TI4 session report / 20.July.2024

Starting setup.

Participating Factions: Saar (green), Yissaril (purple) and Letnev (yellow).

Starting objectives:

• Spend 8 resources.
• Spend 8 influence.

Session 20.July – Starting Positions

Round 1.

Victory points:

New objective: control 3 technology planets.

Session 20.July – Round 1

Round 2.

Victory points:

New objective: ships in 2 systems near Mecatol Rex.

Session 20.July – Round 2

Round 3.

Victory points:

New objective: control 4 planets with the same trait.

Session 20.July – Round 3

Round 4.

First combat in the game.

Saar attacks peaceful carrier of Yissaril, with the idea to prevent Yissaril of scoring an objective.

Saar did not know what to do: or to take planets in the home system of Yissaril or to attack its carrier.

Saar decided to proceed with a softer option.

Session 20.July – Round 4 – Combat 1 Start

Carrier of Yissaril protected by 2 fighters received the order to stay till the death.

And pretty soon died.

Since you cannot stay long with:

• 1 carrier and 2 fighters
  vs
• 1 dreadnought, 2 cruisers, 1 carrier and 3 fighters.

Yissaril fought like Sardak and even managed to inflict some casualties onto Saar forces. But flying space dock of Saar and Sarween Tools technology allowed Saar to reinforce losses for free.

Somebody would argue that flying space dock is an obvious over-power.

Somebody, but not Arborec.

Session 20.July – Round 4 – Combat 1 Outcome

Inspired by recent military success, Saar launched an attack onto the Mecatol Rex protected by 2 humble cruisers of Yissaril.

Session 20.July – Round 4 – Combat 2 Start

For everyone it was clearly comprehensible, that 2 cruisers had no chance to stand against 1 flagship, 1 dreadnought and 6 fighters of Saar.

For everyone except Yissaril, who issued another “stay till the death” order.

Cruisers were quickly eliminated, Yissaril’s infantry was mixed with ground by bombardment – nothing could prevent Saar to establish control over Mecatol Rex.

Nothing, but Parle action enforced by Yissaril – infantry of Saar remained in space area and Yissaril managed to keep control over Mecatol.

Military victory for Saar, moral victory for Yissaril.

Disappointed Saar built more space operations infantry, fighters and a carrier to accommodate newcomers.

Session 20.July – Round 4 – Combat 2 Outcome

Letnev really wanted to attack Saar forces on Mecatol Rex, but 8 fighters of Saar prevented Letnev from this shady enterprise.

First, Letnev planned to develop 2 red technologies, which combined would make Letnev’s fleet irresistible.

Victory points:

New objective: control 11 planets.

Session 20.July – Round 4

In agenda phase parties passed a law to grant 1 victory point to Letnev as the most peaceful faction to the moment. Letnev would lost this victory point, if he loses a combat against another nation.

This after Yissaril and Saar decided that Letnev has power too much and agreed on public execution of Letnev, who lost all his action cards and the position of the speaker…

Twilight is a cruel world of ruthless politics.

Round 5.

Aiming for an easy victory point, Yissaril attacked a benevolent destroyer of Letnev with 2 dreadnoughts, 1 cruiser and a fighter. Well, you can never be sure enough.

Destroyer received an immediate order to leave the field, but was destroyed by malevolent Yissaril, before it could even start its engines…

Yissaril got 1 victory point.

Session 20.July – Round 5 – Combat 1

Letnev strongly disagreed with such a course of events and commanded an attack onto the flagship of Yissaril, accompanied by a tiny fighter.

It was the time for the fleet of Letnev to shine and show its capabilities.

Session 20.July – Round 5 – Combat 2 Start

From the perspective of involved ships, Letnev held only a slight advantage, but his technological superiority allowed him to be confident about the outcome of the battle.

Combination of 2 red technologies: Non-Euclidian shields and Duranium armor, made it nearly impossible for Yissaril to destroy any of 2 dreadnoughts of Letnev participating in the combat.

After several rounds of salvos, Yissaril run out of shields holdings and, seeing inevitable defeat, finally commanded to retreat.

This is not your victory point, this is mine!

shouted Letnev after.

Session 20.July – Round 5 – Combat 2 Outcome

Previous round Saar failed to score “4 planets of the same trait” because he was friendly too much and allowed Yissaril to take back 2 hazardous planets.

But Saar needed them really bad. Really really bad.

And as it is a common way to solve territorial disputes between democratic and intelligent nations, Saar announced the Bloody War.

Reasonably claiming, that one can hold a planet, only if one holds enough military power for that.

Unless somebody holds more than enough…

Session 20.July – Round 5 – Combat 3 Start

Present in action fleet of Yissaril was terminated with the first salvo of Saar.

Still, Yissaril created the best infantry in the galaxy and taking planets did not appear to be a walk in a park.

So Saar decided to compensate the lack of quality with the numerical superiority.

Session 20.July – Round 5 – Combat 3 Invasion

Outnumbered ground forces of Yissaril did not manage to offer much challenge to hordes of Saar, who overtook both planets pretty easily.

But it did not matter anymore.

After routing Yissaril’s flagship, Letnev started diplomatic consultations with Yissaril, which resulted in the mutual support for the throne.

Saar tried to convince Yissaril to stop negotiations with Letnev, since it will not end well. Yissaril annoyed by recent loss of 2 important planets ignored all reasoning of Saar.

Successful negotiations allowed Letnev to get as high as to 8 victory points.

Besides that, Letnev held 2 accomplished secret objectives: “ship near home system” and “4 technologies of the same colour“.

Public objective “spend 8 resources” was also an easy task to accomplish.

After everyone passed, Letnev scored 1 public and 1 secret objective and was proclaimed as the Emperor of Twilight Imperium of Pattaya Foxx Board Game Cafe.

Victory points:

Session 20.July – Round 5 – Final Standing