End of Game Statements
Eric Brosius: This was the closest postal Outpost game I've ever played, measured turn by turn throughout the game. Lowreyville and I both drew good first-turn cards and were able to buy Water Factories and population counters, putting us ahead of the rest of the field, and we were close for the rest of the way.
I drew awful cards on Turn 3 (three Water cards and an Ore card adding up to 16,) which just about wiped out my first-turn good luck, but somehow Michael and I kept buying similar things. I bought a Heavy Equipment followed by a Nodule; he bought a Nodule followed by a Heavy Equipment. On Turn 10 I bought an Ecoplants, a Titanium Factory and 3 pops, while he bought an Outpost. Then on Turn 11, I bought an Outpost while he bought an Ecoplants, a Titanium Factory and 2 pops. The main difference in our games was that I bought three Orbital Labs during the game while he bought a single Scientists and parlayed the research cards into several New Chemicals Factories.
Late in the game, our strategies diverged a bit, with Michael spending most of his cards each turn while I tried to save a little extra to get an unopposed shot at a Moon Base, but neither of us could open up much of a gap. After Turn 10, I was up 25-21 on the strength of my Ecoplants purchase, but on Turn 11 he bought his own Ecoplants to close the gap to 31-29. On Turn 12, his NCF purchase made up another VP, leaving the score 32-31. On Turn 13, I thought Lowreyville, LGM and I would be fighting for 2 Space Stations, but to my surprise, LGM didn't appear to bid for a Space Station and Lowreyville got one cheap, causing me to worry even though I was still up by 41-40.
Sure enough, he got a NCF and populated 3 other idle factories on Turn 14 while I had to settle for an OL (hand space was starting to pinch,) putting him up 47-44. I clawed back 2 VP in Turn 15 by populating my own idle factories, leaving the score 67-66. I knew we'd both be able to buy a Moon Base in Turn 16, so it would all hinge on whether I could save enough cards after buying a Moon Base to buy and man some OrFs for extra VP. I made it with just one VP to spare.
I really enjoy Outpost (I'm on track to play 20 games face-to-face this year in commemoration of the game's 20th anniversary,) but it's also fun postally, since you have a chance to think your orders over more carefully (and estimate how much your opponents' cards are worth.) Thanks to Chris for running these games.
Andy Lewis: What can I say but thanks to Chris and congrats to Eric. I stink!
Andy York: Congrats to Eric, close run thing for first place. I just couldn't get going this time..... Thanks to Chris for his usual great GMing job!