
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
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!"
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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 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
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 know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Second Consecutive Hutt Victory
Once again the Hutts show their prowess, this time with Kent the Hutt leading them to victory. We knew immediately that it was going to be a probabilistically strange night on the first roll. That's when we each roll a die to see who gets to chose which side they will play. High roll gets first pick, next highest gets second pick, loser gets whatever is left over.
We rolled 1 - 1 - 1. Three losers.
In the end it was Kent the Hutt, Darth Horak, and Rebel Leader LaBan. And it was the Rebels who just cleaned our clocks with 6 after 6 after 6. Sheesh! How many sixes in a row can you roll?
The Empire took advantage of an early weakness and conquered the El'rood Sector, but one opponent or another always, just barely, managed to deny full control by the next turn. No one ever received an El'rood Sector bonus, despite it's eventual swinging over almost completely to the mad sixes of the Rebels.
On about the 3rd turn, the Empire was able to destroy a well-fortified resource planet, Ord Mantell. Between that and the Death Star on Kessel, the Hutts should have been hard pressed to find 10 resource planets.
But that was not to be. Rebel Leader Ric finally decided to extinguish the small, single Imperial garrisons in the Mid Rim and then go after the El'rood Sector in earnest. With only 3 reinforcements per turn, the Emperor was on the defensive despite having faction cards that continually undid any Rebel efforts to move the Force Meter.
In the mean time the Hutts gathered their considerable strength in the few systems they controlled. By cleverly snapping up a Storm Trooper here and a Rebel garrison there, they amassed three faction card straights. In the fifth turn, Kent the Hutt took a large force from the Core Worlds and captured 10 of the 11 "easy" resource planets.
Victory Hutts.
We rolled 1 - 1 - 1. Three losers.
In the end it was Kent the Hutt, Darth Horak, and Rebel Leader LaBan. And it was the Rebels who just cleaned our clocks with 6 after 6 after 6. Sheesh! How many sixes in a row can you roll?
The Empire took advantage of an early weakness and conquered the El'rood Sector, but one opponent or another always, just barely, managed to deny full control by the next turn. No one ever received an El'rood Sector bonus, despite it's eventual swinging over almost completely to the mad sixes of the Rebels.
On about the 3rd turn, the Empire was able to destroy a well-fortified resource planet, Ord Mantell. Between that and the Death Star on Kessel, the Hutts should have been hard pressed to find 10 resource planets.
But that was not to be. Rebel Leader Ric finally decided to extinguish the small, single Imperial garrisons in the Mid Rim and then go after the El'rood Sector in earnest. With only 3 reinforcements per turn, the Emperor was on the defensive despite having faction cards that continually undid any Rebel efforts to move the Force Meter.
In the mean time the Hutts gathered their considerable strength in the few systems they controlled. By cleverly snapping up a Storm Trooper here and a Rebel garrison there, they amassed three faction card straights. In the fifth turn, Kent the Hutt took a large force from the Core Worlds and captured 10 of the 11 "easy" resource planets.
Victory Hutts.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Ric LaBan, Lord-God-King of the Galaxy
Once again, Kent and I took things a planet too far and Ric* was able to slip it to us.
While I was able to quickly take over the Ison Corridor and was able to fend off Rebel Leader Kent's best efforts to retake the sector, the Hutt Overlord quietly summoned his strength, collected cards, and blew us away with well-timed faction card straights.
_______________
* Radioactive
The Firm
Well, I'm not uptight
Not unattractive
Turn me on tonight
'Cause I'm radioactive
Radioactive
There's not a fight
And I'm not your captive
Turn me loose tonight
'Cause I'm radioactive
Radioactive
I want to stay with you
I want to play with you, baby
I want to lay with you
And I want you to know
Got to concentrate
Don't be distractive
Turn me on tonight
'Cause I'm radioactive
Radioactive
Radioactive
Radioactive
I want to stay with you
I don't want to play with you
I want just to lay with you
And I want you to know
Got to concentrate
Don't be distractive
Turn me loose tonight
'Cause I'm radioactive, oh, yeah
Oh, yeah, radioactive
Don't you stand, stand too close
You might catch it
While I was able to quickly take over the Ison Corridor and was able to fend off Rebel Leader Kent's best efforts to retake the sector, the Hutt Overlord quietly summoned his strength, collected cards, and blew us away with well-timed faction card straights.
_______________
* Radioactive
The Firm
Well, I'm not uptight
Not unattractive
Turn me on tonight
'Cause I'm radioactive
Radioactive
There's not a fight
And I'm not your captive
Turn me loose tonight
'Cause I'm radioactive
Radioactive
I want to stay with you
I want to play with you, baby
I want to lay with you
And I want you to know
Got to concentrate
Don't be distractive
Turn me on tonight
'Cause I'm radioactive
Radioactive
Radioactive
Radioactive
I want to stay with you
I don't want to play with you
I want just to lay with you
And I want you to know
Got to concentrate
Don't be distractive
Turn me loose tonight
'Cause I'm radioactive, oh, yeah
Oh, yeah, radioactive
Don't you stand, stand too close
You might catch it
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