You *thought* I was the Evil Empire, but, ha! The Rebel Homeworld and Rebel Underground are mine! Are they my shills? Am I really supporting them in a ruse against something far more nefarious! We may never know!

(Hell if I know how to win, I just like telling weird stories with my cards)

You *thought* I was the Evil Empire, but, ha! The Rebel Homeworld and Rebel Underground are mine! Are they my shills? Am I really supporting them in a ruse against something far more nefarious! We may never know!

Given that you acquired them both through military conquest, I'd say they are most likely the footrests for your jackbooted feet.

the footrests for your jackbooted feet.

Ahmed, bring me a drink!

RftG

I have everyone's choices for Round 10.

omnis: Phase V - Produce
askye: Phase V - Produce
Connie Neil: Phase III - Settle
chrismg: Phase II - Develop

Very interesting. This round we will have Phases II, III and V; Phase II (Develop) is first. omnis and chrismg both draw a card. Everyone, if you haven't yet, please send me orders for Phases II and III.

For the record, I call dibs on the next game. I feel I have an 80% grasp on what the heck is going on, and want more.

(what? Me? addictive personality? I do not know what you are talking about. MOAR!!)

RftG

I have orders for Phase II and Phase III. Will the game end this round? Phase II:

omnis plays Free Trade Association for 6 discards. This 6-cost development lets him consume up to 3 Blue goods for 1 VP and 1 card each. It also lets him produce a good on one Blue windfall world. More importantly at this stage, at game end it is worth 2 VPs for each Blue production world, plus 1 VP for each Blue windfall world, and also 2 VPs for each of Expanding Colony and Consumer Markets. omnis has three Blue production worlds and Consumer Markets, so currently it's worth 8 VPs.

askye passes on playing a development.

Connie plays Diversified Economy for 4 discards. She can consume 3 goods of different kinds for 3 VPs, and draws a card ffor each different kind of good she produces.

chrismg plays Galactic Renaissance for 3 discards. When exploring, he may look at 2 extra cards and keep 1 extra. At game end, this card is worth a third of chrismg's consumption VPs, plus 3 VPs for each of Research Labs, Galactic Trendsetters and Artist Colony. He has Research Labs and 5 VPs; this is worth 4 VPs. It also adds 2 VPs to the value of Galactic Federation.

chrismg's layout now contains 11 cards. Phase III is next. If he plays a world, the game will end this round.

RftG

Phase III! omnis opens proceedings by passing. How dull.

askye plays the one card in her hand, Secluded World. This is a Blue production world, that lets her consume a good for 1 card. Thanks to Replicant Robots, it costs nothing to play it.

Connie plays Rebel Outpost, her third conquest over the rebels. Its defence of 5 is easily overwhelmed, and adds 1 to her own strength. She then draws a card for choosing this Phase.

chrismg... passes on playing a world. The game continues to the next round!

RftG

omnis and askye, living in hope, both chose Phase V. Everyone produces new trade goods.

omnis produces 3 Blue goods. He chose this round, so he also produces a Brown good on his windfall world. He draws 4 cards for his troubles, 1 from Gem World and 3 from Consumer Markets.

askye also chose this round, so she produces on a windfall world as well, Alpha Centauri. She produces 2 Blue goods, 2 Brown goods and a Yellow good. She draws a card for producing on Comet Zone. She also produces more Brown goods than any other player, so she draws 2 more cards from Mining Conglomerate for 3 total.

Connie produces a Green good on Malevolent Lifeformms, and draws 1 card from Rebel Underground.

Chris produces 2 Blue goods and draws 2 cards from Merchant Guild.

Cards are going out now.

RftG

And that concludes Round 10. The sun rises on a brand new Round 11. Two players are on 11 cards in their layout, and we have a full deck of goods. I will be very surprised to see this game go to round 12, so smoke 'em if you've got 'em. Everyone, send me your choice of action card for Round 11.

RftG

End-of-round summary:

Round 10
omnis_audis
Layout
Epsilon Eridani (Non-Military World)
Rebel Fuel Cache (Military Brown Windfall World) + good
Interstellar Bank (Development)
Terraforming Robots (Development)
Gem World (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
New Survivalists (Military Blue Production World) + good
Consumer Markets (Development)
Galactic Trendsetters (Non-Military World)
Space Port (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
Free Trade Association (6-Cost Development)

Cards in Hand: 6
Victory Points: 12
Layout Value: 14

askye
Layout
Alpha Centauri (Non-Military Brown Windfall World) + good
Investment Credits (Development)
Comet Zone (Non-Military Brown Production World) + good
Prosperous World (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
Replicant Robots (Development)
Empath World (Non-Military Green Windfall World)
Mining Conglomerate (Development)
Alien Robotic Factory (Non-Military Yellow Production World) + good
Secluded World (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good

Cards in Hand: 3
Victory Points: 7
Layout Value: 16

Connie Neil
Layout
New Sparta (Military World)
Former Penal Colony (Military Blue Windfall World)
Malevolent Lifeforms (Military Green Production World) + good
Lost Alien Warship (Military Yellow Windfall World)
Export Duties (Development)
Trade League (6-Cost Development)
Drop Ships (Development)
Rebel Homeworld (Military World)
Rebel Underground (Military World)
Diversified Economy (Development)
Rebel Outpost (Military World)

Cards in Hand: 6
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 28

chrismg
Layout
Earth's Lost Colony (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
Interstellar Bank (Development)
Contact Specialist (Development)
Spice World (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
Avian Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World)
Galactic Federation (6-Cost Development)
Pirate World (Military Blue Windfall World)
Merchant Guild (6-Cost Development)
Research Labs (Development)
Outlaw World (Military World)
Galactic Renaissance (6-Cost Development)

Cards in Hand: 6
Victory Points: 5
Layout Value: 11

VP Pool: 24