My Space Fleet is Invincible! — Let's Play Twilight Imperium Third Edition

I... I don't believe this. I really don't.

Ground Force Attacks! 10 - 6 - 8 (Avg: 8.0) - Two hits, and one of my Ground Forces turns into Shock Troops.

I'll take the hit on the Ground Force that rolled the "6" - traitorous fuckers.

Incidentally, since Shock Troops always have to be accompanied by a standard Ground Force, what happens if one's only Ground Force on a planet turns into a Shock Troops? Does it go crazy and commit suicide at the end of the combat?

Edit: Whoops! +1s from Warfare II only apply to ships, not GFs. Doesn't change the outcome, though - 10 and 8 are still two hits.

Anyone can play an Action Card once someone tries to play one. The cards are then revealed clockwise from the Speaker.

Well, crap. Next round, I guess! In the meantime my ships hover menacingly, waiting.

If your Shock Troop is ever left alone it turns into a regular GF. They don't go mad and die or anything.

This is true! But outside of Sabotage I don't think there's anything anyone can play that can affect someone else's space battle, so I skipped that part. I suppose someone could have Sabotaged Egarwaen's Direct Hit on my behalf. More fool I for pressing on, in that case.

That was exciting. Now Epithet is up!

Activating home space, and moving Carrier x1 from Vefut II into the system. Tapping my remaining planets for three resources to produce a Cruiser and two Ground Forces.

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 0
Strategy Allocation: 2
Fleet Supply: 3

UNITS
Home space - Fighter x3, Carrier x1, Cruiser x1
Quinarra - PDS x1, GF x3, Space Dock x1
Perimeter space - Dreadnought x1,
Perimeter - GF x1
Vefut II - GF x1
A/L/A space - Cruiser x1
Abyz/Fria - Cruiser x1, Carrier x1, Fighter x1
Abyz - GF x1
Fria - GF x1


PLANETS
Quinarra – 3/1
Tren’lak – 1/0
Ashtroth 2/0
Abbadon 1/0 (red tech specialty)
Loki 1/2
Perimeter 2/2
Abyz 3/0
Fria 2/0 (Blue tech specialty)
Vefut II 2/0 (red tech specialty)

The L1Z1X Mindnet will pass.

1. Lucas — PASSED
2. Googleshng — PASSED
3. `Hrist — PASSED
4. Severian — PASSED
5. Egarwaen (SPEAKER) — PASSED
6. Sarcasmorator — PASSED
7. Epithet — Technology II
8. L1Z1X Mindnet — PASSED

Back to `Hrist.

Jumbo

I pass.

severian's up!

WOW busy day here. Couple quick questions-
1- The trade good deal with those two planets is an extra trade good generated in the status phase, not some immediate freebie that would make it so that I actually could have afforded to build what I wanted to rather than pass last time around, right?
2- ACK! When did Sev move that dreadnought all right up in my face? Friendly or not that's an alarming sight!

1. Correct. The way it works is, in the Status Phase, right after you refresh all your planets, you would exhaust Tsion again to get 2 Trade Goods (or Fighters, for Mirage, though they don't have any Carrier support at the moment and would just die). So you basically either get the immediate benefit, OR you have the planet available during the next round, but not both.

2. severian did that a while back, shortly before the big fight for Mecatol Rex, and offered assurances that they're not after you and please don't fire at them.

Oh, it's 2 trade goods? So... is there any reason beyond voting that you wouldn't want to always do that for those two? As I understand it, trade goods can be used for anything else resource or influence can, and in addition to saving them for later, it keeps them safe against someone swiping the planet before you exhaust it, no?

Yeah, it's 2 TG. The tile just says what type you get; the tabletop versions' planet cards say how many. This being PBF, though, we're not playing with the planet cards, so I put all the refresh-ability benefits on the reference map.

Not a lot of reasons not to use it, I think. With Assembly's secondary you could even still untap it for the 2/2. The only real reasons I could see to leave it untapped would be if you're planning for a vote, or if you want to keep Lucas from stealing a Trade Good during the Strategy Phase (he can take 1 from up to two players who have 3+).

The Yin activate Darien with our last Command Counter, and buy stuff. We exhaust Darien, Arinam, and Centauri for 6 resources, spend 2 Trade Goods, and throw away one Action Card for a total of 9. We buy one Dreadnought, one Cruiser, and one PDS.

