Everyone has to be in the right mindset for it to work well, IMO.

I've only ever played it with gamer geeks and historical recreationists, so that may be the default mindset. It may indeed not be the right game for civilians.

Chronology is fun, if you've got history nerds. It's a game of figuring out where certain historical events take place on a time line.

RftG

I have everyone's choices.

omnis: Phase IV ($) - Consume (Trade)
Connie Neil: Phase IV ($) - Consume (Trade)
Ryan: Phase III - Settle
Laga: Phase IV ($) - Consume (Trade)

Ryan is the odd person out, choosing Phase III. (He's also shorter than the rest of you. Though last night he learned that he's taller than Homo habilis.) Everyone else is set to trade.

Phase III is quite simple, really. Ryan plays New Earth by discarding Colony Ship. This is a Brown production world that can consume 1 good for 1 VP and 1 card. It normally costs 5 discards, but Colony Ship allows it to be played for free. He then draws 1 card for choosing this phase.

Everyone else passes.

RftG

Phase IV:

omnis trades his Blue good for 3 cards. Old Earth gives him +1.

Connie trades her Green good for 4 cards, and consumes the Blue good on Public Works for 1 VP.

Ryan didn't choose this phase, so no trading. He consumes his Brown good on the just-played New Earth, for 1 VP and 1 card.

Laga trades her Yellow good for 5 cards. She has no Consume powers, so the Blue good remains where it is.

Cards are going out. That concludes Round 4. Everyone, please send me your choice of Action card for Round 5.

RftG

End-of-round summary:

Round 4
Goals
Greatest Infrastructure - Most Developments
Greatest Military - Most Military Strength
Galactic Status - First to play 6-cost development
Innovation Leader - First to have a power in each phase
Galactic Standard of Living - First to 5 VPs
System Diversity - First to have a world of each colour

omnis
Layout
Old Earth (Non-Military World)
Prosperous World (Non-Military Blue Production World)
Expedition Force (Development)

Cards in Hand: 6
Military Strength: 1
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 5
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

Connie Neil
Layout
Ancient Race (Non-Military Green Windfall World)
Public Works (Development)
Artist Colony (Non-Military Blue Production World)

Cards in Hand: 7
Military Strength: 0
Victory Points: 2
Layout Value: 3
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

Ryan
Layout
Alpha Centauri (Non-Military Brown Windfall World)
Comet Zone (Non-Military Brown Production World)
New Earth (Non-Military Brown Production World)

Cards in Hand: 7
Military Strength: 0
Victory Points: 1
Layout Value: 5
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

Laga
Layout
Damaged Alien Factory (Military Yellow Production World)
Space Mercenaries (Development)
Former Penal Colony (Military Blue Windfall World) + good
Space Marines (Development)

Cards in Hand: 6
Military Strength: 4
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 4
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

VP Pool: 45

RftG

Orders are in, and with everyone carded up, it's time to build the layouts.

omnis: Phase II - Develop
Connie Neil: Phase II - Develop
Ryan: Phase II - Develop
Laga: Phase III - Settle

Phase II is first. everyone who chose it gets -1 cost.

omnis plays Terraforming Guild for 5 discards (i.e. the rest of his hand). This 6-cost development gives him 1 card whenever he settles a world, and he can produce on one windfall world in Phase V. At game end it's worth 2 VPs per windfall world, plus 2 VPs per Terraforming card (including itself). It's currently worth 2 VPs (for itself).

Connie plays Investment Credits for 0 discards. This gives her -1 cost on any future developments. She then draws 1 card from Public Works.

Ryan plays Mining League for 5 discards (leaving 1 card in hand). This 6-cost development can consume 2 Brown goods for 3 VPs, and lets him produce on one Brown windfall world in Phase V. (He has one such world, Alpha Centauri.) Its value at game end is 2 VPs per Brown production world plus 1 VP per Brown windfall world; and another 2 VPs each for Mining Robots and/or Mining Conglomerate. Its current value is 5 VPs.

