RftG

Phase III (Settle) orders.

chrismg passes.

Ryan plays Distant World for 4 discards, the rest of his hand. This is a Green production world. It also gives +3 cards when trading a Blue good.

Laga plays Insect Uplift Race for 1 discard. This is a military Green windfall world with 2 defence, which she plays using Contact Specialist.

omnis plays Prosperous World for 2 discards, getting -1 cost from Smuggling World. This is a Blue production world, and can consume 1 good for 1 VP.

Connie plays Reptilian Uplift Race. This is a military Green windfall world with 2 defence, which she meets with +2 military against Green worlds from Abandoned Alien Uplift Camp. Connie now has 2 Uplift cards; a third will give her the "3 Uplift" goal. She then draws 1 card for choosing this phase.

RftG

For the first time this game, we finish the round with Phase V (Produce).

Ryan produces 1 Green good on the newly played Distant World. He then draws 1 card from Rebel Cantina.
Laga chose this phase, so she can produce on a windfall world. She produces 3 Blue goods.
omnis produces 2 Blue goods.
Connie produces 1 Brown good. She then draws 1 card for producing on Comet Zone.
chrismg produces 1 Blue good.

That concludes Round 4, and at this point, Laga has 4 goods. That means she has fulfilled the "Galactic Riches" goal for 3 VPs.

Everyone, please send me your choice of Action card for Round 5.

RftG

End-of-round summary:

Round 4
Goals
Propaganda Edge - Most Rebel Military Worlds
Production Leader - Most Production Worlds
Overlord Discoveries - First to 3 Alien cards
Galactic Riches - First to 4 goods (Laga)
Uplift Knowledge - First to 3 Uplift cards
Innovation Leader - First to have a power in each phase (Laga)

Ryan
Layout
Rebel Cantina (Non-Military World)
Merchant World (Non-Military World)
Distant World (Non-Military Green Production World) + good

Cards in Hand: 1
Military Strength: 0
Victory Points: 1
Layout Value: 4
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

Laga
Layout
Galactic Developers (Non-Military World)
Contact Specialist (Development)
New Vinland (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
Star Nomad Lair (Military Blue Windfall World) + good
Colony Ship (Development)
Devolved Uplift Race (Military Blue Production World) + good
Insect Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World) + good

Cards in Hand: 3
Military Strength: -1
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 8
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 6

omnis
Layout
New Sparta (Military World)
R&D Crash Program (Development)
Smuggling World (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
Galactic Resort (Non-Military Blue Windfall World)
Prosperous World (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good

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

Connie Neil
Layout
Imperium Warlord (Non-Military World)
Outlaw World (Military World)
Abandoned Alien Uplift Camp (Non-Military World)
Comet Zone (Non-Military Brown Production World) + good
Reptilian Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World) + good

Cards in Hand: 5
Military Strength: 0
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 9
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

chrismg
Layout
Epsilon Eridani (Non-Military World)
Runaway Robots (Military Brown Windfall World)
Secluded World (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
Interstellar Bank (Development)
R&D Crash Program (Development)

Cards in Hand: 7
Military Strength: 1
Victory Points: 0
Layout Value: 4
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

VP Pool: 58

RftG

Orders are in.

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

Explore Bros are now Trade Bros! As is Laga, it seems. Anyway, three phases this round, starting with Phase II (Develop). Only chrismg actually plays anything; he develops Mercenary Fleet, discarding R&D Crash Program from his layout to do so. rcenary fleet gives him +2 military strength, and he can discard up to 2 cards for an extra +1 strength each. He and Laga also pick up 1 card, from Interstellar Bank and Galactic Developers respectively.

We pause now for me to check on some Phase III COs.

RftG

Phase III (Settle) sees Ryan and omnis pass. Unsettled Bros!

Laga plays The Last of the Uplift Gnarssh. This is a military Green windfall world of 1 defence. She can play it for free with Contact Specialist.

Connie plays Plague World for 1 discard. This is a Green production world, which can consume 1 Green good for 1 VP and 1 card. She gets -2 cost from Abandoned Alien Uplift Camp. She then draws 1 card for choosing this phase.

chrismg plays Hidden Fortress. This is a 5-defence military world. His strength is 3, but he boosts it by 2 using the Mercenary Fleet power for 2 discards. Hidden Fortress adds 1 to his military strength for every military world in his layout. It currently increases his strength to 5.

It has one other effect; chrismg will no longer trigger the end of the game when he reaches 12 cards in his layout. He does so when he reaches 14. The other players will still trigger game end at 12.

That concludes Phase III, and at this point, Laga now has 3 Uplift cards in her layout. She claims the "Uplift Knowledge" goal for 3 VPs. So far she has earned 9 points from goals, while everyone else has yet to claim a goal.

RftG

On to Phase IV (Consume) for a bit of VP action!

Ryan trades his Green good for 6 cards, getting +2 cards from Merchant World. He may then choose to discard up to 2 cards for 1 VP each, but he'd probably better take a look at them first.

Laga also trades a Green good for 4 cards. She then consumes 2 Blue goods for 1 VP on Galactic Developers, and 2 cards on New Vinland.

omnis trades 1 Blue good for 2 cards, then consumes the other one on Galactic Resort for 1 VP and 1 card.

Connie consumes 2 goods on Outlaw World and Plague World for 2 VPs and 2 cards.

chrismg consumes his 1 good on Epsilon Eridani for 1 VP and 1 card.

Cards are going out now. That concludes Round 5. Everyone, please send me your choice of Action card for Round 6.

