Push 'Em Back!

I have a little free time and decided I should play a game. However, I was not really in a mood for any battles. Actually, I have World Cup fever, so I wanted to play a sports game. Last World Cup I modified some soccer rules into Star League, a futuristic goal-scoring game. Alas, those rules are stuck on my dead computer (I really need to get a new battery for it). Instead, I pulled out a board and counters and began to improvise.

The game is a very simple dice rolling contest. There are 5 rounds per game, with 6 plays per round. Each play is an opposed dice roll with the winner moving forward either 1 or (when doubling) 2 spaces. A team gets 2 points for pushing the opponent off the board or 1 point if in the opponent's territory at the end of the round.

In this game, Red is pushing back Black.

I then set up an 8-team single elimination tournament, using my generic counters. I finished the tournament in about an hour. Here are the results:

Round 1
Red defeated Blue 6-4 (OT)
Purple def. Green 5-4
Black def. White 5-3
Gray def. Brown 7-2

Semifinals
Red def. Purple 5-3
Black def. Gray 5-3

Finals
Red vs. Black

Round 1 - Black scores 2 points
Round 2 - Red scores 1 point
Round 3 - Red scores 1 point
Round 4 - Red scores 2 points
Round 5 - Black scores 2 points

At the end of regulation, the score is tied 4 all. The game goes into sudden death. Whoever scores in the overtime round wins the championship!

On the final play, Red finds itself backed into its own territory. However a 5-3 roll (with the white die for the Red side) pushes Black back into its own territory

We keep playing until there is a winner. On the next roll, Red scores a 3-1 victory. They push into Black territory and claim the championship!

This was an amusing diversion. There was no strategy involved, however, so it could grow stale very quickly. I'm thinking of giving each side a pool of tokens it can use to modify or re-roll dice (not sure which yet). The size of the pool could vary depending on the team's quality. I foresee some experiments coming up.

SMASH Ball

Continuing with my latest bout of GADD (Gamer's Attention Deficit Disorder), I had an idea for rules for a futuristic sport I'm calling SMASH Ball. And yes, SMASH should be capitalized.

The game is played on a 5 by 5 grid with 3-player teams. The miniature players (figures) try to carry a ball over the opponent's goal line. Players smash into one another trying to break through the line or get to the ball. Knock downs and injuries are frequent, much to the delight of the crowd.

A SMASH Ball court
A cross = injury. X = knocked down

Some notes on the rules

• The game starts with the receiving team on its back line and the defenders in the center. The ball is randomly give to one of the receiving players.
• I use the Song of Blade and Heroes activation system to determine how many actions each figure may take. As I described before, the SoBH activation system provides a lot of decision-making and suspense.
• With each successful activation die, a figure may move up to 2 spaces. Contact occurs if a figure moves into a space occupied by an opponent.
• Contact is resolved with opposed die rolls. The loser is pushed back or knocked down, depending on whether the winner doubled the loser's score.
• Getting knocked down might cause injury (roll for it), which inhibits the figures effectiveness.
• In standard SoBH fashion, figures are given a Q (quality) and C (contact) rating.
• Crossing the goal line is worth 1 point. Crossing in the center (red zone) is worth 3 points.
• Figures can also throw the ball back and forth.
• In my first test game, I played 12 turns for the half.

I have only played half a game so far but the rules have promise. I do plan to miniaturize it. Fortunately, there can be a lot of leeway on the players - I can envision my mutant gladiators playing SMASH Ball.

Star League Season 8

I've been cranking through games and have finished season 8. I made one big change; I extended the season to 20 games per team. To simplify the schedule I play 2 game series, otherwise the schedule works the same as prior seasons.

Galactic Division
The defending champion Blitz started off slow. After 8 games, they posted a losing record. Meanwhile, the Knights rode a 4 game winning streak to take a 7-3 record and the division lead. The Dynamos were also in the hunt and were tied for 1st place after 14 games. Then the wheels fell off for the division leaders. The Knights went 2-4 and the Dynamos went 1-5 to finish the season. This opened the door for the Blitz, who won their last 6 games to take the division crown.

Stellar Division
The Electrons were the talk of the division. After starting 7-1, speculation arose whether they could be the best team ever (could they tie the 9-1 record of the season 1 Canopans and season 8 Knights). They fell in game 9 then lost 2 games in week 7, allowing the Helix to draw closer. A loss in week 9 allowed the Helix to tie the division with 13-5 records. The rivals played each other in the final week. Because the Electrons held the head-to-head advantage, the Helix needed to sweep the series to win the division.

In the first game, the Helix took an early 1-0 lead. In the waning seconds of the half, the Electrons scored to tie the game. They added another goal early in the 2nd period and then held the ball for most of the half. With time running out, the Helix gained possession, pushed up court, and shot. Blocked! The save preserved the Electron victory and clinched the division. The Electrons won the next game in overtime to finish the season 15-5.

Star Cup
The Star Cup featured a rematch of last season - the Blitz (13-7) vs. the Electrons (15-5). This time, the Blitz were the underdogs. They looked it in the first half as the Electrons jumped out to a quick 3-0 first half lead en route to a 3-1 victory.

