Hyperspace lanes hurt my brain

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We had planned on starting at 10am on Saturday so everyone could make their events, but we ended up not starting until 11:40 due to alarm failures. I've now played every faction but the Keleres Council, which is banned at our table, however the new player may have convinced me they aren't as good as they seem to be. More research is needed.

But to celebrate this game I made Queen's Punch.

• 2 cups of a strong Earl Grey
• 1/3 cup Lemon Juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup Batavia Arrack (a funky white rum adjacent booze)
• 2/3 cup Port (I used tawny, instead of Ruby which might have affected the final products color) You mix that all together and then mix it with -1 cup whole milk

That milk curdles when mixed into the alcohol, because of the lemon juice, and pulls out the tannins and polyphenols. Itreally smoothing the drink out. It looks incredibly gross. If you're a sympathetic vomitter, I would advise against using this process. You let that sit in your fridge for about a day, and then strain all the curds out.

I'd post pictures, but honestly you don't want to see it.

My drink turned out orange instead of purple like the recipe indicated, I assume my port wine choice is why that happened.

It was crazy delicious and would recommend you get your mixed drink friend to make you some.

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The Players

Speaker - Winnu - Blue (U) - Me

Naluu - Yellow (Y) - Evan

Argent Flight - Orange (O) - Jordan (A new but experienced player to the group)

Nekro Virus - Red (R) - Gokul

Titans of Ul - Pink (P) - Ian

Starting Objectives:

Stage I

• Have your flagship or warsun on the game board
• Have 5 or more non-fighter ships in 1 system

Round 1

Round 1 was pretty uneventful, zero people scored a public objective. I took warfare to set myself up to take Mecatol Rex early round 2. Evan is a pretty defensive player, and Ian had to defend himself from a very aggressive Nekro Virus, so I was not super worried about getting murdered from over extension. I started with scanlink drone network, thinking I'd explore more, should have taken sarween tbh. I research AI Development Algorithm.

I forgot to take a picture after round 1, no one had scored or done anything interesting.

Round 2

Objectives

• Have your flagship or warsun on the game board
• Have 5 or more non-fighter ships in 1 system
• Have 3 units in 3 systems on the edge of the board other than home system

I end up taking diplomacy just so I can get to Mecatol before Argent Flight. I build my flagship upon taking Mecatol and score the custodian point and the secret objective. I research Cruiser II, as far as I could tell, they were likely the easiest thing for me to research that gave me a lot of flexibility.

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Round 3

Objectives

• Have your flagship or warsun on the game board (U,Y)
• Have 5 or more non-fighter ships in 1 system (R)
• Have 3 units in 3 systems on the edge of the board other than home system (O)
• Spend 8 influence
• Secret Objective: (Y)

I have a considerable number of the public objectives in the bag, but I take leadership over Imperial because I am very Command Token poor and really need to fortify my slice. Naalu discover the gamma wormhole on Everia.

I spend all my resources building plastic, Winnus starting fleet is pathetic.

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Round 4

Objectives

• Have your flagship or warsun on the game board (U,Y, P, R)
• Have 5 or more non-fighter ships in 1 system (R, U, O, Y)
• Have 3 units in 3 systems on the edge of the board other than home system (O, Y)
• Spend 8 influence
• Control more planets than each of 2 of your neighbors
• Secret Objective: (Y)

I am now positioned to make taking Imperial a good option but other players are now blocking me. I take Politics and make my neighbor speaker, now only one person is capable of blocking me and if they do I get pick of the litter.

I continue to control Mecatol and solidify my board presence. I also make a deal with Naalu to swap alliances if they give me Malice so I can score the 3 edge system public objective. It also scores me my have units in the wormhole nexus secret objective.

