A Bug's Life, Origins 2006

By Ken Lin (Old_School)

"The Tick" Seltorian TC

Ralph and Jim didn’t make it this year, but ORIGINS 2006 was a blast, as usual! I finally got to meet Marcus and Brook in person, and we went drinking at the Hyatt bar on Friday night. It was good to see all the regulars, and I took lots of great pictures (check out the Pics link on my homepage). I met Jason Gray from Australia, who was in the U.S. to participate in the World Series of Poker, and who regaled us with countless poker stories at Barleys. Brian bought me that pint I won on the 2005 Michigan-Penn State football game.

For every game except against Brian, I started the game with 3 points in each PC (1.5 power apiece for 6 power total). All games are described with me (the Selt) starting in 2530A.

Ken Lin (Old_School) vs Marcus Giegerich (BanTheFed)

SEL vs ORI (FFHBB)

Turn #1: Selt 16/28 holding PCs, 1 WW and 1 Sui, 1 tractor, 5 on #5. Orion doubling LWarp, 19/26/31. On impulse 11 Marcus launches 2 drones, which I later tractor/shoot with P3s. We both approach semi-oblique off the #1/#6, and on impulse 28 Marcus launches 2 Fs (both real). We end about range 7, Selt direction F Orion direction D. My weapons suck at r8, so I hold fire.

Turn #2: Marcus guessed wrong here and thought I was going to park. Selt 24/26/16/28 to outrun the F torps, holding PCs, 1 WW and 1 Sui, 3 to HET, refilling the phaser caps to 9.5. Orion doubling RWarp, 19/30/17. I turn off to direction A and outrun the torps to 1 point apiece – I was very relieved to see them be real, as I was going to have a very hard time getting the Orion in FA again barring a HET or sit-and-spin, and I didn’t particularly feel like HETing into 2 F torps! On impulse 14 the Orion launches 2 drones, and I then turn to direction B, trying to sucker the Orion into following. On i16 Marcus announces speed 17, and on i20 I use 2 batteries to HET back into the Orion just as my speed kicks up to 28 (we’re range 5 or so now). Marcus tells me afterwards he knew he should have used batts to keep his speed up. On impulses 21 and 22 I kill the drones with 3 P3s, while the Orion fires 3 P1s and a std HB from range ~3-4, taking down my #1 to a few boxes.

We continue to close, and on impulse 24 I can either go to r1 centerline or slip to r2 on the spine (Orion #5). I thought I would be clever and slip to the #5, but turns out the brick was on the #5, heh. I alpha with 3xSC (3 hit), 6xP1, 4xOL PC (2 hit), and a P3, doing 25 internals through the Orion #5, while the Orion fires 2 P3s, scratching my #6. On i25 the Orion HETs, getting another phaser shot with 3 P3s and a P1 through my weak #1, doing 4 internals.

On i26 we are at r1 and I try a tractor beam. Marcus has 2 allocated anti-tractor, but my 3rd and last remaining battery gets him. On impulse 31 I launch a Sui, which impacts on the facing #2 shield for 18 on impulse 32. Marcus thought about launching one of his own on i31, but it would have died in the tractor tunnel during i32 movement. On i32 Marcus launches his own Sui, and wins the tractor auction over the turn break for 1 point.

Turn #3: Selt taccing and rearming. The PCs are still cycling, but the SCs and phasers will be able to fire on the Orion’s damaged #2 on impulse 1. Orion doubling everything, planning to HET away and show the bricked #4 after the Selt held his fire on impulse 1. Impulse 1 the Selt fires the SCs during transporter step, hitting with 2 for 8 points on the Orion’s damaged #2. Having to reveal that there is no brick on the facing shield, Marcus concedes before fire phase of i1.