The Blitz fortunes changed in game 2. They scored twice before the Electrons answered with a goal to close the margin to 2-1 at the half. The Blitz played tough defense for the 2nd half. With time running out the Electrons managed a shot. SCORE! The game went into overtime but the Blitz scored early to tie the series at 1 game each.

In the final game, the Blitz again took the lead. The score stood 1-0 at the half. Early in the 2nd, the Electrons scored. A few minutes later, the Blitz set up a shot. Goal! They now had a 1 goal lead. The Electrons pressed but the Blitz stole the ball, rushed down court, and shot. Goal! Now up 3-1, the Blitz defense tightened and the Electrons could not respond. The game and series went to the Blitz, who avenged their upset from the previous year.

Historical Notes

• After winning the first 3 Star Cups, the favorite has now lost 4 of the last 5.
• Although the Electrons set a record for wins (15) in the regular season (due to the longer season) they are only 8th in winning percentage.
• The Blitz have now tied the Knights for most division titles (3) and are second in Star Cup championships (2 vs. the Knights' 3).
• Despite their recent success, the Blitz still have the worst all-time record with a .406 winning percentage, The Knights lead with a .694 winning percentage. The Dynamos (.550) and the Helix (.506) are also over .500.

Star League Season 7

I mentioned last week that I have been playing a lot of Star League. Well, I have completed Season 7. Here is an overview

Galactic Division
Despite an early defeat in game 1, the Knights continued their winning ways. Halfway through the season, they were in first with a 4-1 record. However, they were matched by the Avengers. Then both leaders began to stumble. The Knights lost 4 in a row and the Avengers lost 4 of their last 5. This opened the door to the other teams. The Dynamos surged into the lead with 6 wins in a row. One game behind were the Blitz, winners of 5 in a row.

In week 10, the Blitz and Dynamos met. The Dynamos scored a quick goal, and looked like they would clinch the division. But the Blitz struck back, scoring 2 goals late in the 1st half. The second half was a defensive struggle, and the Blitz managed to quell the Dynamos attack. With the win, the Blitz tied the Dynamos with a 7-3 record.

Star League tiebreaker rules are based on head-to-head match-ups. In this case, both teams won 1 game in their series, so a playoff game was in order. This time, the Blitz opened up the scoring. Then, the game settled into another defensive struggle. At halftime, the score was 1-0. Early in the 2nd, the Blitz broke open the game. First one then another shot found the goal. The Blitz controlled the rest of the game for a 3-0 victory and the division crown.

Stellar Division
Early in the season, none of the teams in the Stellar division distinguished themselves. At the midpoint, 3 teams were tied for the division lead with a 2-3 record. The Electrons then pulled away with 4 straight wins, enough to clinch the division in week 9. A loss in the last week left them with a 6-4 record, the worst record ever for a division winner.

Star Cup
The Electrons did not pay much attention to the criticisms leveled at them for winning with such a paltry record. In Game 1, their offense came out blazing. They controlled the ball for most of the 1st half, allowing them to build a 2-0 lead. The Electrons continued to dominate in the 2nd half (the Blitz only managed 1 shot) en route to a 4-0 victory.

Game 2 looked like more of the same, as the Electrons raced out to a 2-0 lead. However, the Blitz showed some life early in the 2nd half, scoring a goal to pull within striking range. From there on, the Electron defense dominated; the Blitz failed to get off another shot. With their 2-1 victory, the Electrons brought home the Star Cup.

Plans for Season 8
I'm toying with some ways to simulate a game without playing it all the way through. I can complete more games that way. As a result, I'm thinking of expanding to 20 games.

Lazy Gaming

Sometimes I just want to roll dice but I don't want to set up a game. That's how I've been feeling lately. As a result, I have been playing a couple of computer dice-rolling games.

• I've been hooked on an online Yahtzee game.
• I have also been playing a lot of Star League (my pseudo-soccer, sci-fi sport game)

When I last reported on Star League a few weeks ago, I had just concluded season 5. Since then, I finished season 6 and am well into season 7.

Season 6 Report

The Avengers started off as the hot team in the Galactic division, winning their first 3 games. However, the Knights were hot on their trail. in week 6, the Avengers lost a defensive struggle to the Gravitons (who won 1-0 on a last second shot). With their 2nd loss in 3 weeks, the Avengers fell behind the surging Knights. The Knights sealed the division with an easy 3-1 victory over the Avengers in week 9.

In the Stellar division, the Fury started hot with a 5-1 record. Then they lost 2 in a row to allow their arch-nemesis Gravitons to tie (with the Helix 1 game behind). In week 9, the Gravitons lost 2-1 to the Helix, giving the Fury a little breathing room. The Fury then clinched the division with a dominating 3-0 victory over the Helix.

The Star Cup featured the 9-1 Knights vs. the 7-3 Fury.Game 1 was a wild one. The Fury took a quick 2-0 lead but the Knights roared back with 3 straight goals. The Fury tied then the Knights took the lead again. With time running down, the Fury scored to tie it up. The game went into overtime before the Knights scored, pulling of a 5-4 victory.

Game 2 was another thriller. In the first half, both teams traded goals. The score was knotted at 2-2 at halftime. In the second half, the Fury scored 2 quick goals. The Knights responded with a goal of their own. Down 5-3, the Knights pressed hard, but the Fury defenses tightened, managing to keep the ball away from their opponent. The Fury victory tied the series at 1-1.