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Round 5

Objectives

Stage 1

• Have your flagship or warsun on the game board (U,Y, P, R, O)
• Have 5 or more non-fighter ships in 1 system (R, U, O, Y, P)
• Have 3 units in 3 systems on the edge of the board other than home system (O, Y, U, R)
• Spend 8 influence (Y)
• Control more planets than each of 2 of your neighbors (O)
• Discard 5 action cards (O) (Law based Shenanigans)
• Secret Objectives: (Y, P, U)

Stage 2

• Control a planet in an other players Home System

Titans take Imperial to block me, so I take Leadership. I use my first turn to invade Argent Flights home system and take a planet. Its a close battle, My 3 cruisers vs a flagship and PDS leaves me with 1 cruiser and 1 ground troop. I make a deal to take the planet without the spacedock if they agree to let me pop my hero before taking their home system back. He agrees. But it also has the added bonus of forcing to return to his home system with atleast 2 ships from his forward fleet and removes the possibility he can remove me from Mecatol this turn.

I score 3 points off my hero and give everyone but argent flight the ability to get a secret to smooth over the fact I was at 8 points.

It doesn't really work as soon as everyone realizes the only way to stop me from winning is taking my home system before the end of the next round. The issue is I can get 15 ground troops onto my home system before anyone can get any troops there, because they need warfare to make it happen this round.

Argent Flight player realizes he needs to leave, and convinces everyone that they can't beat me and playing another 4 hours of trying to kill me is likely a waste of time because even if you stop me, it's not really getting anyone any closer to victory.

So they concede. It does feel a bit dirty, but I'm very happy with my play and I felt I had over a 50% chance of keeping my home planet to the onslaught. My infantry hit on 6s on my home system, and I likely would have made that 5s by the end of the next round with Infantry 2 plus mechs were next on the build list. I had both 8 influence with trade goods alone and 5 action cards, and that was the 2 points I needed, I also qualified for other stage 1 objective still.

In all the hubbub I forgot to take my last couple pictures.

I'm playing a game this Saturday as the Winnu, it's my first time playing them. They're the last faction I have to play, and then I'll have played them all.

I'm having trouble deciding what starting tech I want.

Probably depends on the board arrangement, but I do know if I want to get to mecatol first I'll probably need to go blue.

Yellow start could help economically, and lends towards PDS style game play. But so does a red start.

Green start is possibly the worst start in the game unless I have like 4 tech skips.

This 4 player game we played, nearly a whole 2 weeks ago on September 30th. Been Real Busy, imgur is stupid, the works.

We've got

• Speaker - Brandon - Federation of Sol - Blue (U)
• Me - Steven - Mahact-Gene Sorcerers - Black (B)
• Cameron - Clan of Saar - Orange (O)
• Ian - Emirates of Hacan - Yellow (Y)

Game Start/Round 1

Objectives:

• 3 Systems without planets
• 3 planets with tech specialties

Pretty rough starting Objectives for sure Round 1 is pretty lame for everyone but Saar, they end up scoring 3 tech specialties and last person to pass in a round secret objective.

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Round 2

Scores

• 0 - U, B, Y
• 2 - O

Objectives:

• 3 Systems without planets
• 3 planets with tech specialties (O)
• Control 2 planets with attachments

Round 2 is very active, Clan of Saar beat me to Mecatol Rex, I was focused on scoring public objectives. I swallowed up all the resources in my slice and stretched myself pretty thin and low on command tokens.

Everyone except Clan of Saar ended up scoring on Controlling 3 empty spaces. Clan of Saar got two planet attachements.

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I ended up getting focused on Preventing Clan of Saar of scoring more points off a directive and miss an opportunity to score a point, I was probably overly cautious about getting out voted, but I was speaker, so I had to spend my votes first.

We also arranged for an extra stage 2 objectives.

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Round 3

Scores

• 1 - B
• 2 - U, Y
• 4 - O

Objectives:

Stage 1

• 3 Systems without planets (B, U, Y)
• 3 planets with tech specialties (O)
• Control 2 planets with attachments (O)
• Spend 3 influence, 3 resources, 3 trade goods

Stage 2

• Have Units in 5 systems that do not contain planets

Finally Wage war on Everyone, except Hacan, they're so far away.