Ken Lin (Old_School) vs Chris Proper (Duke)

SEL vs LYR

Turn #1: Selt 16/28 holding PCs, 1 Sui, 7 points on the #6. Lyran 16/31/26 with 3 OLs, 2 Suis. We approach semi-oblique off the #1/#6, and Chris announces ESGs - a little late, so I use 1 batt to buy speed 29, hoping to duck under the ESGs before they come up. Impulse 24 at range 4 I fire 3 SCs on his #6 (2 hit for 8). We call for fire and bluff each other, each of us firing a little in anticipation of taking internals. Chris fires 2 LS P1s on my reinforced #6, while I fire 2 LS P1s and an OL PC (hit). The Lyran #6 is down to 9 points now.

Impulse 25 Chris has to go straight, and because I hit so well on the previous impulse, I turn in to centerline the Lyran at r2, and the ESGs come up around me at r3, yeah! At this point I am thinking, “Man, this is Great!! The ESGs are outside of me, I have a centerline r2 shot, and the Lyran is not turn-enabled!” I figure I can most likely alpha here through the Lyran’s already damaged #6, killing the Lyran shuttle bay and giving me a power advantage for the rest of the game. I alpha, hitting poorly with remaining heavy weapons (1/3 PCs) doing 39 internals but *not quite* getting the shuttle bay – Rut Row!!! Chris fires 2 P3s here on my #1.

Impulse 26 I have an Insect Brain Glitch (IBG) – for some reason the Selt captain thinks it would be really keen to slip right and get out of the Lyran FA arc. I slip right and Chris slips in to range 1 (LYR #5 to SEL #6), and launches 2 suspicious shuttles direction A which are scheduled to move next impulse – Double Rut Row!!! Impulse 27 I have to go straight, taking 36 from the Suis through my #5, followed by 2 RS P1s from the Lyran through the down shield, and the Lyran announces speed 26 – Triple Rut Row!!! Impulse 28 the Lyran HETs back at me and feeds me 4xP1, 3xOLs through the same down shield, blah blah blah blah blah splattered bug parts everywhere, looks like Starship Troopers, you get the idea.

Sheesh, got smoked in 28 impulses flat. Ah well, back on the horse.

Ken Lin (Old_School) vs Jason Gray (The_Hood)

SEL vs GRN

Turn #1: Selt 16/28 holding PCs, 1 WW and 1 Sui, 6 on my #5. Gorn 7/4 with heavy general reinforcement and weasels. I approach semi-oblique off my #1/#6, and on impulse 31 the Gorn launches an B30 (fake) and scratches my #6 with 4 P1s. On impulse 31 I close to r5, the Gorn launches a A30 (real) and pops a WW. I phaser the WW but roll 2 6s, crippling it. At this point I’m pretty happy, I’ll be able to run out 2 S torps and come back on T3 (still haven’t figured out Jason’s game at this point).

Turn #2: I finish off the WW with a 3rd P1, outrun the torps 28/16, and loop back around. Gorn 7/4.

Turn #3: The Gorn is close to the center now, speed 4. Selt 16/28. At r6 the Gorn again fires 4 P1s, and at r5 launches a real B30 and pops a weasel. At this point I am thinking it will take me forever to run him out of weasels, so I turn in to overrun. Jason sees the writing on the wall, and announces AFC, voiding the weasel. He has (unfortunately for him) turned off to direction B here, exposing his rear #3. I fire a P3 at the S and let it crunch my #1 for 28. I use 1 batt to go to speed 29 and pick up a hex, and at r2 before the Gorn’s AFC is up I alpha at r2 centerline (Gorn direction B, Selt direction A), hitting well (2/3 SC and 4/4 PC), blowing a big hole in the Gorn’s #3, destroying the batts, a good amount of power, the usual amount of weapons, and 3 out of his 4 shuttle boxes. The Gorn fires back under passive for minor internals through my #1 (he could have bolted the D20 as well, but did not). Next impulse I am forced to go to range 1 since I just slipped and am not HET-enabled. The Gorn’s AFC is up and he launches the D20 at me. Next impulse I seriously consider eating the D20 for 20 internals in order to drop a Sui on top of his down shield, but not sure if he has another WW in his last shuttle box or any anti-trac or allocated HET. So instead, I slip behind him to avoid the D20, and he launches the C20 as well, after which I declare Emer Decel and weasel off the 2 F-torps. We end up at r5.

