Turn 4, Impulse 32: Ever see the original Highlander movie? In the middle of that battle scene where everyone is running away from MacLoud and suddenly the Kergen shows up out of nowhere and stabs him in the gut? BS4 must feel like that.

Black once again handled a Yellow drone swarm, though the target's wild weasel helped a lot. But the truly cool thing, never before in a Fog game, is the almost certain capture of YS12. After good rolls by the attackers, the DWD is down to 3 BPs to the enemy's 15. And I don't see any cavalry on the horizon...

Turn 4, Impulse 28: Ever see the original Highlander movie? There's a battle scene early on in which everyone keeps running away from Connor MacLoud. BS4 must feel like that. The Klingon DN runs away. The Lyran decides to shoot someone else. How is guy to earn his commendations if no one will fight him?

And hey, Lyran, pick on somebody your own... health! I mean, really, picking on helpless, defenseless, and powerless BS6, just to score 50 shield hits on the Gorn, Rom, and Klingon. I mean, what did that ISC ever do to YOU?

And on the East Side, we have the WYN scout blinding himself in order to do a few internals to the Fed. I hope it was worth it. There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.

And we will see what the end of the turn brings in just two weeks, plus or minus. Tune in next time to see if the Captain of the Kzinti DWD suddenly starts speaking in Klingon.

Turn 4, Impulse 24: Prepare to Repel Boarders! Yes, Mr. Charmed Life seems to have a few extra crew aboard, some Klingons, some Seltorians, some Gorns, it's quite the international incident over there. Sixteen BPs on our intrepid DWD, so, how many does the Kzinti have? Well, if you're the Klingons, you figure that out by shooting them all, counting how many charges you used on your disruptor pistol, and divide by ten.

In the meantime, the Little Kitty that Could opened up a big enough hole in the Black ISC that the Yellow Tholian was able to pour a little fire in the hole - and the ISC is now powerless to stop him. In fact, he's just plain powerless.

And the rest of Black is looking like a football huddle (US football, not that international stuff). They all sat in a circle for a while, then somebody yelled BREAK, and now they're all trotting off in different directions. Is this the end of the SuperStack? Or will they pull themselves together? Tune in next time!

Turn 4, Impulse 20: YS12 seems to lead a charmed life. While every other ship that has attempted to overrun the Black Stack has impaled themselves on the set spears, the little Kzinti DWD slipped past all the damage, out-tractored a Gorn BCH and Klingon Battle Tug, got out of YS1's explosion radius just in time, and killed BS6's Weasel to keep it in his hex and do him 5 more internals (should have launched that WW in some direction where you had a shield, there, Murgen!)

Oh, did I mention that YS1 didn't escape the set spears? With a liberal sprinking of damage from everyone, the Yellow ISC went down. The Lyran DN's Suicide Shuttle was the last straw, the coup de Goodnight Gracie. But before he left, he got all his plasma out, and his 22 explosion strength has weakened shields all over the Black Fleet. Over 200 shield hits in all on this suicide run for YS1, and he's not done yet! A lot of shuttles are going to be biting the big one in the next break.

In other news, the Lyran DN finally has an ESG up (only one) and absolutely no one to hit with it. The Black Tholian put out another couple of web hexes that will possibly complicate the C8's movement plan, and YS11 fired his disruptors, from range 5, at two targets, doing 6 damage.

But YS10 is coming! The cavalry is just over the hill! Hold out another few impulses, and,,, and...

Well, and what?

Turn 4, Impulse 16: Yellow finally scores some major internals. Little YS12 slips past the Big Bad Tholian and takes advantage of a point-blank drone launch to plant some internals on BS6. So, good for you, Kzinti - you have bloodied their nose.

Of course, in other news, BS1's AFC came back up, a fact that he celebrated by putting a big hole in YS1. And BS8's drone wave went totally undefended into YS8's #6 shield, then the hull, then the Bridge, Warp, Impulse, and weapons. Weapons fire later that impulse finished off the poor KRB, who only wanted a chance to fire against Black shields before he died.

