Rowan Tree and Red Thread

36 to Mrs Wol I think, after the "clarification" that "consume powers" don't include "trade powers" for the purposes of that 6-pointer. Somewhat logical in that there's another one that counts _only_ trades, and not consumes. Definitely one of those annoying little terminological (and graphical) niggles that feed into the 'learning curve'. Phase IV sometimes seems like a "phase and a half": sounding like a single phase in some contexts (as technically it indeed is), and like two in others (where "trade" and "consume" and the corresponding icons are used in contradistinction).

I think it might have been slightly quicker than that, actually, though I didn't notice the exact time we started. Still somewhat over the Psychologically Important One Hour Mark(R), though, certainly, but getting within hailing distance.

Playing New Sparta with NGO in hand relatively early certainly clarifies one's thinking with regard to production/consumption/wibbly side-effect chains, etc: I didn't have any. Also helps that I seemed to have a bit of luck with draws, and was never struggling for having "red stuff" in hand. Without NGO it's doubtless a bit more subtle, and would need more of a mix, since otherwise having +13 military would be a tad pointless.

Bags I Episilon Eridani (what's their "shtick", anyway?) next time, and we'll almost have completed the "round robin", aside from the lack of I. Kate for the second game.

It might have helped if I had remembered the objectives earlier too...But fun was had which is the important bit.