Turn #4: I only had the 1 WW last turn, so Jason hits me with an A60 this turn for 9 internals, while I gnaw on his #5 with some P1s and SCs (didn’t arm PCs due to power needs). Jason was ready to concede before the EPT hit, but brightened visibly after I took the 60 pointer. We both repair some stuff (gave Jason my EAs for the Victory article so going off of memory here, sorry).

Turn #5: Jason has maneuver issues, and I get on his damaged #5 again with a r5-8 overload shot, doing more internals. He makes his roll and HETs towards me (crippled=lose HET bonus), but I have enough weasels to deal with his S torps, and the Gorn concedes.

Ken Lin (Old_School) vs Lee Larsen (LeeLarsen)

SEL vs KLI

Turn #1: Selt 16/28 holding PCs, 1 WW and 1 Sui, 6 on my #6. Klingon 12/24 with 4 stds, doing the SP retrieval thing. Lee came in behind a 5-medium drone scatter-pack (a IV in there), and on impulse 27 launched 2 more medium drones. Now, as background understand that I was *really* hung over on Friday morning, having gone out to Barleys first with Brian and Jason, then checked back into the SFB room just in time to go to Barleys *again* with Brook, Marcus, and Bill. At this point my head feels like I paid Barleys’ monthy electric bill.

OK, so back to the story. 7 drones on the board, and I know none of them is a dogfight drone because we aren’t close enough yet to launch one (6 hexes). The guy’s a freakin Fleet Captain, I know he’s doing the drone control correct but honestly, could not get my insect brain to figure out how there could be 7 drones on the board. Sat there for 15 minutes scratching my head looking at the map, I kid you not. Aaaaaaaa… head… hurts… must… kill… Klingon…

The Klingon has sorta turned off to direction E trying to keep the range open before turning back to D, and I turn to direction A, having centerlined the SP drones and seeing a way to fly around them. Late in the turn I lab the rack drones and find that one is a IM ballistically launched into space. Aha!! Tricky. We end the turn in the western part of the map around r7, Selt direction F and closing, Klingon direction D. My weapons suck at r8, so I hold fire. Lee discharges 4 stds.

Turn #2: Selt 28/14/12 holding PCs, 1 WW and 1 Sui, 8 to tractor to prevent being anchored into the trailing scatter pack. Klingon 24/21/26/27 with 1 OL and some tractor. The first few impulses the Klingon (still dir D) slips out and I figure he is running, so impulse 3 I slip in (dir F) to chase. Lee then announces a speed change to 21 – at this point I am really discouraged because he will turn in to direction C on i4, and barring a HET, there is no way I can prevent r3 perfect oblique since I just slipped. Giving an overloaded Klingon r3 perfect oblique is not my idea of good battle tactics!!

So impulse 3 comes, Lee turns in, I have to go straight, and here we are at r3 perfect oblique. The Klingon launches 2 more medium drones (7 drones on the board again, cut it out Lee!!). Cringing, I alpha with 6 P1s and the heavies (2/3 SC, 3/4 PC), expecting the Klingon to do similar or worse. Amazingly, the Klingon only fires 1 OL, 5 P1s, and 2 P2s, doing 37 total (=7 internals, saving my batts in case I needed to counter-HET). I do 21 internals to the Klingon, and another 8 when I got the offside P1s to fire through the down shield on impulse 11.

Lee turns to chase, and with my speed changed down I was forced to use 2 batts to buy speed 20 for the last quarter of the turn. On i29 I Emer Decel and pop a WW on the drones. Lee kills the WW with 2 P2s to cause collateral damage to my #4. The Klingon ends up at r1 on my #4, and hacks me for a P3 and an OL from batteries (hit).

Turn #3: Selt recharging and taccing with an allocated HET. Klingon 21/13/?. On i1 the Klingon slashes me through the shift for 4 P1s and 2 OLs (1 hit), doing minor internals. On i2 the Klingon HETs away, but the Selt HETs on i5 to alpha with 5 P1s and the heavies (3/3 SC, 3/3 PC – sorry Lee!), from range 4, and Lee concedes.

