RftG

End-of-round summary:

Round 2
chrismg
Layout
Epsilon Eridani (Non-Military World)
Public Works (Development)
Rebel Fuel Cache (Military Brown Windfall World)

Cards in Hand: 6
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 3
6-Cost Developments: 0

omnis
Layout
Alpha Centauri (Non-Military Brown Windfall World)
Expedition Force (Development)
Comet Zone (Non-Military Brown Production World) + good

Cards in Hand: 5
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 3
6-Cost Developments: 0

Laga
Layout
New Sparta (Military World)
New Military Tactics (Development)
Former Penal Colony (Military Blue Windfall World) + good

Cards in Hand: 3
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 3
6-Cost Developments: 0

Connie Neil
Layout
Earth's Lost Colony (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
Spice World (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good

Cards in Hand: 3
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 2
6-Cost Developments: 0

VP Pool: 48

RFTG

I'm going to need reminded what's in my hand.

RftG

It should be with you now. (I send out hand and layout updates after every turn, so if it doesn't arrive, let me know. That could be the case here, my email's acting up in odd ways just now.)

rftg

Received and responded and make it so

I swear I read the manual but yes BT is really dragging me along.

Yeah, I read it twice, and still getting schooled. And I mean that in the nicest way. BT is really sweet and helpful! Do not feel bad. Lots of symbols. Lots to learn.

I stand firmly behind the statement that last game, I had better beginners luck than the others.

Yay I'm the beginner this time!

RftG

Everyone has made their choice:

chrismg: Phase II - Develop
omnis: Phase I (+1/+1) - Explore (draw +1 card, keep +1 card)
Laga: Phase IV ($) - Consume (Trade)
Connie Neil: Phase III - Settle

Four phases! We'll be busy this round. Phase I is first. Most players will look at 2 cards and keep 1; the exception is omnis, who chose this phase. He looks at and keeps 1 extra card; plus, Expedition Force lets him look at another additional card. He looks at 4 cards and keeps 2.

Cards are going out now. Everyone, please let me know which card(s) you keep. We'll then be having both Phases II (Develop) and III (Settle). If you haven't got COs in for those phases yet, you can send me those too.

RftG

Everyone has made their choice, which leads us to Phase II. Everyone has something to play here.

chrismg chose this phase, so he gets -1 off the cost of his play, which is Colony Ship for 1 discard. In a later Phase III, he may discard this card from his layout in order to play a single non-military, non-Alien world at no (other) cost. He then draws a card, due to Public Works.

omnis plays Diversified Economy for 4 discards. This card lets him consume 3 goods of different kinds (colours) for 3 VPs; he also draws 1 card per kind of good produced in Phase V.

Laga plays Export Duties for 1 discard. She draws 1 extra card whenever she trades a good.

Connie plays Contact Specialist for 1 discard. She may now play non-Alien military worlds as if they were military (i.e. by discarding cards rather than military strength), at their defence minus 1. Just as well, as she also now has -1 military strength.

Phase III is next. I don't have everyone's orders yet. Anyone who hasn't done so yet, let me know what you play.

RftG

omnis and Laga both pass on Phase III. chrismg plays Galactic Engineers for 2 discards. He now receives an extra card whenever he trades a good, and may produce a good on one windfall world in Phase V. (He currently has a windfall world, Rebel Fuel Cache.)

Connie chose this phase, and plays Empath World for 1 discard. This gives her another -1 to her military strength, for a total of -2. Damn hippies. It's also a Green windfall world. Since she chose Phase III, she finishes by drawing a card.

RftG

We close out the round with Phase IV. chrismg has no trade goods, while omnis has a trade good but not trade powers that worl on a single good. They both pass.

Laga chose Phase IV ($), and trades her one Blue good. She gets an extra card from Export Duties, for a total of 3 cards.

Connie has three goods, but just one Consume power. She consumes the Blue good on Earth's Lost Colony, at Earth's Lost Colony, for 1 VP.

That concludes Round 3. Time to choose Action cards for Round 4! Everyone, if you haven't done so already, please send me your choice.