Although it felt like we booth got into a good start (see image below) Andrew had a bit of good luck in finding a free space dock on a powerful 5 resources world adjacent to Mecatol Rex (see green below) and wisely set up another spacedock and base beside wormhole A. With those two forward based installed, and a wise use of some hostile neutrals to cut off my advance for a turn, I lost a step in the game and he pushed hard to keep me from coming back.
Image 2 - Early turns. I was in the blue base, Andrew in the green.
As we progressed into the mid game it became apparent that despite the equal number of objective points, I was in trouble. As you can see from the third map, the big battles were mostly in my territory and numerous blockades of key systems and my inability to mount small clearing attacks due to his racial ability costing me twice as many command counters to do so meant he was able to build up an impressive lead in resources and logistics.
Image 3 - Key battles.
As we entered the end game I tried several things to come back and secure objectives to win but my empire was crumbling leaving me with few resources to do so. Andrew easily reached our agreed level of twelve and then beyond, securing what can only be described as a major victory in the process. And my first loss in 3 games.
In hindsight, I think it was a combination of Andrew's small bit of fortune on getting that early powerful spacedock base near Mecatol Rex (AND able to build on it due to Production strategy card later on that turn) along with some small misteps on my part on not securing my empire well enough. Plus it always felt like I was short fighters or infantry and constantly scrambling around to get both. Once behind a step I never really caught up.
Despite the crushing loss, it was a damn fun time and I really liked the map layout. It felt like there was good reasons to go multiple directions and use the different wormholes as well as go directly at Mecatol Rex. With a few minor changes, I would definitely replay this map and game again.
Next time Andrew, foul Arch-nemesis, next time! *shakes fist threateningly*
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Yes - I was certainly fortunate to get that space dock near Mecatol from a distant suns counter - that put me a turn ahead of my plans (I was fully intending to build one there anyhow) and the fact that I got to play the secondary ability of 'production' on the same turn meant that you could not quickly slap the outpost down (3 dreadnaughts FTW!).
ReplyDeleteIn hindsight you should probably have either slapped down the neutral force harder, or else ignored it and pushed into Mecatol quicker.
I also have a nagging suspicion that you didn't use mobile space docks to their full advantage - that's a damned powerful racial. If you had 3 on the board, moving one a turn would still mean that you could build with two, which should have been sufficient (I rarely used more than 2 spacedocks).
A fun read. I really don't even know what this game is about but I big enough dork to like the sound of it, haha!
ReplyDeleteI never mentioned this before but when I was much younger I also did the warhammer 40k thing. Space Wolves were my army! Unfortunately I really did not get much out of the hobby. It was probably the most expensive hobby I could have picked up as a 13 year old, haha. The few games I ever played were a blast, though!
These days I spend too much time on other things. I am somehow managing juggling Eve on my spare time and started playing Wow again too. One day I will have to return to tabletop games, for sure.
Wow, sounds like a great game!
ReplyDeleteMind if I know the name of the game?
Sorry, not name, but like details you know.
ReplyDeleteMy bad! Read all about it here: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/12493
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Looks like some sort of super-space-Catan (and I love Catan). You just made me want to buy it.
ReplyDeleteOMG! You had the Clan of Saar vs Barony of Letnev?
ReplyDeleteYou need to get your racial tech ASAP, anf then you can be pushing a 3 spacedock production center forward quickly, especially if you get the Production strategy. The Saar are only limited by not moving and building on the same activation; move up, build with Production. 3 spacedocks in same system with Enviro-Compensators and Sarween tools gives you (4+1)x3= 15 units per build you can crank out, with 3 free resources.
I also like the Mentak. Lots of 2 cruiser fleets, looking for lightly defended systems or fleets to pounce on.