Ken Lin (Old_School) vs Peter Bakija (bakija) - Quarterfinal

SEL vs GRN

Turn #1: Gorn 17/31/24 with an EPT B. Selt 16/28 with 1 WW and 1 Sui. On impulse 16 Peter launches B60, and I run it out to the southwest corner, spending 1 battery to speed 29 in the process.

Turn #2: Gorn 31/24/16/12. Selt 28/31/16/12 with allocated HET, 1 trac, 1 WW. On impulse 2 I HET direction B back at the Gorn, juking the EPT (Peter mistakenly slipped the torp on i32. Also bad was he was at a non-HET speed at the beginning of this turn). Peter turns in to direction E to engage, but there is no good launch angle that I will not be able to evade plasma. On impulse 4 at r4 oblique we alpha each other, Selt doing 41 (4 P1s) and Gorn doing 27 (S bolt hit, F bolt missed). Next impulse I mizia with 2 P1s and 2 P3s, and my internals from the 2 volleys are awesome – 4 phasers, torp, and a lot of power. We both peel off.

Turn #3: Gorn 12/24, Selt 16/24 arming 3 WWs. Peter herds me into the southwest corner, and I allow it as I don’t have the energy to make a fully loaded battle pass this turn. On impulse 32 Peter takes my #3 down to 1 box with phasers and a bolted D20 (hit) from range 4.

Turn #4: Gorn 22/? with allocated HET and a brick on the #4. Selt taccing with 3 WWs and 22 in anti-trac. On impulse 2 Peter HETs away, but I tac around and roll way above average on my r5 alpha, stripping more phasers and the other F torp off his ship through his reinforced #4, and Peter concedes.

Ken Lin (Old_School) vs Brian Evans (Romwe) - Semifinal

SEL vs HYD

Turn #1: Hydran 14/28, tractoring his fighters with him, and approaching behind his slightly-reinforced #2. Selt 16/28 (later bought speed 29 with a battery so I could move last), holding 5 in each PC for 2.5 power apiece (10 total), 1 Sui, 3 on my #6 (oops).

On impulse 26 we were at r5 perfect oblique, #2 to #2, Selt direction F and Hydran direction C. After the Hydran drops the tracs on the ftrs, the Selt alphas with 6 P1s and heavy weapons, rolling well (3/3 SC, 2/4 PC) and doing 4 internals after a 10 point Hydran brick (8 allocated). The Hydran fires 5 P1s, ftr fusions and gats, and an OL HB, doing 3 internals after I burn my last 4 batteries to reinforce.

After the fire, Brian turns in to direction D and I turn off to direction E, eventually giving me 2 mizia shots with 4 P3s from R3 down the aft tailpipe (rolled awesome, doing 9 instead of the expected 4), and next impulse the offside 2 LS P1s for another 8 in (old Lyran trick). At end of turn my 3 volleys have killed 3 P1s, 2 Fusion, 1 HB, and 5 warp. I’ve lost 1 warp and a SC.

Turn #2: I run like hell at 26/25/26/14 with a little anti-tractor to avoid r2 and Hydran overrun/gatling death. I didn’t keep the energy in the PCs, and announced the discharge to Brian. I also dump the Sui I from turn 1. Brian goes 26/14 and nails me with another OL HB, doing another 11 in, killing 2 more warp, a PC, and a SC. I get another r5 shot on his down with 2 RS P1s – don’t hit any weapons or power, but pretty much got rid of the hull. I had a chance to HET in to his down shield with phasers, but it would have been extremely risky and I decided not to do it. Brian repairs 2 P3s.

Turn #3: Both of us plot slow (~12-14), looping around to our good #6 sides and recharging weapons. We both repair boxes on our down #2s. Brian repairs a P2, and I repair a hasty PC.

