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

After picking up their crew from one hell of a shore leave, the newly-constructed ships of the Embers of Muaat continued their unstoppable campaign of colonization. A hyperspace jump later, two new worlds lay before them, wholly unguarded and undefended. Also, unburned. Because they hadn't been playing host to a ship's worth of drunken Muaat spacers and grunts.

Activating Resculon/Coorneed, Moving Carrier, 2x Ground Forces, 2x Fighters, Cruiser from Muaat, taking both planets with Ground Forces

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 1
Strategy Allocation: 2
Fleet Supply: 3
Activations: 2
Total in play: 8/16

TRADE
Letnev 1
Sardakk N'orr 1

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Muaat (4/1)
Lesab (2/1, Green Tech Spec)
Resculon (2/0)
Coorneed (1/2, Red Tech Spec)

UNITS
Muaat - Space Dock x1
Lesab - War Sun x1, Ground Forces x3 (shipboard), Fighters x2, Ground Forces x1 (planetside)
Resculon/Coorneed - Carrier x1, Ground Forces x1 (Resculon), Ground Forces x1 (Coorneed), Fighters x2, Cruiser x1

`Hrist is up

Will take my turn a bit later.

The Muaat lurch on to the Resculon/Coorneeq system (another one of those planet names that's hard to make out at this resolution).

Am I allowed to build anything with this turn?

Your home system remains unactivated and that's where your Space Dock is, so yes.

Actually, I believe that I tapped my home planet when the Technology phase showed up (Arc Prime). Does it automatically untap whenever it comes back to me?

In any case, the Barony Space Vampire Council of Vampires has convened and voted to construct one Carrier using three trade goods.

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

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 1
Strategy Allocation: 0
Fleet Supply: 3 (+1)
Activations: 2
Total in play: 8/16

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Arc Prime – 4/0
Wren Terra – 2/1
Qucen'n -- 1/2
Rarron -- 0/3 (Green Tech Spec)

UNITS (Deployed/Total)
Arc Prime/Wren Terra -- Space Docksx1, Dreadnoughtx1, Carrierx2, Destroyerx1, Fighterx3, Ground Forcesx2
Qucen'n -- Ground Forcesx2,
Rarron -- Carriersx1, Ground Forcesx1

TECHNOLOGIES OWNED
Hylar V Assault Laser
Antimass Deflectors
XRD Transporters – +1 Carrier movement

Am I allowed to move anything after production?

Planets untap during the Status phase or if you spent a CC on the Assembly secondary. I think that part got kind of blown past in the hubbub of voting process, so if anyone wants to retroactively do so, then do so (I did on the L1Z1X's behalf).

You could move units into your Home system from unactivated systems if you had any, but otherwise nothing can move.

In that case, I will also tap Arc Prime to build another Carrier along with two ground forces.

And don't forget you can't move units out of activated systems, so if you build on a planet, everything is stuck there until the end of the... turn? The official terminology is Turns divided into Rounds right?

The Barony's home space is getting rather cramped!



Epithet is up.

Just out of curiosity, did I spend a point from the Command Pool to do the building?

Yes, you have to spend a point and activate a system to build in one (except when using the Production strategy card, and certain Action Cards, I think).

Incidentally, I believe Epithet is up?

Alright, good to know. I'll take a command point out of the pool.

Incidentally, when do the points all refresh?

EDIT: Agh, I feel dumb. So we already passed through the Status Phase?

Nope. Once everyone is out of stuff to do, and all the strategy cards have been played, THEN comes the status phase, where you do bookkeeping, untap all your planets, redistribute what's left in your command/strategy/fleet supply pools, and get 2 more command counters to add to whichever of those. Then everyone gets new strategy cards (one of which is going to have a freebie point bribe on it of some kind, German game style) and it's back to the top.

So... spent command counters are spent. This is why there's a card that lets you buy tons more at the start of each Capital-T Turn.

It's actually a round divided into turns. Each round has a Strategy Phase, an Action Phase (with one or more turns for each player) and a Status Phase.

We're nearing the end of the Action Phase (most of us are running low on Command Counters and most Strategy Cards have been played, so I think we'll see some passes soon), and after everyone has passed we'll move on to the Status Phase and then round 2. In the Status Phase everyone refreshes all their planets, draws an Action Card and gets 2 Command Counters, among other bookkeeping stuff.

And guys, really, don't feel dumb or bad if you're confused by or forget some rules. I've read through them over a dozen times and I still have to look things up all the time. It's a damn complicated game.

Activating Warfare's primary ability to pull my CC from Perimeter space.

Actually, on second thought, I will pass on the secondary action. Carry on!

So is that secondary action a full move, with picking up GF and everything? And can they move to the same system?

You can pick up GF, since that can happen during any movement by a Carrier so long as no enemy ships are in the system you're picking up GF from (and I see no reason why the rule wouldn't apply to Stasis Capsules) and move to the same system, but I don't think you can invade the planets.

OK, from the rules:

"The ships are allowed to move into an already activated empty system(s), in which case no Command Counter is placed in the system."

So they can definitely go to the same system. But this isn't a normal activation sequence, so I'm certain they can't unload troops onto planets.

Oh, and here's the definition of empty systems from the rules, which pertains to the Warfare secondary:

"An empty system is a system completely free of units, including units belonging to the active player. In other words, an empty system is one that is free from ship, Ground Force, PDS, or Space Dock units. The system may, however, contain planets, Control Markers, and Command Counters. Special (red-bordered) Systems are not considered empty systems."

And this action is only for Cruiser/Destroyers, so no ground forces are able to be picked up.