I take Mecatol from Saar and I take 2 worlds from Federation of Sol. I move to make a deal with Saar, allowing them to take a needed empty space from me as I focus on other Objectives.

I score Unveil Flagship secret objective when i took Mecatol Rex and have 2 planets with attachments. I also secure a Support swap with Clan of Saar, as I both have the betrayal secret objective, and I'm certain that I can prevent him from scoring the available 2 pointers he's need by being in the way.

Hacan takes the extra stage 2 objective and a secret for 12 ground forces on a planet without a spacedock. Saar scores their last secret objective and 3 empty spaces.

Federation of Sol gets yet another free victory point from directives.

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Round 4

Scores

• 4 - B, U
• 5 - Y
• 7 - O

Objectives:

Stage 1

• 3 Systems without planets (B, U, Y, O)
• 3 planets with tech specialties (O)
• Control 2 planets with attachments (O, B)
• Spend 3 influence, 3 resources, 3 trade goods
• have units in 3 systems at the edge of the game board

Stage 2

• Have Units in 5 systems that do not contain planets (Y)

Everyone begins to bemoan how much we don't want to fight for pointless spaces on the board. which is fair, tbh.

I continue to expand my influence across the galaxy though war, I control nearly a third of the game board by the end of this round and set myself up to take Imperial next round for hopefully a big point swing.

I use my hero to destroy a large fleet of Saar's and take some empty space from them, on my march to scoring the 5 empty systems objective. I also score the betrayal objective on a combat not involving my hero.

Sol ends up using Imperial to score two phase 1 objectives this round. Saar and Hacan score one phase 1 objective. Hacan also used Imperial Rider and Confounding Legal Text to give themselves one additional point.

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Round 5

Scores

• 5 - U
• 6 - B
• 7 - Y
• 8 - O

Objectives:

Stage 1

• 3 Systems without planets (B, U, Y, O)
• 3 planets with tech specialties (O)
• Control 2 planets with attachments (O, B, U)
• Spend 3 influence, 3 resources, 3 trade goods (U)
• have units in 3 systems at the edge of the game board (O, Y)

Stage 2

• Have Units in 5 systems that do not contain planets (Y, B)
• Have a Flagship or Warsun on another players Home System or Mecatol

The way my asshole puckered when that stage 2 was revealed, that was the objective that put me in this game as real contender for winning. I had aligned myself to get Imperial and it was going to be glorious, I could easily score 4 points by then end of the round.

What happened however was a nightmare, Hacan had invested in getting their Quantum Datahub Node technology and purchased Imperial from me for a low low price of 3 fucking trade goods. Let me tell you, when trade and leadership is taken every round, Hacan is richer than the catholic church and paying that techs costs is absolutely trivial for them to do.

I spend most of the round being salty and fortify my position and pass early, I don't see a point in wasting command tokens when I don't see a clear path for anyone on the board to victory.

Saar also positions themselves for the next round and passed.

Federation of Sol wins a secret objective in a space battle in a anomaly leaving their homeworld open.

Emirates of Hacan saw an opportunity and with a flank speed action card took the federation of Sols homeworlds airspace with their Flagship and popped imperial using Fleet Logistics and won the game.

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It was at this point we learned Federation missed their window to earn their secret objective point and we gave it to them, the Hacan player also (in what I assume to be spite) ended up retconning their turn a little bit to give them a Support for the Throne, allowing them to outscore me at the end of the game.

Personally I'm saying we tied for last at 6 points.

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Finals Results

Scores

• 6 - Mahact-Gene Sorcerers
• 7 - Federation of Sol
• 8 - Clan of Saar
• 10 - Emirates of Hacan

Objectives:

Stage 1

• 3 Systems without planets (B, U, Y, O)
• 3 planets with tech specialties (O)
• Control 2 planets with attachments (O, B, U)
• Spend 3 influence, 3 resources, 3 trade goods (U)
• have units in 3 systems at the edge of the game board (O, Y)

Stage 2

• Have Units in 5 systems that do not contain planets (Y, B)
• Have a Flagship or Warsun on another players Home System or Mecatol (Y)

Notes

Our Next game will be sometime in November and I'll finally play my last faction (Winnu) There are a couple factions I've only played in Third Edition or pre PoK Fourth Edition, but my next goal will be to play all the factions in Fourth that I haven't played as yet. And I may finally pick my main, or I'll start an insane quest to win with every faction. We'll see.