CONSUMABLES
Action Cards: 2
Trade Goods: 0

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 0
Strategy Allocation: 2
Fleet Supply: 4
Activations: 3
Total in play: 9/16

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Darien – 4/2*
Arinam - 1/2, Blue Tech Specialty
Meer - 0/4
Centauri - 1/3
Gral - 1/1, Blue Tech Specialty
Tar'Mann - 1/1
Usis - 2/2
Velnor - 2/0, Red Tech Specialty

UNITS (Deployed/Total)
Space Docks: 1/3, Darien x1
Ground Forces: Arinam x1, Meer x1, Centauri x1, Gral x1, Usis x1, Velnor x1
Shock Troops: 0
PDS: 1/6, Darien x1
Fighters: Usis/Velnor Space x4,
Carriers: 2/4, South Wormhole x1, Usis/Velnor Space x1
Destroyers: 1/8, Usis/Velnor Space x1
Cruisers: 1/8, Darien x1
Dreadnoughts: 3/5, Darien x2, South Wormhole x1
War Suns: 0/2

Egarwaen is up!

You can only discard Political Cards as Trade Goods. You can't do it with Action Cards.

Then I'll discard my last Political card instead.

Action Cards: 3
Political Cards: 0

The Embers of Muaat, being out of Command Pool, will Pass.

I'll spend a CC from Strategy Allocation to put 2 GF on Arcturus.

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 2
Strategy Allocation: 0
Fleet Supply: 5
Activations: 1
Total in play: 8

EDIT: Oops, just noticed I forgot to delete that Destroyer from Wormhole Beta. I'll fix for the next map.

Epithet is up.

I've actually got a fighter and cruiser in Abyz/Fria in addition to the carrier, and only three fighters in home space.

The N'orr are nothing if not sympathetic to the plight of their allies. When they feel like it. Hopefully this act of petty revenge will help Egarwaen feel a bit better.

Playing Local Unrest (38) as an action and using it to destroy Vega Major's one Ground Force, reverting it to neutral status.

CONSUMABLES
Action Cards: 1
Political Cards: 1
Trade Goods: 3

Man, I don't know why I have so much trouble keeping up with your moves. Can you post a full rundown of where your units are supposed to be? That way I can be sure I've done it all right.

Also, :C

Back to severian.

I do feel a bit better!

On the other hand, my Ground Forces apparently have Balls and/or Ovaries of Fire. So there's that.

I would say steel, but I'm pretty sure it's inaccurate. Of course, this makes it sound like they got some kind of nasty venereal disease on Velour, so...

I've been posting a full list of my units by their positions whenever I shuffle them around, so here it is:

Home space - Fighter x3, Carrier x1, Cruiser x1
Quinarra - PDS x1, GF x3, Space Dock x1
Perimeter space - Dreadnought x1,
Perimeter - GF x1
Vefut II - GF x1
A/L/A space - Cruiser x1
Abyz/Fria - Cruiser x1, Carrier x1, Fighter x1
Abyz - GF x1
Fria - GF x1

Thanks. I knew you had before, but I wanted to make sure I had all the current positions in one place because I mixed things up even looking at your moves the last time. :P

Oh my God you guys.

I'm trying to think of what the Jol-Nar (?) guy on the left reminds me of, but I can't figure it out.

Oh, yeah. The first edition. FFG's first game! After failing at the import comic biz, as I recall. Had cardboard chits for units, all that.

The Jol-Nar looks a bit like the phage-afflicted guys from Star Trek: Voyager. And the Hacan cat in the middle there looks a bit like Keith David.

The space vampire just looks sleepy, and the rest ...

...

...

Sorry for the delay, was in the back country where cell phones are only used for phones.

The Yin Pass.

CONSUMABLES
Action Cards: 3


Political Cards: 0

Trade Goods: 0

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 0
Strategy Allocation: 2
Fleet Supply: 4
Activations: 3
Total in play: 9/16


PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Darien – 4/2*
Arinam - 1/2, Blue Tech Specialty
Meer - 0/4
Centauri - 1/3
Gral - 1/1, Blue Tech Specialty
Tar'Mann - 1/1
Usis - 2/2
Velnor - 2/0, Red Tech Specialty


TECHNOLOGIES OWNED
Hylar V Assault Laser - Cruisers and Destroyers gain +1 on combat rolls
Automated Defense Turrets - Destroyer Anti-Fighter Barrage gains 1 extra die and +2 to hit
Antimass Deflectors: Move through Asteroid Fields
XRD Transporters: Carriers gain +1 movement
Cybernetics: Fighters receive +1 on all combat rolls

UNITS (Deployed/Total)
Space Docks: 1/3, Darien x1
Ground Forces: Arinam x1, Meer x1, Centauri x1, Gral x1, Usis x1, Velnor x1
Shock Troops: 0
PDS: 1/6, Darien x1
Fighters: Usis/Velnor Space x4,
Carriers: 2/4, South Wormhole x1, Usis/Velnor Space x1
Destroyers: 1/8, Usis/Velnor Space x1
Cruisers: 1/8, Darien x1
Dreadnoughts: 3/5, Darien x2, South Wormhole x1
War Suns: 0/2

Trade Contracts
Yin 1 to Googleshng in exchange for Jol-Nar 1
Yin 1 to Lucas in exchange for Mentak 1

VICTORY POINTS: 1

Sarcasmorator is up!