The Fury started game 3 in fine fashion, crafting a 2-0 lead at halftime. The Knights scored in mid-period to whittle the lead to 1. The Fury defense tightened again, but with time winding down the Knights stole the ball. They rushed down court. With time running out, they shot. GOAL. The game then went into overtime, but the Knights were regenerated and scored the winner early.

With their victory in the Star Cup, the Knights completed one of the finest seasons in Star League history (their 9 wins were matched only by the Canopans in season 1).

Star League Season 5

I was too lazy to set up a game this morning. Instead, I pulled out Star League and finished season 5.

It turned into a rather entertaining season. Both division were still up for grabs in the final games.

In the Galactic Division, the Avengers (6-3)  visited the Dynamos (7-2). The first half was close, with the Dynamos holding a tight 1-0 edge. Early in the second period, the Dynamos scored 2 goals to take a commanding 3-0 lead. The Avengers scored late in the period, but it was too little too late. The Dynamos were victorious, clinching the division with an 8-2 record.

Over in the Stellar Division, the division-leading Helix (6-3) traveled to take on the reigning division champion Fury (5-4). This proved to be a more entertaining game, Tied 1-1 at halftime, the Helix scored a quick goal early in the 2nd period. A short time later, the Fury tied it up. However, their celebration proved short-lived. The Helix immediately took the ball down the court and scored. Final 3-2 Helix.

This set up a Star Cup match-up between the Dynamos and the Helix. Both teams were playing in their very first Star Cup (although the Dynamos had been close before - finishing 2nd in the division in three prior seasons). With their 8-2 record and home court advantage, the Dynamos were favored to win. They certainly looked superior in the first game, staking a 3 goal lead en route to a 3-1 victory.

The Helix played better at home in the second game, with the score tied at halftime. Then the Dynamos asserted themselves again with a quick goal. The Star Cup looked like it would go to the Dynamos. But then the Helix sneaked a goal into the back of the net in the middle of the period. Then, with the clock ticking down, they made a spectacular run, shot and scored! Their 3-2 last second victory tied the series at 1 game each.

The Dynamos were feeling confident at home in the final game but the Helix burst their bubble with a quick goal. The Dynamos tied it late in the 1st period, and the half ended with a 1-1 score. But then disaster struck for the Dynamos. The Helix scored 3 quick goals. A demoralized Dynamos team lost heart and the series as the Helix pulled away for a 4-1 victory.

This was a historic collapse by the Dynamos. It marked only the 2nd time that the underdog won the series, and was the first time that a team came back from a deficit to win the series. Starting from the middle of the 2nd game, the Dynamos were outscored 6-1. Looks like heads will roll in the off-season!

Star League Season 4 Concludes

It's been a while since I published an update regarding Star League. Today, I finally completed the 4th season.

Blitz vs. Knights
The season ended with a bang. The Blitz visited the Knights in a game that would decide the division (both were tied with 7-2 records). The Blitz were the Cinderella story of the year; they never before had more than 3 wins in a season. The Knights were the powerhouse of the league, winning 2 titles and never having a losing season.

Despite being heavy favorites, the Knights fell down early as the Blitz scored a quick goal thanks to a magnificent shot by their star forward (game note - I used Star Power to force a re-roll. In order to encourage scoring, I made a rule that Star Power could not be used to negate a goal). Then surprisingly, the Blitz scored again. The Knights pressed forward on offense and fed their striker. Alas, the shot sailed wide (failed Star Power). In the last seconds of the half, the Blitz struck again for a 3-0 lead!

The Knights began pressing on offense and finally managed to sneak a shot past the Blitz goalie. Seconds later, the Knight's star stole the ball, raced down the field, and scored (more Star Power!)  At 3-2, the Knights were back in the game!

The Blitz then gained control of the ball and looked to run out the clock. But the Knights stole it and pressed forward on offense. Time was running out; the Knights had one chance to send it to overtime. They tried to get it to their star but the Blitz covered him like a blanket. With no chance to get it into his hands, another player took a shot. The Blitz goalie dove for the ball. Save! The Blitz preserved a 3-2 victory and the division title.

The final standings look like this:

Galactic Division
Blitz                        8-2
Knights                   7-3
Dynamos                5-5
Avengers                3-7

Stellar Division
Fury                       7-3
Helix                      6-4
Electrons                3-7
Gravitons               1-9

The Blitz and Fury are both first-time division winners. They will meet in Star Cup 4.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

I don't often post about sports in this blog, but I have to tonight.
In NCAA basketball action:

Kentucky (#1 and undefeated) 68
Notre Dame (my alma mater) 66

I tuned on the game in the second half with ND winning, and they ended up losing in what would have been one of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history. I am a jinx.

Star League Season 4

I have begun yet another season of Star League. This time, I am using my streamlined rules, which I automated in Excel so that I can play a game with the push of a key. To make the season more interesting, I chose a team and am playing its games manually. I mentioned adding some other features, like Star Power to add some decision points to the games I play manually.