My superfriend Naas-Rohka were able to snag a down to the wire fifth round victory; first time playing as them and they were ridiculously fun. We’re working on getting another game on the calendar asap!

I got the crazy idea of having a drink of the game, and so I made Philadelphia Fish House Punch. I got this recipe from dropout.tv

• 1 cup rum
• 1/2 cup second rum
• 6 oz Peach Brandy
• 6 oz Cognac
• 1 cup Lemon Juice
• Oleo Saccrum (6 lemon rinds macerated in 3/4 cup of sugar)
• 4 cups of water

It kept the five of us pretty buzzed for most of the 8 hr game we played. It was quite delicious. There were 2 cups worth left at the end, so its probably a good amount for a 6 player game.

The Game

Factions

• Vuil'Raith Cabal (Red - started speaker, has a beef with me from last game)
• Argent Flight (Orange - me)
• Federation of Sol (Blue - a very strong player who missed last game)
• Barony of Letnev (Black - Pretty chill dude)
• Titans of Ul (Pink - the newest player in the group, also missed last game)

Round 1

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• Spend 8 Influence
• Have units on the edge of the board in 3 systems

They were pretty rough and no one really did much round 1, I got most of the way to 3 units on the edge and set myself up to take MR round 2. I took technology and got myself Self Assembly Routines, my only tech skip was green, which was a color I wasn't going to dabble in at all.

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Round 2

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• Spend 8 Influence
• Have units on the edge of the board in 3 systems
• Have 4 Structures

I took leadership specifically to get to MR before Federation of Sol. Gaining myself a point, I also complete the 3 systems at the edge of the game board. I'm also 3 cups deep into the punch, I'm very buzzed. I also unlock my commander. I attempt to fly my destroyer at the gravity rift to mecatol to complete a secret objective but it exploded.

Vuil'Raith gets Titans Support for the Throne.

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Round 3

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• Spend 8 Influence [B]
• Have units on the edge of the board in 3 systems [O]
• Have 4 Structures [R,P]
• Have a flagship or Warsun on the game board.

Here I make my first mistake and take Imperial hoping to get a free point off MR instead of fortifying my position. It had two trade goods on it, and I was feeling very surly. Federation of Sol immediately kicks me off Mecatol before I can pop imperial, they knew what I was planning on doing. I end up scoring spend 8 influence off Imperial and scoring Have 4 structures at the end of the round. Barony, Sol, and Vuil'raith all score secret objectives. I also have Alpha Strike IIs.

Important Law is passed, Wormholes no longer allow for movement through them.

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We break for lunch/dinner (Its 3 pm, we started at noon) and get some Indian food, its delicious.

Round 4

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• Spend 8 Influence [B,O]
• Have 3 ships on the edge of the system [O]
• Have 4 Structures [R,P,O]
• Have a flagship or Warsun on the game board. [U,B,P,R]
• Have 3 tech skips []

Round 4 is a very combat heavy round, Vuil'Raith take the skies of Mecatol from Federation of Sol, but fail to take the planet. I'm after him in turn order, before Sol gets to go and Orbital drop more stupid fucking ground forces, I try to negotiate with Vuil'Raith to retreat in the face of my 5 destoryers, he doesn't take the offer, so I move forward with the combat, and roll 16 anti-fighter barrage dice, I got 7 hits, so all of his sustain damage ships start the combat damaged. He retreats and got 0 things for it. I end up destroying his carrier in combat. I also win the ground war against Sol, who still got to poop a guy because of his commander, and reclaimed my throne.