YS1 got to range 2 of the Stack and immediately got tractored by BS2. But he bravely turned in and is pushing BS2 around while his ESGs are coming up again . . . or are they?

It's hard to put a brave face on this. Yellow is definitely on the ropes. More next time.

Turn 4, Impulse 12: OK, Black, we've got you surrounded! Come out with your hands up!

OK, maybe not surrounded, exactly, but Yellow does seem to be flanking Black from both sides, with the DN turning C, the Selt turning E, the Tholian and Kzinti coming in from above, and lots of problems on the horizon. The Black Hydran got lucky, in that the collateral damage from the Wild Weasel didn't hit the down shield. And the Tholian and ISC got unlucky, as the one drone that was out there decided to see if that T-bomb was real... and it was, all over Black's shields.

So now the question is, what is Yellow up to, what do they have left to fire, and what does Black have to fire back (and at whom?) For the answer to these and other burning question, tune in two weeks from now.

Turn 4, Impulse 08: Mother always said that if you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all. Well... 'nuff said!

Turn 4, Impulse 04: Good at counting? Well then, count the number of F torps that are on the board for Black right now - fifteen. That's 300 points of plasma power (though probably only 225 by the time it hits a target.) Of course, a lot of it was shotgun, so we know it's not all on the same ship. Still, 225 divided by 3 is 75. So is that three ships with 75 damage, or are they trying to weaken everyone's shield?

And BS2 cancelled his ESG activation. What, not worried about drones there, Big Guy? We'll see. You don't have to be Nostradamus to predict what's coming... PAIN!

Turn 3, Impulse 32: Goodbye, Adieu, to YS2. The Tholian is Toast.

So, here we are at the end of Turn 3. Combined phaser, disruptor, PPD, and Hellbore fire from every Black ship except the Scout added up to more than the Tholian could take. Fortunately, his explosion didn't damage anyone else. In return, Yellow has taken down BS5's shield and done some serious damage in return, and the first impulse of next turn will witness the demise of Black's Tholian Interceptor. And in what I think might be a Fog first, BS10 launches a Plasma Shotgun!

Aside from the two cripples and the straggler (YS10), Yellow is as consolidated as they have been since Turn 1. Can they turn their new-found cohesion into an attack? Or will the Big Black Super-Stack continue to reign supreme?

On another note, both fleets picked up a LOT of TacInt on one another this turn. Check out the TacInt and SSD pages - find out what you're really up againt.

Turn 3, Impulse 28: Have you ever been in one of those situations where you can see disaster about to ensue? The fraying rope holding up the piano? The car careening around the corner as the lady with the stroller begins crossing the street? The girl in the slasher movie opening the closet door, finding nothing, then turning around?

Nope, me neither.

Turn 3, Impulse 24: Well, Black Company's drones finally got into range of Heart of Gold's scout, and he turned off 4 of them on six tries. YS2 has turned into the teeth of the oncoming enemy and, under an onslaught of drones, started erratic maneuverers! But the rest of the fleet is catching up to him, especially YS7 and his ADD rack. In the meantime, Black has its own drone problems - who will hit the T-bomb first, the drones or their target? With Yellow turning southerly, Black turning northerly, and the shuttles shooting out more drones, turn 4 looks to be a LOT more interesting than turn 3 (which wouldn't take much, sad to say).

Turn 3, Impulse 20: Black Company's drones are starting to get into YS2's air space. Apparently, the first one wanted to get into his shuttle bay, too, but a couple of phasers ended its plans. A couple of the Heart of Gold ships have turned south, and all Black Company ships have turned C to match the Lyran DN. And we're still questioning the sanity of YS10's navigator. Either he's going out for pizza, or he has a cunning plan. And what's THIS? PLASMA! Yes, Plasma from YS8! Ooh, I'm all goose-pimply with anticipation!

Turn 3, Impulse 16: Well, we've finally hit the break point. Black is putting out more drones, the PF has turned E, but their two biggest ships have turned C. Unless they're planning to HET a Lyran DN, or split their forces, I've got a good idea where they are going. Looks like it gets interesting from here, folks. Sit back, pop a cold one, and enjoy the show.