I think you're giving away more info than you meant to, sev.

The Federation of Sol passes.

Epithet is up!

Whew, thanks.

I pass.

On to the Status Phase, then!

A reminder of the phases (with no strike-throughs, since we've done this a few times now):

1. Each player may claim ONE Public Objective they qualify for, as well as their Secret Objective if they qualify for it; if any player reaches 10 points during this step, he or she wins immediately
2. Damaged ships are repaired
3. Command Counters on the board are removed to each player's reinforcements
4. Planets are refreshed
5. Each player receives 1 Action Card and 2 Command Counters
6. Command Counters may be redistributed between the Command Pool, Strategy Allocation and Fleet Supply
7. Strategy Cards are returned, and the game proceeds to a new Strategy Phase

Our current Public Objectives, each worth 1 Victory Point:

� I am blockading an opponent's Space Dock.

� I spend 3 Command Counters. (Googleshng, Sarcasmorator, Epithet, Lucas)

� I control Planets with total Influence greater than the players to my right and left. (L1Z1X Mindnet, Googleshng, `Hrist)

The Federation of Sol can claim no objectives this Status Phase.

I draw Action Card 34 and take 3 CCs, placing 2 in Strategy Allocation and 1 in Command Pool.

I exhaust Sumerian for 2 Trade Goods after it is refreshed.

CONSUMABLES
Action Cards: 2
Political Cards: 0
Trade Goods: 2

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 3
Strategy Allocation: 2
Fleet Supply: 5
Activations: 0
Total in play: 10/16

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Jord – 4/2
Vega Minor – 1/2, Blue tech specialty
Lazar – 1/0
Sakulag – 2/1
Thibah – 1/1
Arcturus – 1/1
Sumerian – 2/2, Refresh Ability: 2 Trade Goods

TECHNOLOGIES OWNED
Antimass Deflectors (pass through Asteroid Fields)
Cybernetics (+1 to Fighter rolls)
XRD Transporters (+1 to Carrier movement)
Enviro Compensator (+1 to Space Dock production capacity)

UNITS (Deployed/Total)
Space Docks: 2/3
Ground Forces: 6
Shock Troops: 0
PDS: 0/6
Fighters: 2
Carriers: 1/4
Destroyers: 0/8
Cruisers: 1/8
Dreadnoughts: 1/5
War Suns: 0/2

UNIT DEPLOYMENT
Jord space: Cruiser x1, Fighter x2
Jord: Space Dock x1
Vega Minor: GF x1
Lazar: GF x1
Sakulag: GF x1
Thibah: Space Dock x1
Arcturus: GF x3
Mecatol Rex space: Dreadnought x1, Carrier x1

TRADE CONTRACTS
Jol-Nar 3
Letnev 1

VICTORY POINTS: 2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The L1Z1X Mindnet qualifies for no objectives this Status Phase.

The Mindnet draws Action Card 103 and takes 2 Command Counters, placing both in Command Pool.

CONSUMABLES
Action Cards: 3
Political Cards: 0
Trade Goods: 1

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 2
Strategy Allocation: 1
Fleet Supply: 5
Activations: 0
Total in play: 8/16

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
[0.0.0.] – 5/0
Mellon – 0/2
Zohbat – 3/1, Blue tech specialty
Rigel I – 0/1
Rigel II – 1/2
Rigel III – 1/1, Blue tech specialty
Quann – 2/1, Green tech specialty

TECHNOLOGIES OWNED
Enviro Compensator
Stasis Capsules
Cybernetics
Hylar V Assault Laser
Deep Space Cannon

UNITS (Deployed/Total)
Space Docks: 2/3
Ground Forces: 9
Shock Troops: 0
PDS: 2/6
Fighters: 7
Carriers: 2/4
Destroyers: 0/8
Cruisers: 3/8
Dreadnoughts: 4/5
War Suns: 0/2

UNIT DEPLOYMENT
[0.0.0.] – Space Dock x1, PDS x2
[0.0.0.] space: Dreadnought x2, Fighter x3
Mellon: Ground Force x1
Zohbat: Ground Force x1
Mellon/Zohbat space: Carrier x1, Fighter x2
Rigel I: GF x1
Rigel II: GF x1
Rigel III: GF x1
Rigel Space: Carrier x1, Fighter x3
Quann: GF x1
Quann Space: Cruiser x3 (GF x1 each), Destroyer x1, Dreadnought x1

TRADE CONTRACTS
L1Z1X 1
L1Z1X 1

VICTORY POINTS: 2