I am currently halfway through the season. The current standings look like this:

Galactic Division
Blitz                        4-1
Knights                   4-1
Dynamos                3-2
Avengers                0-5

Stellar Division
Fury                        3-2
Helix                      3-2
Electrons                2-3
Gravitons               1-4

Note that I renamed the teams, although (aside from the Knights) the new name starts with the same letter as the old.

My team (the Knights, formerly the Canopans) is tied for 1st with the surprising Blitz (former Betelguesans). The Blitz already have more wins than they ever had in any season! It is interesting that last season's champs, the Avengers (former Antarens) have utterly collapsed. I didn't even make any changes to their roster and yet they are struggling. Part of their problem is their utterly anemic offense, which has scored only 3 goals to date.

Speaking of offense, the new rules have greatly curtailed scoring, which has dipped from 2.5 goals per game last season to 1.6. In 9 of 20 games, one team has scored no goals. I think part of the reason is that if a team missed a shot in the old rules it could (depending on the dice rolls) get the ball back and take another shot. The new rules don't have a provision for rebounds, lessening the number of shots, and therefore goals. I'll have to review the stats to see if my theory is correct. I'd like to increase scoring but I don't want to mess with the simplicity of the rules. One simple solution is to increase the offense ratings, but I may wait until next season to do it.

Anyway, allow me to leave you with a game report:

Knights vs. Gravitons
For game 4, the undefeated Knights visited the 1-2 Gravitons. It should have been an easy victory for the Knights. Should have been.

Early on, the Gravitons stunned the Knights when they managed to slip by the defense and smashed a difficult shot toward the goal. The goalie managed to get a hand on it and deflected it away. The Gravitons gathered the rebound and shot it past the sprawled out goalie. 1-0 Gravitons.

[Game note - I am using Star Power for both sides in my manual games, giving each side 1 per half. On this play, I used Star Power to re-roll the goal. It came up a no-goal, hence a save. But then the Gravitons countered with their own Star Power, which came up goal. I declared that they scored on a rebound!]

The angered Knights retaliated by powering their way to 2 goals. Then they grew lax and the Gravitons slipped a shot in to equalize the game at 2 goals each. The Knights had an opportunity right before the half, but the Graviton goalie made a tremendous save.

Early in the 2nd half, the Gravitons stunned the Knights with another rebound goal.

[Again, back-to-back Star Powers saw a goal denied followed by a goal scored]

The Knights coach ordered his players to push forward. For the rest of the half, the Knights controlled the ball and rained shots upon the Gravitons' goal.

[I choose a strategy of Aggressive Offense in an attempt to equalize the game. This put the Knights at risk defensively, but fortunately they managed to control the ball and remain on offense\

The Knights managed to put one shot into the goal to tie the game. Then, as time was winding down, they managed a break-away. The shot flew from the forward's hands. It curved past the goalie into the nets. Goal! With a last second shot, the Knights managed a thrilling 4-3 victory.

Star Cup 3!

It's been a while since I last played a Star League game but I decided to catch up today. Last time, I played the first game of Star Cup 3, which the Antarens won. Today, I finished off the series.

Game 2 - Antarens @ Hydrans
The game began with the Antarens controlling the ball, but the stiff Hydran defense prevented any shots. The Hydran coach got impatient and ordered his players to press forward. This strategy backfired as the Antarens were able to clear the ball, rush forward, and score. Antarens 1-0 at half.

In the second half, the Hydran coach switched to a balanced attack but then tried to crush the Antaren's best player. This maneuver drew a penalty, but the goalie was able to block the shot to keep the Hydrans in the game. A little while later, the Hydrans were able to feed the ball to their striker who rifled the ball into the net. Tie game!

Overtime was looming when the Hydrans were able to scoop up a loose ball. They maneuvered down the court. Time was running out when they shot and scored. A dramatic 2-1 victory for the Hydrans!

Game 3 - Hydrans @ Antarens
The Star Cup returned to the Antaren's court for the finale. In the middle of the first half, the Antaren coach unleashed his striker, who was able to slip one by the opposing goalie. From then on, the Antarens played very conservatively. The Hydrans were able to maintain possession but they had trouble getting into scoring position. Late in the second half, they had an opening. The Antaren goalie dove for the ball - save! After that, the Hydrans failed to mount a serious threat and time wound down for a 1-0 Antaren victory.

Season 3 Champs - Antarens!

Note on Season 4 - I set up the season 4 and began playing week 1 using the automated program. I will be playing one of the teams, but we'll save that for a later update.

RETROSPECTIVE - Ernie Banks

Today I am going to take a break from wargaming reminisces to bring you a retrospective of a different take. This morning, I was saddened to read of the passing of Ernie Banks.

A young Ernie Banks

For any baseball fan, or even any Chicagoan, this name needs no introduction but others may need a short bio. Banks played baseball for the Chicago Cubs from the 50s through 1971. During that time, he was one of the best in the major leagues during that time, hitting over 500 home runs over his career. He was at his peak in the late 50s, winning the Most Valuable Player award in back-to-back seasons (while on a losing team - an unheard of accomplishment!) He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his initial year of eligibility and was selected for Major League Baseball's All-Century team.