Turn 3, Impulse 12: Hey, BLACK is putting out some drone, too! What do you think? Are they offensive, or just there to knock off Yellow's drone wave? And, Hey, YS10, where the heck are YOU going? The enemy is DOWN THERE!

Turn 3, Impulse 8: Another drone bites the dust, but otherwise, about as exciting as watching paint dry. Black has passed Barbados and is apparently headed for the Straits of Magellan. But I've got $5 that says they turn before impulse 20. (Given that they'll hit the edge of the map on about 18, I think it's a pretty good bet.)

Turn 3, Impulse 4: Black still charging south. Yellow claiming the center of the board. And a lot of real estate around the center, too.

Turn 2, Impulse 32: End of Turn 2. Black is fairly consolidated and heading for Barbados, it would seem. Yellow is spread across an area 20 hexes wide and 10 hexes tall. So the question is, can Yellow use their center-board position to get an attack on Black and even the odds without taking a further thumping? Turn 3 promises to be a lot more exciting than the last 24 impulses, that's for sure.

Turn 2, Impulse 28: See, I TOLD you that drone needed serious consideration. But did you do anything about it? NNNNOOOOO!!!! And now, YS9 has slipped over the edge from bad headache to major concussion. Where is the Scout, with his special sensors to break lockons? Why didn't the Seltorian fire some phasers at the drone? Why didn't...well, why didn't YS9 ask for a little help? What we are seeing here now is the WEAKNESS of the Seeking Weapon Defense Plan - it lulls you into a false sense of security. And is assumes travel in groups, not going off on your own. So, YS9, was that one enveloping torp worth it?

Turn 2, Impulse 24: Well, that little plasma torp off YS9's #5 shield became that fairly large plasma torp ON YS9's #5 shield, taking it almost completely down. And there is a drone close on its heels. What to do, what to do? Black continues their overrun attack on the south edge of the board, while more Yellow units turn to E. End-of-turn positions will be interesting, to say the least.

Turn 2, Impulse 20: All the Black units are facing D now, with one exception. The Yellow Gorn has slowed down and seems to be targeted by a little plasma torp off the #5 shield, Captain. And just when it looks like Yellow has completed its turn to D, some of them start turning E. I think they're just going to run in mid-speed circles until Black decides to really come out and fight, none of this hiding-behind-a-web nonsense. Or maybe YS1 is just trying to lap YS3 and win the checkered flag at Talladega. Yeeee Haaaa!

Turn 2, Impulse 16: Well, we have a little clearing of the center, as BS7 decides to take out a few Yellow drones with a T-bomb. Unfortunately for him, and astute YS2 takes advantage of the down shield to give BS7 a few internals. This, my friends, is the power of conditional orders.

In other news, the Yellow PF HETs to defend YS5 from two drones. The Black plasma torps are beginning to fade, Yellow fleet is completing their turn to D (or will they go full circle?), and the Black Admiral is continuing his overrun attack on Hex 2550. (It's blocking his view of Venus.)

Turn 2, Impulse 12: ZZZZZZzzz.   ZZZZZzzzz.  ZZZZZzzzz.  ZZZZZzzzz.

Hummmph? Wha? Oh, Sorry, must've dropped off there.

Turn 2, Impulse 8: Well, that answers my top question from the last Foglet - Black is going south for the summer. (Seriously, it will be September before they can turn around!) But Tholian BS4 did get into the fray with some valuable parting gifts for YS9 - 19 internals. And Klingon Tug BS7 seems to be having some trouble with his Disruptor officers.

"IT WAS A SPEED 3 SHUTTLE, AND YOU MISSED IT? Security, escort these men to detention center 4-B!"

"Uh, Captain, 4-B is an airlock."

"Your point?"

Anyway, unless Black makes a quick turn back into combat, it's looking like a long, slow summer.