RftG

End-of-round summary (this is pending Ryan's decision on whether to use Merchant World to earn points for discards):

Round 5
Goals
Propaganda Edge - Most Rebel Military Worlds
Production Leader - Most Production Worlds
Overlord Discoveries - First to 3 Alien cards
Galactic Riches - First to 4 goods (Laga)
Uplift Knowledge - First to 3 Uplift cards (Laga)
Innovation Leader - First to have a power in each phase (Laga)

Ryan
Layout
Rebel Cantina (Non-Military World)
Merchant World (Non-Military World)
Distant World (Non-Military Green Production World)

Cards in Hand: 7
Military Strength: 0
Victory Points: 1
Layout Value: 4
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

Laga
Layout
Galactic Developers (Non-Military World)
Contact Specialist (Development)
New Vinland (Non-Military Blue Production World)
Star Nomad Lair (Military Blue Windfall World) + good
Colony Ship (Development)
Devolved Uplift Race (Military Blue Production World)
Insect Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World) + good
The Last Of The Uplift Gnarssh (Military Green Windfall World)

Cards in Hand: 9
Military Strength: -1
Victory Points: 1
Layout Value: 8
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 9

omnis
Layout
New Sparta (Military World)
R&D Crash Program (Development)
Smuggling World (Non-Military Blue Production World)
Galactic Resort (Non-Military Blue Windfall World)
Prosperous World (Non-Military Blue Production World)

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

Connie Neil
Layout
Imperium Warlord (Non-Military World)
Outlaw World (Military World)
Abandoned Alien Uplift Camp (Non-Military World)
Comet Zone (Non-Military Brown Production World)
Reptilian Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World)
Plague World (Non-Military Green Production World)

Cards in Hand: 6
Military Strength: 0
Victory Points: 2
Layout Value: 9
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

chrismg
Layout
Epsilon Eridani (Non-Military World)
Runaway Robots (Military Brown Windfall World)
Secluded World (Non-Military Blue Production World)
Interstellar Bank (Development)
Mercenary Fleet (Development)
Hidden Fortress (Military World)

Cards in Hand: 5
Military Strength: 1
Victory Points: 1
Layout Value: 8
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

VP Pool: 54

RftG

First: from the previous Phase IV (Consume), Ryan does indeed choose to discard 2 cards for 2 VPs.

Orders for Round 6:

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

Ryan and omnis: Develop Bros! Ryan, omnis and Laga, in fact, now that the Explore Bros have all that exploring out of their system. So we start with Phase II (Develop).

Ryan plays Rebel Pact. This card has the new Explore power; when Ryan explores, he may now add his Explore draw to his hand before discarding. More important is its Settle power. Rebel Pact doesn't grant the ability to play military worlds as non-military; but if a player already has that power, Rebel Pact gives -2 cost when using it. Ryan has that power from Rebel Cantina.

Laga draws 1 card from Galactic Devbelopers, then plays Rebel Alliance for 5 discards. This 6-cost development allows her to play Rebel military worlds as non-military, at -2 cost. (Contact Specialist already lets her play other military worlds as non-military at -1 cost.) Its value at game end is 2 VPs per Rebel card plus 1 VP per other military world. It's currently worth 6 VPs in her layout.

omnis also plays a 6-cost development, Free Trade Association. He discards R&D Crash Program from his layout for -3 cost, to go with the -1 cost for choosing this phase. That means he needs to discard 2 cards from his hand to pay for it. This card lets him consume up to 3 Blue goods for 1 Vp and 1 card each, and lets him produce on a Blue windfall world in Phase V. Its value at game end is 2 VPs per Blue production world plus 1 VP per Blue windfall world, plus 2 VPs for a couple of specific cards. Its current value in his layout is 5 VPs.

Connie passes on Phase II.

chrismg draws 1 card from Interstellar Bank, then plays Space Mercenaries for 1 discard. This card gives +1 military strength (bringing it to 6), and lets him discard up to 2 cards to boost that strength by +1 each. With Mercenary Fleet, that means he could discard to bring his strength to 10 if need be. (It won't be, as the highest defence in the game is 9, for Rebel Stronghold.)

I need to check something before we move to Phase III (Settle).

RftG

Phase III (Settle):

omnis passes.

Ryan plays Primitive Rebel World. This is a Blue windfall world, 1 defence. He plays it for free with Rebel Cantina and rebel Pact. This card allows him to discard 1 card to gain +1 military strength.

Laga discards Colony Ship to play New Earth. This is a Brown production world that can consume 1 good for 1 VP and 1 card.

Connie plays Avian Uplift Race. This is a military Green windfall world with 2 defence. She plays it for free with Abandoned Alien Uplift Camp. She then draws 1 card for choosing this phase.

chrismg plays Rebel Base. This is a military world with 6 defence, which matches his strength after playing Space Mercenaries. With Hidden Fortress, this brings his strength to 7.

RftG

We finish the round with Phase V (Produce). Prepare for goods!

Ryan produces 1 Green good. He now has 2 Rebel worlds, so he draws 2 cards from Rebel Cantina.
Laga produces 2 Blue goods and 1 Brown good.
omnis produces 3 Blue goods; Free Trade Association allows him to produce on his Blue windfall world as well as the two production worlds.
Connie produces 1 Brown good and 1 Green good, and then draws 1 card for producing on Comet Zone.
chrismg produces 1 Blue good, and 1 Brown good on his windfall world, having chosen this phase. he then draws 1 card for producing on Runaway Robots.

And that concludes Round 6. (Administrative note: the goods and card draws from this phase exhausted the deck. I've reshuffled the discards.) Everyone, please send me your choice of Action card for Round 7.