Laga passes on developing.

RftG

Just before we get into Phase III (Settle), both omnis and Ryan played a 6-cost development in Phase II. One of the goals, Galactic Status, goes to the first player to do so. omnis and Ryan claim this goal, worth 3 VPs.

However, they have also both been left with depleted hands, so they both pass on Settling.

Laga chose this phase. She plays Reptilian Uplift Race. This is a 2-defence military Green windfall world; her strength is now 4, easily sufficient. She then draws 1 card for choosing this phase.

Connie plays Refugee World. This is a Blue windfall world of (unusually) 0 cost. However, it reduces her military strength by 1, making it -1.

RftG

Now. That concludes Round 5. Since they made their first appearance this round, let's take stock of the goals. The "Most" goals first, and the "First" goals second, just to be difficult.

Most developments: omnis, Connie and Laga all have 2 developments. Claiming this goal needs at least 4 developments.

Greatest Military: Laga leads easily, with 4 strength. 6 strength is needed for this goal.

Now, the "First" goals.

6-cost development: claimed this round by omnis and Ryan.

A power in each phase: including Trade, there are six phases to be covered. omnis has five, lacking only Development. Connie has four, missing Explore and Trade. Ryan has three and Laga has two.

5 VPs in chips: Connie leads here with 2 VPs; Ryan has 1. omnis and Laga are yet to score.

Worlds in each colour: Laga has three colours covered, lacking only Brown. Connie has two.

And now, everyone, please send me your choice of Action card for Round 6.

RftG

End-of-round summary:

Round 5
Goals
Greatest Infrastructure - Most Developments
Greatest Military - Most Military Strength
Galactic Status - First to play 6-cost development
Innovation Leader - First to have a power in each phase
Galactic Standard of Living - First to 5 VPs
System Diversity - First to have a world of each colour

omnis
Layout
Old Earth (Non-Military World)
Prosperous World (Non-Military Blue Production World)
Expedition Force (Development)
Terraforming Guild (6-Cost Development)

Cards in Hand: 0
Military Strength: 1
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 5
6-Cost Developments: 2
Goals: 3

Connie Neil
Layout
Ancient Race (Non-Military Green Windfall World)
Public Works (Development)
Artist Colony (Non-Military Blue Production World)
Investment Credits (Development)
Refugee World (Non-Military Blue Windfall World) + good

Cards in Hand: 6
Military Strength: -1
Victory Points: 2
Layout Value: 5
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

Ryan
Layout
Alpha Centauri (Non-Military Brown Windfall World)
Comet Zone (Non-Military Brown Production World)
New Earth (Non-Military Brown Production World)
Mining League (6-Cost Development)

Cards in Hand: 1
Military Strength: 0
Victory Points: 1
Layout Value: 5
6-Cost Developments: 5
Goals: 3

Laga
Layout
Damaged Alien Factory (Military Yellow Production World)
Space Mercenaries (Development)
Former Penal Colony (Military Blue Windfall World) + good
Space Marines (Development)
Reptilian Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World) + good

Cards in Hand: 6
Military Strength: 4
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 6
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

VP Pool: 45

RftG

Orders are in.

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

Four different phases! Explore is up first. omnis chose this phase and gets 1 extra draw from Expedition force. He looks at 4 cards and keeps 2. Everyone else draws 2 cards and keeps 1. Everyone, please let me know what you keep.

RftG

I have the discards from Phase I. On to Phase II (Develop), where everyone except Connie passes. Good time to choose it.

Connie plays Galactic Renaissance for 4 discards. She gets -1 cost from Investment Credits and from choosing this phase. Galactic Renaissance is a 6-cost development that lets her draw 2 more cards and keep 1 more when exploring. At game end it's worth a third of her VPs in chips (rounded down) plus 3 VPs for selected cards, including Artist Colony, which is already in her layout. Its current value is 3 VPs. Connie then draws 1 card from Public Works.