Turn #4: Both of us plot slow-fast, approaching off our #6s in the middle of the map. I have 5 allocated on my #2 for protection from the HB shot. I have another IBG here, and instead of closing for another r4 shot on the Hydran ship, I decide to shoot the 1st ftr with 6 P1s from r8, since my reinforcement+batts could protect against return fire from the r8 HB. My 6 P1 shot does 9 points to the ftr (doh!), and Brian sucks it in to repair it. I turn off, and Brian chases with the tractored healthy fighter, declining to fire the HB but firing 2 P1s on my #4 from r5. We end with him starting to pin me at the bottom of the map. [See, this is what happens when you have *too* much respect for the HB and start to be afraid of taking internals – it put me in really bad board position and it almost killed me.]

Turn #5: The Hydran plots 26/14, the Selt 26/25/12. The Hydran gets to move last, but is at a non-HET speed. On impulse 1 the ftr is still being tractored, so I cripple it from r5 with 2 LS P1s, and Brian death-drags it on impulse 2. The Selt skirts along the bottom of the map in direction C, and the Hydran eventually turns in to direction C to pursue. The Selt HETs (batteries) at speed 25 back to direction F for a r4 exchange on our weak shields, #2 to #2. Brian fires 2xP1s, a P2, and an OL HB, while I fire 4xOL PCs and 4xP1. Next impulse I mizia with 2 more P1s and a P3. I had already done more internals and this battle pass only widened the disparity, and we end the turn with the Selt having a big power advantage (31 to 20, and the Selt still has batteries), and I did kill the 3 repaired phasers and the 2nd HB. Brian’s internals killed another PC, another SC, 2 P3s, and a P1. I have a big power, battery, and phaser-1 advantage at this point, as long as I can keep from getting mauled by gatlings.

Turn #6: Both of us are slow, looping around and recharging. By the end of the turn the Hydran has me pinned at the bottom of the map again at r4, the remaining ftr (repaired to 6 points) and 3 remaining shuttles out. Late on T6 I shoot 6 P1s and an OL PC at range 5, almost taking down the Hydran #2. The Selt repairs a P2.

Turn #7: If I tac here I am dead. I plot 25/23/16 (moving the 1st 6 impulses) to burn clear of the Hydran fleet and use the Selt power advantage on later turns. The closest the Hydran would get on this turn is r4, so adjudication went to the bug. Very close and well played game.

Ken Lin (Old_School) vs Jason Gray (The_Hood) - Final

SEL vs GRN

Turn #1: Selt 16/28 holding PCs, 1 WW and 1 Sui, 6 on my #6. Gorn 7/4 with 16 general, 4 on the #6, 1 Sui and 2 WWs. On i32 we are at r6, and the Gorn launches A30 (real) and C20. The Gorn fires 4 P1s which bounce off my #6, while I hold fire.

Turn #2: After closing to r5 on i2 the Gorn pops a WW. I outrun the torps 28/16 and loop back around. Phasers and reinforcement mean the S torp does minimal shield damage to my #4. Gorn 4/14 (batteries), beaming a pilot onto the WW.

Turn #3: The Gorn is in the center now about 15 hexes from the Selt, 4 all turn with some reinforce, HET, tractor, and shuttles. Selt 24/28/16 holding PCs, refilling phasers, 1 trac, 1 Sui and 1 WW. The Selt turns in early for another attack run, being careful to keep out of the RP plasma arc until the Gorn moves on i8.

On i8 Jason turns in to direction C and launches B30 (fake) and D20. Selt continues to close, and on i10 at r5 the Selt fires 3 SCs (3 hit) on the Gorn #2. The same impulse, the Gorn launches WW#2. Very similar to our 1st game except that there are 2 torps out there this time, and the Gorn P1s are unfired. I think very seriously about eating the 50 (-2 P3s) on the #3, then turning in for an overrun, but conservatively decide to ding a shield and outrun the torps. I honestly thought the B30 was real, kicking myself now for not making the gutsy decision!! During I fire I fire 6 P1s to ding the Gorn #6, and turn off.

On i15 the Gorn fires some P1s on my rears for minor damage, and beams another pilot onto WW#2. Because I ran out the torps, Jason has me somewhat pinned in the southwest corner now.