More importantly for Chicago, he was the face of the Cubs franchise and a ray of sunshine among the gloom of Chicago baseball. You see, that era was a bad time for Cubs fans; they were perennial losers. They hadn't been to the World Series since 1945 and hadn't won it since 1906 (streaks of futility that are ongoing today). But this didn't bother Ernie; he just loved playing the game. His famous catchphrase was "Let's play two!" He wasn't ready to go home when the game was over; he wanted to play another. His skill and his optimism endeared him to the city of Chicago.

During the 60s, I was one of those legions of Ernie Banks fans. I remember coming home from school and turning on the game to see how Ernie was doing. I was such a fan that I would get jealous for him if any other player had a better game than him (hey, I was really young - the whole team aspect was a little beyond my grasp then). Ernie Banks was my first sports hero.

It has been many years since Banks graced the baseball field. Since then, my interest in baseball has waned. In 1971 (the year he retired), my family moved to South Florida and I began following the Miami Dolphins football team (at the time Miami did not have a Major League Baseball team - some would say that we still don't). Today, I am more a fan of football than baseball. Nevertheless, when I read of Banks's passing, memories of my youth came flooding back: Rushing home to watch him on TV; my Dad taking me to Wrigley to see him in person; pretending to be Ernie Banks while playing baseball in the backyard. Banks may never have won a World Series, but he was a champion in a young boy's heart, and I thank him for those good times and good memories.

"Let's play two!"

Star Cup 3 - Game 1

The Rules
A few days ago I mentioned my streamlined rules for Star League games. They work great for automating games, but they turn the game into a simple dice-rolling exercise. To make it more interesting for manual play, I added some additional decision points. The idea is that I will be running one of the teams while the other is automated. I’ll make the following decisions for my team.

• Every turn (possession), I can choose a strategy:
• Aggressive offense – roll +1 on offense rolls but -1 on defense rolls
• Stout defense – roll +1 on defense but -1 on offense
• Balanced approach – no modifiers
• At any time, I can use choose to use Star Power to make a re-roll. I get 2 Stars per game.
• Once per game, I can order a Crush. I set my bruisers to take out the opponent’s players. For the turn, the opponent gets -1 on all rolls. However, if a roll comes up doubles then the bruisers have drawn a penalty and the opposing team gets a penalty shot.

Naturally, this will give my team an advantage, but I’m OK with that. If it is too powerful, I can always eliminate Star Power.

The Game
I decided to use these rules for the Star Cup series. I will play the home team, which will give a home court advantage. Because they had the best record, the Antarens get home court for games 1 and 3.

The game began with quick action as the Hydrans took the opening tip off, raced down court, and slammed the ball into the net. A few minutes later the Antarens followed suit to tie the game. They would trade unsuccessful shots but at the end of the half the Hydrans made another run and smashed a shot into the goal for a 2-1 lead.

At this point, I had not used any of the powers. That would change in the second half.

Early in the half, the Antarens choose to adopt an aggressive offense. They managed to get control of the ball, found an opening in the defense, and then scored to tie the game. Pressing hard, the Antaren coach ordered a crush, but his bruisers were too aggressive. The referee called a penalty, giving the Hydrans a free shot. The Antaren goalie knocked the shot aside to keep the game tied. As time dwindled down, the Antarens went into an aggressive offense. They managed to get a shot but the goalie blocked it. Regulation ended with a 2-2 tie.

In overtime, the Antarens were able to control the ball but struggled to get a shot. It wasn't until late in the period that they managed one, but their aim was true and the ball slipped into the net. The Antarens took game 1 of the Star Cup.

Star League Update - Season 3

As I was reviewing my 2014 gaming materials, I realized that Star League had dropped by the wayside. My latest update was in October although I had finished a couple of weeks of play since then. In that same month I discussed the possibility of completing seasons quicker by automating play. I would choose a team and play its games normally while running other games with the automated feature.

Today, on a whim, I decided to play around with this idea. First, I greatly simplified the rules. Essentially, there are up to 3 die rolls per "possession" (with 6 possessions per half - what I had been averaging in 3 seasons using the original charts). The first roll determines who gets the ball, the second determines if that team can get off a shot on goal, and the final roll determines if the shot scores. All are opposed die rolls modified by team ratings. Rolling greater than the opponent results in a success (either gaining possession, getting a shot, or scoring a goal). I was able to use the randomizing feature in Excel to "automate" the game. A game can now be completed in the click of a single key.

I used my new system to complete Star League's season 3.

The Antarens used a 6 game winning streak to take the lead in the Galactic Division. In week 9, the Antarens and Denebians (both with 7 wins) played for the division lead. It was a titanic defensive struggle. The Antarens only managed 3 shots but converted on 2 of them. They managed to hold the Denebians to zero shots. In the final week, the Denebians and Canopans found themselves one game behind the Antarens, who were visiting the Canopans. A Canopan victory could have resulted in a three-way tie. The Canopans dominated the first half, but they could not score. At the end of the half, the Antarens managed to squeak the ball past the goalie. They added to their lead in the second, but then the Canopans scored to close the gap. Once again, the Antaren defense stiffened and the Canopans could not manage another shot. This victory gave the Antarens the division crown (the first team other than the Canopans to win).