So, in the Status phase, if we activate this action would we then retrieve an extra Command Counter into our usable stock? (fake edit - looked it up, in the Status phase all Command Counters that are on the board get placed into Reinforcements (i.e. off the player mat) and you get two of them to put into your Strategy/Fleet/Command areas. If you spend all of your CC's, then you'll just have the two new ones plus the 3 in your Fleet Supply to redistribute.)

The Yin activats this Secondary action, places a Command Counter from reserves on Tar'Mann (and moves the Destroyer from Darien Space up into Tar'Mann space.

UNITS
Darren - Space Dock x1
Arinam/Meer Space - Carrier x1
Arinam - Ground Force x1
Meer - Ground Force x1
Centauri - Ground Force x1
Gral - Ground Force x1
Centauri/Gral Space - Carrier x1, Fighter x4
Tar'Mann Space - Destroyer x1

COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 2
Strategy Allocation: 4
Fleet Supply: 3
Activations: 1
Total in play: 11/16

Well, if I can't be conquering planets with it, I have no need to activate the secondary. Some warfare.

That's what my Stasis Capsules tech is for.

Ah, got it. I keep forgetting about the Techs, probably because I haven't been able to buy a new one yet.

I pass on this secondary.

The Yin do the creep into Tar'Mann:



Looks like most everyone has made their choice on Warfare's secondary, so I'm going to take the L1Z1X's action. Anyone with a change of heart, just post your secondary moves ASAP.

The L1Z1X Mindnet's autonomous auto-assist AI (AAAAI) determines no benefit from taking the secondary of Warfare, and declines.

The AAAAI finds substantial benefit in activating the [0.0.0.] system and exhausting [0.0.0.] for 5 resources with which to build a Carrier, 2 Ground Forces and 2 Fighters.



COMMAND COUNTERS
Command Pool: 1
Strategy Allocation: 1
Fleet Supply: 3
Activations: 2
Total in play: 7/16

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
[0.0.0.] – 5/0
Mellon – 0/2
Zohbat – 3/1 (Blue tech specialty)

UNIT DEPLOYMENT
[0.0.0.] – GF x4, PDS x1, Space Dock x1
[0.0.0.] space – Carrier x1, Fighter x3
Mellon – GF x1
Zohbat – 3/1 GF x1

***GALACTIC BULLETIN***

Rumors from recent visitors to L1Z1X space suggest that the Mindnet leader ST1V, so lately obsessed with VHS tapes, has been uninstalled, and that the AAAAI is directing the race toward a new goal of conquest until a replacement leader can be found and installed.

Any individuals interested in being forcibly augmented, stripped of their individuality and tied eternally to a wailing chorus of cyborg voices are encouraged to apply by PM.

***END***

Lucas is up!

Chamberlain Shvass is unhappy with how close the borders of Mentak space are to Moll Prime and demands expansion.

Mentak uses a CC from the Command Pool (1 remaining) to activate the Dal Bootha/Xxehan system moving two Cruisers loaded with GF and claiming both planets.

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Moll Primus 4/1 - 1 GF
Tequ'ran 2/0 - 2 GF
Torkan 0/3 - 1 GF
Dal Bootha 0/2 - 1GF
Xxehan 1/1 - 1 GF

And I believe Googleshng is up.

Oh hey. I was wrong about something early on, and wrong again about something now, in a way that cancels out wonderfully, so these complicates plans can get tossed out the window, and I can freely pass on warfare.

... and then my turn comes up as I am typing that. One moment while I verify a couple things.

The Mentak Coalition expands further:

Having sent all my ships out there and used my strategy card, the only thing left to do is build! I get a freebie resource to build with thanks to my Sarween Tools, whatever the heck those are, and another from ditching this Wormhole Reconstruction card I didn't want to play earlier. Then since I smacked two of these newly settled planets into getting their acts together earlier I have 5 coming in from them. There's also Nar's 2, but I'm holding onto those for a little longer. So that's 7 resources to build with! Cue the montage music!

Exhausting Capha for 3 and Arnor for 2 resources.

Discarding Wormhole Reconstruction for 1 resource.

Activating Jol/Nar: Producing Dreadnought x1, Fighter x2, Ground Forces x2

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Jol – 1/2
Nar – 2/3
Capha – 3/0
Arnor 2/1
Lor 1/2 (Red Tech Specialty)

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

UNITS
Jol/Nar - Space Dock x1, Dreadnought x1, Fighter x2, Ground Forces x2
Capha - Ground Forces x1, PDS x1, Carrier x1, Dreadnought x1
Arnor/Lor - PDS x1, Ground Forces x3, Carrier x1, Fighter x1

Sarc is up.


Edit: Slight error in what I was building fixed and system properly marked as activated.... and oh hey, wrong SA count!

The Universities field a new fleet:



And with that it's time, at last, for:



And so the Federation of Sol's secret mission for the Destroyer in the Wormhole Beta system is revealed! By establishing control over a nearly unremarkable region of space, the humans have given themselves a base from which to negotiate a peaceful takeover of the Thibah system using option b.) of the Diplomacy Strategy Card.



As I have no units on the planet, I've placed my control marker there. These go on any planets under your control that have no standing forces present on the surface.

PLANETS (Resources/Influence)
Jord – 4/2
Vega Major – 2/1
Vega Minor – 1/2, Blue tech specialty
Lazar – 1/0
Sakulag – 2/1
Thibah – 1/1

It seems to be working well for everyone to post their secondary opt-ins as they wish, but if we have an annexation conflicts over the same planet in a system priority will go to the player with the lowest-numbered Strategy Card.

The L1Z1X Mindnet hasn't enough influence to annex, and so passes.