Turn 2, Impulse 4: Black continues to move in the superstack. (Oh, for a hidden NSM!) Yellow is more spread out and at different speeds, but still all within 5 hexes separation, close enough for mututal support. BS2 and BS7 lower shields to TBomb some drones, which makes it possible for YS9's enveloper to hit BS7 for a few internals. In the meantime, BS10 takes a few pot shots at YS9's down #3 shield, plus the PPD wavelock to scrape the hull a little. But it's not the major bloodbath that YS9 might have feared.

YS6 breaks the lock on a couple of Black's ECM drones, but they'll have plenty of time to replace them while Yellow is turning around. (Note - when possible, destroy enemy ECM drones and plasma the impulse before you want to fire at the ship they are protecting.)

And that's about it. There are still lots of question marks here. But the biggest one is, where is Black going? Attack or retreat? Overrun, or run away? Only the Admiral knows for sure.

Turn 1, Impulse 32: When you turn your back on your enemy, don't be surprised if he kicks your ass. Yellow decided not to attack the Black Widow Web Defense, but Black blew down the web and got a free range 15 shot on YS5, the Hydran. And while he's not toast, he's at least an English Muffin, and in a jam for sure.

In the meantime, the Yellow Gorn got an enveloping plasma off, but perhaps strayed a little closer to the enemy than comfortable. He got a ship-load of phasers and a wavelock for his trouble, and the Black BCH stripped him of his ECP. (Which was nicely replaced by the Scout with loaned ECM.)

Everyone has fired lots of phasers, Yellow at the three incoming Envelopers (shredding them) and Black at Yellow targets. Round 1 definitely goes to Black, as they have crippled one ship, dented a couple of others' shields, and in return have lost not even a single shield box. But Black also used more plasma, more heavy weapons, and more drones. Can Yellow settle the score before Black is ready for the next attack run? Black has an awful lot of board behind them.

Yellow is turning, but where will they go? Will Black push to engage or run and re-arm? Will YS9 continue to catch the ISC's wave? For the answers to these and more, check back in a couple of weeks.

Turn 1, Impulse 28: Yellow seems to be in a bit of trouble. Ten ships have turned A. One is still traveling F, and the Gorn went south (OK, southwest). I've always loved a nice, tight formation. In the meantime, the Black drone wave is coming to town, and those envelopers might make dropping a shield for T-bomb use a bit dicey. But I'm having a heck of a time implementing the SWDP.

In the meantime, Black has used a Web Breaker to release themselves from the web, only to find themselves running headlong into ANOTHER web, and still blocked from firing or being fired upon. But the Tholian is out of tractor now and headed south. Perhaps he and the Yellow Gorn will get together for a peace conference.

Turn 1, Impulse 24: What's with all the Yellow shuttles? They can't be drone defense, since the ships are outrunning them. They can't all be scatterpacks. If they are suicide shuttles, they're a long way from any possible target. Oh, and Mr. ISC, where the heck are YOU going? The enemy is OVER THERE!

Turn 1, Impulse 20: So, the purpose of the web was to give Black something to get stuck in? This lets their envelopers close the range on Yellow while Black is invulnerable to DF, but Yellow is also shielded from direct fire. This will also give Yellow time to deal with the Black drones while they don't have to worry about Black DF. (Especially not the Tholian in the tractor.)

Turn 1, Impulse 16: Now we're getting something interesting. Black puts out a couple of hexes of web. Fire break? Seeking weapon protection? What?

Turn 1, Impulse 12: Yellow has re-grouped into a tighter formation and changed speeds to stay close for a while. Black uses the Hemenway Maneuver to get their SPs out and recover them before speeding up to match the fleet. The Yellow Hydran launches two fighters.

Turn 1, Impulse 8: Black seems to be banking on ECPs for most of their ECM seekers.

Turn 1, Impulse 4: At this point, the only differences to comment on are that Black started closer to the center of the board, and that Black used their 0.28 launches offensively while Yellow used theirs for ECM drones. Yellow also seems more intent on finding out who their opponent is: they are using a scout channel for TacIntel while Black is not.