The other division was not so dramatic. After a sluggish 3-3 start to the season, the Hydrans rattled off 4 straight wins. The other teams struggled, allowing the Hydrans to clinch the division in week 9. The Stellar Division also had a new champion (the Geminds won in seasons 1 and 2).

This promises to be an interesting match-up for the Star Cup. The Antarens had the league's best defense (1.6 goals against per game) while the Hydrans had the best offense (3.3 goals per game).

Ponderings

Starfighters
I've been thinking a lot about my starfighter Eindekker variant. In Eindekker, turn management is crucial because you have only 10 turns to complete the mission and return to base before your fuel runs out. I tried a similar rule with my starfighter rules but it just doesn't seem to fit. I just think that -starfighters would have more than enough fuel for their missions so that running out is not a concern. However, if I remove the fuel restrictions, I will essentially remove all decision making by the player. Instead, the game will become a dice-rolling exercise (combat is simply opposed die rolls). While I don't mind rolling dice, I would like to have some tactical decision making.

So what is the solution to my quandary? I'm thinking of adding maneuvers to the combat. For example, perhaps I could add maneuver cards a la Down in Flames. The player would have a hand of cards; he would then play one for each of his starfighters in the turn. I would probably simply program the enemy responses. Adding cards would add more physical components to the game, making it harder to play on a virtual board.

Another idea is to make combat into a multiple round die rolling game (kind of like Yahtzee in space). The player would roll, then choose which dice to keep.

Anyway, I'm kind of stuck on this problem now. I'll need some more thinking.

Sports
I've been toying around with some different quick play sports games.

I created a simple dice-rolling football game. Each team gets 2 "possessions" per quarter, rolling 2D6 per possession (modified by Offensive and Defensive ratings). Results are as follows:

2-3 Turnover
4-6 Punt or end of possession
7-8 Field goal
9-12 Touchdown

I have since added additional rules. A roll of 2 or 4 give a +1 to the opponent's next roll (they gained good field position). One can opt to eschew the field goal and go for it (roll again with a -1 mod). I even have 2-point conversions.

Star League has also been getting my attention. I am in the middle of season 3. I created a spreadsheet to track the League's history but it made me want to finish seasons even quicker. I experimented with a game where each team rolls 1 die to determine the number of goals scored per half. I created a spreadsheet that can actually play an entire season in a second. OK, that's a little too fast. I'm now thinking of creating a new league. I would control one team; its games would be played using the Star League rules. Games for the other teams would use the season in a second rules. The only problem is that season in a second results in a higher score than Star League. I haven't progressed any further.

Star League 3 Update

After 3 weeks in season 3, there are some interesting developments.

In the offseason, both division champions (Canopans and  Geminids) lost their goalies to free agency. Both ended up with inferior tenders for the new season. Meanwhile, the Electrans and Hydrans picked up some new players to bolster their offenses.

Week 1
The Canopans continued their winning ways while the Geminids maintained their mastery over their rivals, the Fomalians. All games were blowouts so their was little suspense this week.

Galactic Division leaders - Canopans and Denebians (1-0)
Stellar Division leaders - Geminids and Hydrans (1-0)

Week 2
Canopans continue to roll. The Electrans and Geminids dueled in the game of the week. For most of the game, the Electrans dominated, but they had trouble scoring. Nevertheless, they were able to stake a 2-0 lead. Then the Geminids came storming back. They scored one goal and then put a lot of pressure on the Electrans. With seconds left in the game, the Geminids found an opening and made a good shot. The Electran keeper dived for a spectacular save to preserve the victory. The Electran win ensured a 4-way tie for first.

Galactic Division leader - Canopans (2-0)
Stellar Division leaders - everyone (1-1)

Week 3
In the Galactic division, the Denebians and Canopans fought through a thrilling match. In the first half, the two teams traded goals. The Denebian goal occurred on a brilliant steal and breakaway. In the second half, the Canopans were driving when the Denebians again stole it, rushed downfield, shot and scored for a 2-1 lead. The Denebian defense then held the rest of the way for the victory. Meanwhile, the former doormats of the Stellar Division both won, leaving the Geminids and Fomalians with losing records.

Galactic Division leader - Antarens, Canopans, and Denebians (2-1)
Stellar Division leaders - Electrans and Hydrans (2-1)

Notes
An interesting feature so far has been the increase of offense (2.3 goals per game) and the increased number of blowouts. This seems to be the result of the improved offenses in the Stellar division and the inferior goaltending of the Canopans and Geminids. I've been tempted to tweak the charts a bit to reduce the shots per possession but I've decided to hold off for now. I may allow some mid-season call-ups to improves defenses across the league.

Star League Update

It has been a long time since my last real Star League update. Since then I have completed season 2 and I'd like to provide a short review,

Weeks 4-5
The Fomalians found themselves in 2 tough games. In week 4, they played a determined Denebian team who knotted the score at 1-1 at halftime. The Fomalian offense controlled the ball in the second half but could not find the net until the last seconds of the game. Their late goal propelled them to a 4-0 record. The next game featured a contest between division leaders. Alas, the Fomalian's weak defense was exposed and they fell down 3-0. They dug deep and scored 2 to close within a goal, but then the Canopans scored to put the game out of reach. Final score 4-3 for the Fomalians first loss of the season.

