[Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

[deaddmwalking]

There's a version of the universe where we attack every intelligent species for not being fuckable, but I won't default to that assumption. Agree with apologizing to the crystal-rock-alien.

[Beroli]

Laser beams flash around you as you make your apology. The crystal you hold in your hand begins to hum with each word. Suddenly the energy flashes cease and you hear the voice again.

"You hold in your hand one of my children. It tells me that you have come for a peaceful purpose. You have no evil intentions. Why have you come?"

Telling your story, you discover that a Robot part is located on this planet!

You now have the Orange Star Robot part! One enemy Combat Turn, whichever attack does the smallest amount of damage will be bounced back to the one who inflicted it, once per battle. (I had this down as significantly more powerful. Mea culpa there, and I would feel a lot more guilty if you'd actively chosen to come here.)

Your sensors pick up a Ruby Star with a highly technological Earthlike planet; a Scarlet Star with a tiny (size 1) freezing (temperature -5) planet with ruined signs of a civilization which destroyed itself, which has no signs of life but does have a mysterious energy reading; a Wine Star with a tiny (size 1) cold (temperature -1) planet with primitive life and the only trace of technology a long-ago-crashed spaceship; and a Maroon Star with a small (size 2) warm (temperature 1) planet with many nonintelligent lifeforms and a strong signal from a power source.

Fly to Ruby Star 0329?
Fly to Scarlet Star 0929?
Fly to Wine Star 1729?
Fly to Maroon Star 2029?

[Dogopolis]

I'm guessing Burgundy is the way back as it's the hardest to reach. I think we should go Ruby/Maroon, Crimson, Burgundy. Since Ruby or Maroon offer the same robot part, I would like to visit the Earthlike Ruby but am pretty ambivalent. The only one definitely not worth visiting is Wine as we don't want the robot getting any ideas about attacking protein based beings.

[Beroli]

Note that if you have the Ruby and Maroon Star Robot parts, as well as the Indigo one you already have, the Robot will have 34 Hit Points. They stack, it doesn't just apply the highest-level one.

[Dogopolis]

I realise that but they're far enough apart that I don't think it's worth going for both. I guess I should have said equivalent rather than "same".

[deaddmwalking]

Our ancient robot will fight their ancient robot (or help us when we fight them). An attack that does half our hit points would really help our opponent. We should go to the wine star as a defensive move.

[Dogopolis]

OK, so Maroon-Wine-Burgundy as a plan?

[deaddmwalking]

Agreed.

[Beroli]

You have your original robot part, the Indigo Star robot part, the Xanthous Star robot part, the Golden Star robot part, and the Orange Star robot part; the Cybrtrons have their original robot part, the Lavender Star robot part, and the Silver Star robot part. Eight robot parts are currently owned.

In the Maroon system, Mikael does 5 damage with each attack, Kan-Tal does 11 damage, and Zanleer does 7 damage with each attack.

Quickly you move toward the source of the power reading, hoping it is a part of the Ancient Robot. You see strange-looking creatures lurking in the woods, watching you, but they do not attack.

Finally you find a path that seems to lead exactly where you want to go. It is easy walking except for a few vines growing across the path, blocking your way. You reach out to push them aside.

BLAM!

The fruit on the vine explodes, doing 5 damage to one of you. You collect 5 pieces of Exploding Fruit--it might be useful later--and continue searching for the Ancient Robot part.

As you approach the Ancient Robot part, you are amazed to hear it speak to you!

"At last! I've been so bored these last few centuries! Please play my game with me. If you win, I will serve you. If not, you will join the other losers."

Looking around, you see several skulls and disembodied robot heads lying near the crystal checkerboard.

	1	2	3	4
A
B
C
D

You are attempting to move from the north side of the checkerboard to the south side. The Ancient Robot part will try to guess, without looking, where you're standing, and will blast where it thinks you are. In Round One, you choose to start in square A1, A2, A3, or A4. The Ancient Robot part (played by the E-Ben player) guesses one of those squares, and is then told where you were that round.

In Round Two, you can move to a square in the second row, but only one you can move to physically without leaving the checkerboard or crossing another square. So if you were in A2, you can move to B1, B2, or B3, but not B4. The Ancient Robot part again takes a guess at your location, and again learns where you were.

This continues for Round Three and Round Four. Each time the Ancient Robot part guesses your location, one of your group takes 10 damage. After four rounds, you can leave the checkerboard and win the game.

Which square do you choose to start on?

Also choose who took the damage from the Exploding Fruit.

[Dogopolis]

Not Mikael I think as he's already hurt. Kan-Tel? (I don't care about this, if you want anything else I'm happy)

Obviously the centre squares are "better" but he knows that too, I'd go for a bluff and A1.

[deaddmwalking]

Zanleer is best for taking the damage, I think.

Agree with your logic but suggest A4 followed by B3.

Does the other player know what square we were in after shooting?

[Beroli]

Yes, the other player will know which square you were in after shooting.

[Dogopolis]

Zanleer A4 works for me.

[Beroli]

Mikael Hit Points: 22/44
Kan-Tal Hit Points: 34/36
Zanleer Hit Points: 28/35

The Ancient Robot part blasts square A3.
Where will you move to next? (Options are B4 or B3.)

[Dogopolis]

Half vote for b3, as i expect he'll think we will take the 4 again

[deaddmwalking]

B3 is the smart move (it gives us the most options for our next move). This is definitely a Vizini situation. Rather than having a strategy that might be guessed, I vote for randomly determining our next move. I rolled a 3 on a d6, so another vote for B3 (a 4-6 would have been B4).

Hopefully we can avoid being hit at all, but it appears that even if we take 3 hits we can survive.

B3.

[Beroli]

You move to B3. The Ancient Robot part blasts B3. Who takes the damage?

Where will you move next? C2, C3, or C4?

[Dogopolis]

I like the random idea: Going with a 40-40-20 split my virtual d10 says C2.
Give the damage to Zanleer.

I don't feel very strongly about either of these decisions so feel free to overrule.

[deaddmwalking]

Works for me.

[Beroli]

You move to C2. The Ancient Robot part blasts C2. Who takes the damage?

Where will you move next? D1, D2, or D3?

[deaddmwalking]

Let's give the damage to Zanleer again. There may be a combat where we want someone near full strength.

Rolling a d6 for our next stop. 6. D3.

[Dogopolis]

OK I'm fine with both.

[Beroli]

You move to D3. The Ancient Robot part blasts D3. Who takes the damage?

You have won the game and the Ancient Robot part! Your Ancient Robot now has 25 Hit Points.

You have been to the Orange Star system. The Wine Star system has a tiny (size 1) cold (temperature -1) planet with primitive life and the only trace of technology a long-ago-crashed spaceship. The Crimson Star system has an airless planet with no life, but that planet has a moon with a massive energy reading at its north pole.

Go to the Orange Star 1238 system?
Go to the Wine Star 1729 system?
Go to the Crimson Star 1422 system?

[Dogopolis]

I see no reason not to continue with the plan and head to Wine.
Lets cripple Zanleer

[deaddmwalking]

Agreed.