Turn #4: Selt 16 all turn (need to recharge phasers and SCs), because of slow speed not planning on an attack run this turn. I dump the Sui this turn, and put 3 to WW. Gorn 4 all turn with EPT A, some HET, shuttles, and a little general. I circled in the southwest corner, and on i31 the Gorn launches A60. I count the hexes to the south and west map edges – I can run the torp to the 16-20 bracket, or 4/14 the torp next turn.

Turn #5: Gorn 12 all turn, with 12 on his damaged #2. Selt 4/14, finishing the SCs, 14 on the #1, and 3 WWs. I weasel the EPT and make a push towards the middle. The Gorn turns off, and on i19 launches B30 (real), which was a bad decision that Jason agonized over afterwards. I centerline the torp, pump it full of 8 P3s, and let it wash over my reinforced #1. On i26 the Gorn launches C20. On 5.28 I phaser both piloted Gorn weasels. The Selt is now in the middle of the map and back up to speed.

Turn #6: Gorn 17 all turn, allocated HET, some trac, and shuttles. Selt 14/28 with 1 WW (wish I’d armed 1 more). After running out the F-torp a little and eating it on my #5, I chased the Gorn into the northwest corner (Jason ended in the absolute corner hex!). We ended at r9. Thought about staying in this corner/going for overrun/weasel with guns blazing on turn 7, but didn’t have enough weasels armed!!

Turn #7: Gorn 17 all turn, allocated HET, 3 trac, and shuttles. Selt 28/16 with 1 WW. I thought Jason would tac here!! I couldn’t chance r2 because of the anchor threat, so I alpha on the Gorn #5 from range 4, doing 18 internals (3 phasers and a trac), before HETting away. Dang I wish I had armed more weasels on turn 6 so I could have stayed in the corner and duked it out with him!! Jason counter-HETs to prevent mizia, and follows me, launching A30 (real) on i32.

Turn #8: Gorn 16 all turn, Selt 28/16 charging 3 WWs. Late the Gorn phasers my #3 (Selt rear shields shredded now), and launches B30 (real).

Turn #9: Gorn 12 all turn, Selt tacs, then speed 4 at impulse 16. Early Gorn decels at r5, while the Selt weasels the B30 with his 2nd WW. The Selt buys speed 4 early with a battery. On impulse 11 Jason launches C20, which I eat on my #1 after 2 P3s. At r4 centerline I alpha the Gorn #6 (unfortunately without the SCs since I thought he would chuck a WW), trying to kill the batteries to prevent him for buying movement with reserve warp, while the Gorn takes the rest of my #1 down with phasers. I do 42, doing 10 internals after Decel reinforcement, but don’t quite get the batteries. The Gorn tacs his #1 to me, and buys speed -8 with reserve warp. We end at r7, and the Gorn launches D20 on impulse 32.

Turn #10: Gorn at -10, Selt taccing. After a tac, I get a shot at Jason’s weak #2, but roll horribly and do minimal internals. I decide I need to save my 2 remaining WWs for the S torps, so I try a 2nd HET to deal with the D20, break down, and concede.

EPILOGUE

Man, this ship is boring to fly (good thing I didn’t win - the opening sentence of my Victory article would be “Man, this ship is boring to fly.”). It’s speedy when the weapons are already loaded, but I played it the same way every time – hold all the weapons for the “good shot” of r5 or closer (sorta like a fast but crappy Fed), then fly off at high speed to rearm. I don’t mind my ship being at the bottom of the food chain, but at least the other bottom-feeders I like to fly (read: LDR) are fun. Sorry again to Lee, Peter, and (to a lesser degree) Brian for rolling so well on heavy weapons, I felt bad about it (but not *that* bad, I was in the Selt after all and deserved some good karma J ). Again, congrats to Jason, who played honorably and extremely well, and I think surprised a lot of people. On top of that he’s a really nice guy, fun to hang out and drink with. This is the end of the Great Bug Experiment for me, going to move on to something else now…

Ken