Galactic Division leader:  Canopans 4-1; 1 game lead over Antarens
Stellar Division leader:  Fomalians 4-1; 2 game lead over Geminids and Hydrans

Weeks 6-7
The Fomalians continued their excellent play, winning twice more, The Geminids were hard pressed to keep pace. In week 6, they took a 2-0 vs. the Betelguesans only to have the opponent score in the second half. The Betelguesans pressed hard late in the game. The Geminid goalie managed a late save but the Betelguesans came hard again. Shot! The Geminid goalie reach out, barely deflecting the ball to preserve the win.

Galactic Division leader:  Canopans 6-1; 3 game lead over fading Antarens
Stellar Division leader:  Fomalians 6-1; 2 game lead over Geminids

Weeks 8-9
With the surging Geminids hot on their tail, the Fomalians took a 3-1 lead against the mediocre Hydrans in week 8. Then their defense collapsed. The Hydrans scored one to get close then in the waning seconds of the game, they peppered the Fomalian goal and squeezed one through. The deflated Fomalians gave up an easy goal in OT and suddenly the Geminids were 1 game back. The Fomalians won in the following week but the Geminids kept pace.

Galactic Division leader:  Canopans 8-1; 4 game lead over Antarens. Clinched division in week 8.
Stellar Division leader:  Fomalians 7-2; 1 game lead over Geminids

Week 10+
Only 1 game mattered this week; the match-up between the Fomalians and Geminids. In season 1, the Fomalians lost a week 9 showdown to lose the division to the Geminids. Could the Fomalians redeem themselves? At first, it looked like it. The Fomalians raced off to a 2-0 lead but once again could not hold. The Geminids scored 4 goals and then held off a Fomalian comeback bid to win 4-3. Per Star League rules, a tie is settled by head-to-head record. The two teams split the season series so a playoff was needed. Once again, the Fomalians took the lead; this time with a quick goal at the start of the game. However, the Geminids rattled off 3 goals in the half for a 3-1 lead. The Fomalians scored early in the 2nd half but the Geminids responded with a goal of their own - clinching a 4-2 victory and the division title.

Galactic Division winner:  Canopans 8-2; 4 game lead over Antarens and Denebians
Stellar Division winner:  Geminids 8-3; 1 game lead over Fomalians

Star Cup
The Geminids had their own hopes for redemption. In season 1, they were swept 2-0 by the Canopans in the Star Cup series. They hoped to reverse that results. They started well with a 2-1 lead in the first game. In the 2nd half, however, their defense faltered and the Canopans scored 2 goals. The Geminids pressed to tie the score, but the Canopans stole the ball and scored to ice the game. It seemed that history would repeat itself in game 2. The Geminids held a 1-0 lead only to allow 2 goals. This time, however, they fought back and tied the score late in the game. Into OT they went, but the Canopans raced away with the ball and scored the Cup winner.

Star Cup winner:  Canopans 2 games to 0 over the Geminids.

Update

Wow, time flies! So much has been going on in my life in general that I haven't really had time to post. As a result, it's been nearly 3 weeks. Let me catch up.

Board Gaming
We've been playing a lot of our new games.

• Elder Sign has become my wife's favorite and we have played it 4-5 times. So far, we only lost once. In our latest game,we raced off to a big lead in elder signs only to get cocky and take on too many hard tasks. Our resulting failures brought doom upon us and awakened the ancient one. Our deaths were grisly. We almost lost another, but my brother saved humanity (although I was devoured).
• We finally tried out Takenoko. It was simple, fun, yet required some thinking. I'm looking forward to playing again. My wife's biggest complaint was that it was over too soon. She was working on a number of objectives, laying out her plans, and diligently putting the pieces in place. Meanwhile, I was furiously completing objectives, causing the game to end before she could bring her well-laid plans to fruition.
• We also played another game of Cthulhu Gloom. I was very successful in making my family absolutely miserable but my wife insisted on cheering them up!

Speaking of board games, I picked up a new war game based on a post over at Kaptain Kobold's Stronghold Rebuilt. Called Solitaire Caesar, it is a strategic level game of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. I downloaded it and created a virtual board so that I can play on my computer. I've been playing in spare moments but have not yet finished a game. I started well, destroying Hannibal with ease, but those pesky Germans have been chipping away at my northern frontier.

Star League

Although I've neglected to post, I've been slowly working my way through season 2 of the Star League. After 8 games (out of 10), the Canopans have clinched their division and will defend their Star Cup championship. In the other division, the Fomalians seemed to be running away with the division but have stumbled lately to allow the Geminids back into the race. With 2 games left, the Fomalians hold a slim 1 game lead over their rivals. They are scheduled to play in the season finale, which could be a crucial game.

Medieval Francesia

I played out another raid (using a virtual board) in my Redgrave Raiders campaign, Although the raiders made it to the village, the Imperial reinforcements arrived in time to stop their plundering. After a short fight, the raiders were cut down.

I'm still planning to run a Francesian Conquest campaign but I realized I don't have all the figures I need. I'm thinking of pulling out and painting my 2mm ancients to use for this campaign. Meanwhile, painting my Baccus 6mm figures has stalled.