At the end of the round I score having my flagship on the board and I score the secret objective Controlling Mecatol and having at least 3 ships in the system. I also finagled Vuil'Raiths support for the throne.

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Round 5

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Phase 1

• Spend 8 Influence [B,O]
• Have 3 ships on the edge of the system [O]
• Have 4 Structures [R,P,O,U,B]
• Have a flagship or Warsun on the game board. [U,B,P,R,O]
• Have 3 tech skips [P]

Phase 2

• Have your Flagship or Warsun in another players home system or Mecatol Rex. []

This round goes very badly for me, I have no clear paths to any public objectives, or secret objectives that aren't all out war deep into fortified enemy territory. Vuil'Raith invades the system next to my home planet with their Flagship and Sol does the same to my other system sans flagship, they're trying to score 3 systems at the edge. I retailiate against Vuil'raith because clearly their plan is to move on my home system next round and lose their Support for the Throne, I can't take back the planet though. I end up using my hero to consolidate my forces near home. I score 0 points, which feels hella bad. I had a plan to use my hero to blockade Sols homesystem with my flagship, but they built at home before I could do it.

I'm also booted off Mecatol by and enormous Barony of Letnev fleet.

Federation of Sol and Titans of Ul have both scored all their secret objectives.

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Round 6

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Phase 1

• Spend 8 Influence [B,O]
• Have 3 ships on the edge of the system [U,P,O]
• Have 4 Structures [R,P,O,U,B]
• Have a flagship or Warsun on the game board. [U,B,P,R,O]
• Have 3 tech skips [P]

Phase 2

• Have your Flagship or Warsun in another players home system or Mecatol Rex. [B]
• Have Structures on 5 planets outside your home system []

Barony already has this second stage 2 on the board, but they're prevented from taking Imperial.

Titans of Ul run a terror Campaign against Barony, they take one planet with a structure and planet crack another (The artifact that lets them destroy a planet). Federation of Sol, tries to take Mecatol and fails, their 10 ground troops rolled terribly against 3 Durain Armored, Ecluidian Shielded Mechs of the Letnev. Letnev lost 0 ground forces that fight, it was insane.

I take the skies next to my home planet again, but not the ground from Sol. I am completely starved of tactic tokens, and do very little else this round.

I trade Vuil'Raith my Support for the throne for their faction promisary note, in order to get my fleet off that gravity rift next round. I end up trading the promissory note to Barony of Letnev so they can attempt to take a third system near the edge, in exchange for their support. Titans got 5 PDS shots on 2 Barony Cruisers and destroy them.

Vuil'Raith end up trading them their support for the throne, becuase they can score and if the game ends during this scoring round they'll be tied for last with me at 7 points, which is the most points they'll have ever scored in a game.

Letnev score a secret objective and win the game.

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Final Scores

• Barony of Letnev - 10
• Federation of Sol - 8
• Titans of UI - 8
• Vuil'Raith - 7
• Argent Flight - 7

Playing Argent Flight this weekend, never played them before, so I'm looking for tips and hints. I've done some reading already.

It's going to be a 6 player game, looking like Hacan, Sol, Mentak, Vuil'Raith and undecided so far.

We draft the map when we play, so there isn't advance planning.Seating also undecided, it's all decided randomly on game day.

I've noticed the 0 capacity cost mechs and the 1 capacity Destroyers.

Pretty sure I want sarween tools and plasma scoring as my starting techs for PDS II and Strike Wing Alpha II.

And my second red tech to be self-assembly routines for that sweet mech goodness.

Hoping for a red skip in my slice for an early assault cannon. If there's 2 red tech skips in my slice again, I may take psychoarcheology instead of self assembly routines. (see my Titans Of Ul post game for details)

Round 1 technology or trade seems like the best 2 options hands down. So unless I get lucky on speaker token, I'll likely have to take trade.

If you are on this community there is a fair chance you have already seen this but I thought it could be an interesting thing for any newcomers that are interested in what a game of this actually looks like.

This is the Third Edition of the game so it does look slightly different but it's the same experience in the end.