Star League - Season 2

After the rousing success of the Star League, a sequel was inevitable. So far, I've played 3 weeks of season 2. Standings so far (click for a better view)

So far, the Canopans are once again on top of the Galactic Division, but the undefeated Fomalians (2nd place in their division last season) are the talk of the league.

I believe the changes (described here and here) I've made to the system are paying off. In addition, I tweaked some of the ratings (lowering some of the top ratings and increasing some of the worst). As a result, scoring is up across the board, there seem to be fewer shutouts.

I'm not going to bother posting every week or even summaries of each game. Instead, I think I'll highlight some games every few weeks.

Week 1 - Canopans at Denebians. Week 1 featured 2 overtime games, but the contest between last season's first and second place teams in the Galactic Division was the best. The Canopans looked like they were going to extend their mastery with a quick goal in the first half. After that, the Denebians fought back and tied the score in the 2nd. It appeared that we were heading to OT when the Canopans snuck in a goal in the waning moments of the game. Canopans 2-1

Week 2 - Fomalians at Electrans. After trading goals in the first half, the Fomalians scored early in the second to take the lead. As time was winding down, the Electrans stole the ball, raced downfield, and scored. The game went into OT, but the Fomalians rectified their defensive lapse with a goal. Fomalians 3-2

Week 3 - Betelguesans at Canopans. An exciting week in the Galactic division. The Denebians beat the Antarens 2-1 with a come-from-behind last-second goal. And that was the boring game. In the other contest, the Betelguesans took a 2-0 first half lead against the defending champions. It looked like the Canopans' winning streak was about to be broken. But then the Canopans struck back with 2 goals in the 2nd (including a last second score to send the game into OT). In extra time, the Betelguesans managed a shot that rebounded back. They grabbed control and shot again. Blocked! Once again, the snatched the rebound. Shot and score! Betelguesans 3-2 (ending the Canopan win streak at 10).

The Star Cup

I have completed the Star Cup - the championship series for the Star League. In Star Cup I, the Galactic Division winner Canopans met the  Stellar Division winner Geminids in a best of 3 series.

Game 1 - Geminids at Canopans
Having the best record in the league gave the Canopans home court advantage for the Star Cup. Alas, home court was no guarantee of an easy victory. Midway through the first half, the Geminids managed a breakaway. They shot and scored for a 1-0 lead. The Canopans fought their way back late in the half with their own successful breakaway. Score 1-1 at half.

The Geminds struck again midway in the 2nd half. 2-1 for the visitors. The Canopans wasted no time, however, with a shot that slammed into the net to knot the score. It looked like the game was headed for overtime when the Canopans seized the ball, moved upfield, and shot. BLOCKED! The ball rebounded back into the court. There was a mad scuffle for the ball. A Canopan picked it up and shot again. SCORE! With seconds left in the game, the Canopans squeezed out a hard-fought, 3-2 comeback victory.

Game 2 - Canopans at Geminds
Playing at home, the Geminids hoped to even up the series, and those hopes seemed justified in the early going. After a series of deft passes, the Geminids spotted an opening and slammed home the ball. Then the floodgates opened. The Canopans picked up the rebound after an unsuccessful shot and scored. Then their offense took over and scored twice more in rapid succession. At halftime, the Canopans held a 3-1 lead.

Nevertheless, the Geminids refused to buckle. Their offense got back on track in the 2nd half, scoring twice in the early minutes to tie the score at 3-3. After this, both defenses tightened the screws and neither side could make a run until the waning moments of the game. Then a Canopan grabbed the ball, rushed upfield. A quick pass found an open player. He shot. SCORE. Once again, the Canopans used a late goal to win, this time by a 4-3 score.

With this victory, the Canopans secured the first ever Star Cup. Stay tuned for season 2!

Star League - Week 10

Final Standings:

The Geminids were victorious in their final game of the season, clinching the championship of the Stellar Division and earning a berth in the Star Cup.

Week 10 Games:

Scores listed above. There was no real standout game this week as all victories were by comfortable margins. In the Stellar Division, the Fomalians handily won their game, which meant that the Geminids needed a win to clinch the division.

Geminids vs. Hydrans - The Geminids started slowly in their contest against the Hydrans, but they scored in the waning moments of the first half to take the lead. They also scored at the start of the second half, but the Hydrans got a goal a few minutes later to keep the game close. Then the Geminids took control, scoring twice more to close out the game and the division title.

Next Up
The Star Cup! The division winners will meet in a best of 3 series to determine the Star League champion. After losing their first game, the Canopans reeled off 9 straight victories to win the Galactic Division handily. The Geminds started the season with a 2-2 record (with losses to the Canopans and the Fomalians) but had their own winning streak (6 games) to surpass their division rivals with a crucial win in week 9.

Notes
Week 10 was played using my revamped game tables. I'm still using opposed dice rolls (a la DBA) but i revised the table to create more gradations of results. The change increased scoring just a tad. I didn't see it fully realized but I'm hoping that the new tables will give more chances to the weaker teams. If you look at the final stats for the league, you'll see a striking disparity between the top-scoring teams (with 30 goals being best) and lowest scoring teams (only 2 goals in 10 games!). I also plan to tweak the ratings a bit next season to even out results a bit.