This was one of the first videos I watched when I heard of this game and within a couple days I was unwrapping it and playing it 3 days in a row with my uni house mates so it's weirdly nostalgic to watch from time-to-time.

Pretty straightforward, not "what faction do you win as?" But just favourite generally to play, fun mechanics, theme etc.

Mine is probably the Mentak, I really like their pillage ability and faction techs. Having alternative ways of getting income other than trade is just very appealing. When playing them irl on the table as the literal pirate faction and extorting people then watching the reactions and pushing how far you can go with it, such as doing a trade with someone and then using pillage immediately to gain money back, is just very TI in my opinion.

Red - Barony of Letnev

Pink - Titans of Ul

Yellow - Winnu

Green - Arborec

Round 1

I have a galaxy brain

My secret objective is have 4 cultural planets, there are 3 in my slice and several near to my slice, this will be fine. My slice starts with a red, blue, and yellow tech skips.

I snag warfare and construction. I took warfare to prevent Winnu from taking it, because if they get to mecatol first, they are very sticky there. I use construction to deploy mechs at the front. Sleeper tokens will take care of my PDS needs very quickly. I end up with 2 blue tech skips and a red tech skip. I score no points. I grab Psychoarchaeology, I have so many tech skips. I also have explored a gamma wormhole. Basically I qualify for every unit upgrade now that isn't a war sun, and I can grab Lightwave Deflectors at any moment I want.

Round 2

I make enemies with the Winnu

I snag Leadership and Imperial. I take Mecatol. I now also have a yellow tech skip. Technology is played and I take Saturn Engine II. I am now a terror upon the galaxy. I pop Imperial and catch up my missed objective and have 3 points. I score another point at the end of the round for my 4th point.

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Round 3

I'm rich!

I get Construction and Technology, this is a very funny round. I use construction to put 2 PDS on mecatol. I use technology to get Hel Titan II. I deploy my capital ship at a system near home. I use the action card scuttle to trade my dreadnought and Captial ship in for 12 trade goods. Redeploy the Capital ship at Mecatol Rex. I draw another secret objective, it's have 8 production in one system, lol.

Score my third public objective, unlock my hero, I'm at 5 points.

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Round 4

Everything is coming up milhouse

I take diplomacy and technology. I immediately unlock my hero and now am poised to score my secret objective, my home system has 9 production just from the spacedock.

Barony and the rest of the table are starting to rumble about me squatting at Mecatol. Barony sets a 7 ship fleet next to mecatol, but leaves his home system completely unguarded. I swoop in and steal it, he now is going to have to take at least 4 of those ships home if he wants his home system. I've completely killed his whole round. I double technology research for Self Assembly Routines and Duranium Armor, I'm concerned for my safety. Winnu have a warsun, arborec is a big Ole murder ball heading my way.

There's wheeling and dealing on the order of attack next round, I am unable to do much of value with diplomacy, I protect an empty system that just has some Sleeper tokens.

I score my secret objective for production and a public objective. I have 7 points. First 2 point objective is revealed, have structures on 5 non-home planets. (Gasp I already have that on the board, I am unsure anyone has noticed, and even they destroy up to 3 of then I can rebuild them quickly, I'm Titans of UL.)

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Round 5

Spoiler alert, I give everyone combat blue balls.

I'm second in picking order, and I manage to snag Imperial. On the snaking order back, Diplomacy is still on the table and I take it because well, it let's me go second.

Winnu are up first, they pop leadership. They need the command tokens. I'm like sweating trying to keep my cool until it's my turn. Everyone does their tokens, I don't buy any, I already have so many. There's only 3 still in my reinforcements.

I get confirmation it's my turn, I pop Imperial and win the game. Everyone's mouth is agape, apparently noone noticed I already had PDS on 5 different planets.

Titans - 10

Arborec - 6

Winnu - 4

Barony - 4

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Had spun this up since r/TwilightImperium on Reddit is the only sub I used and since Boost will no longer work with Reddit and is moving to Lemmy thought I'd try Lemmy out.