Chinese Grand Prix

So we move onto race 3 and China.  I decide I will be aggressive with this race and really test the robots.  One of the things I have decided is that qualifying is still a bit too random.  My top tier drivers still have a decent chance of being down the pack.  For those drivers I will draw twice and take the higher.  

Qualifying   I still keep my pitting skill so know I will be using a 2 pit strategy.  I have a "4" card in my hand so add "1" to get a 5.   This still puts me down to #6.  Schumacher takes pole followed by Fisichella. Every qualifying has one surprise and this time it is that Montoya takes 3rd position and Couthard takes 4th.  I drew twice for Alonso and he still managed 5th.  I drew twice for Raikkonen and he is back 9th!  I am far enough back that I will start with banging wheels plus I really want to beat Montoya.  I choose softs.  This will be the first time weather will play a factor.  It is sunny but the forecast calls for rain.  Interestingly only 5 robots choose a 2 stop strategy but I did not modify this for weather.  The first 4 drivers did.  We will see how this plays out.  

  Another beautiful track!  Thanks Benetton!  Gentlemen, start your engines!  

Lap 4  Schumacher opens lead as Fisichella can't hold it around turn two.  Am experimenting with giving all drivers an aggressiveness rating.  Don't want it to slow the game down though. 

Lap 4  Couthard, Alonso, Me and annoying Montoya.  We all contest the corner and I have banging wheels...

I go over the kerb and out in front!  I move into third but more importantly beat Couthard and Montoya!

Lap 8  Alonso being Alonso passes me.  Schumacher opens up a large lead.  I am still third and riding high. 

Lap 9  Haters gonna hate.  Couthard, Fisichella and Montoya decide to challenge the corner. Massa and Rakkonen, with so much traffic, decline.  Why don't they leave me alone?  Couthard keeps pushing and pushing...

He kept pushing for space that wasn't there.   The guy is unsafe.  

 

I hold my position but Couthard crashes unfortunately.  Montoya beats Fisichella.    

So now we have a safety car.  Something I am not very familiar with.  

A timely weather check showed the weather was steady so what to do?  The leaders all had to pit in the next 3 turns.  Raikkonen [ #5] was on a 1 stop strategy.  The first 4 cars [Schumacher, Alonso, Me, Montoya] all pit.  Fisichella stays out to take the lead.   I switch to hard tires in hopes that the weather will hold and keep banging wheels. 

Of course once we start again all the leaders are way in the back.  In retrospect I am not sure pitting was a good idea.  We all have a lot of ground to make up even though it is early in the race.  Alonso immediately passes me [ I pitted quicker] so I move into 12th.

  Lap 24  Fisichella pits.  Weather still holding.  Raikkonen takes lead followed by Massa.  Random event occurs that upgrades Massa to also moving whenever the 2 robot cards are the same.  Massa is on his game today!  

Lap 30   Weather still looking good.  My decision to go with hard tires looks smart.   Majority of 1 stop cars pit now including Raikkonen (1), Massa (2) and Button (4).  Fisichella running 3rd takes lead on hard tires.  Massa passes Raikkonen out of the pits to move into second.  Another random event affects Alonso.  His hard tires are not wearing well.  He has to slow or pit.  He slows...

Schumacher and I take advantage of this to pass him!  I move into 7th with half the race to go.  

Lap 33  While Fisichella is trying to lap Roseberg, Massa and Raikkonen move into 1st and 2nd!

  Lap 39   Needing to conserve gas, [ out of good cards] on my way to the pits I am passed by Alonso and Montoya!  

Lap 40   I pit and change to softs and chase.

Lap 42   It starts to rain lightly on the track with the promise of getting worse.  Schumacher, Alonso, Fisichella, Montoya and Barrichello have all timed their stops better than I and come in for intermittent tires.  I come in and change and hope the weather holds out.  I give myself 2 less penalty turns in the pits because I am not taking on fuel plus I have the pitting skill so it is a short pit and I get a track card.  I change to chase.  

A way to keep track of who is on what tire.  I know I need to replace Toyota with Honda.  Button gets it automatically because he has the rain skill. 

 

Lap 45   Raikkonen passes Massa to take the lead.

Lap 47   Last weather check and the weather stays intermittent rain.  My decision to come in and change looks good.  As there are only 5 turns left no one on hard tires comes into to pit except Fisichella who has too for fuel.  

Barichello decides to challenge me at corner 6...

And passes me going wide!  Rats.

Lap 51   Massa challenges Raikkonen and passes on corner 2!

Lap 52  Button who is running a good race in 6th retires as his engine fails.  That is two races in a row where a Honda car has failed to finish.  

Lap 54  Massa and Raikkonen continue to fight for the lead.  Schumacher, Alonso and Fisichella...

are stuck in traffic.  Schumacher has been stuck in traffic ever since he pitted during the safety car.  The good news in this picture is you can see my red, white and blue car passing the evil silver and red car of Montoya to get back into 6th! 

Last lap   Though Massa and Raikkonen are on hard tires, the traffic is enough to make it a 2 man race and Massa [ with help from that random event] wins with 2 spaces between!  Raikkonen second.  Schumacher holds off both Alonso and Fisichella and I follow closely for 6th place.  Montoya can't pass me and takes 7th followed by Barechello.  

Another great race!  The weather made it stressful and uncertain for sure.  In retrospect Schumacher and Alonso should not have pitted during the safety car. They were in traffic the rest of the race.  Me was more of a toss up but probably not.  That is one of the great things about racing and this game, you just don't know.  

So with Ferrari taking 2 of the podium spots the standings become much closer after 3 races.   

Alonso      23 pts

Raikkonen   23 pts

Massa       20 pts

Fisichella   16 pts

Schumacher   15 pts

Me                  10 pts

Montoya           6 pts

Buttons, Barrichello and Coulthard     1pt

 As expected the superfast cars are at the top but Schumacher and Alonso should have the fastest cars [ With Massa matching them for this one race.]

Constructors

Renault 39

McLaren  35

Ferrari    29

BMW     11

Honda    2 

Red Bull   1

Williams   0

 

So it appears competitive without everyone having an equal chance.  That is what I am going for.  It is still early with only 3 races complete but so far so good. 

I think I have the basic game down as we head to Europe and the Nurburgring.  Now it is time to add another layer to the mix!  I will attempt to step down from driving and take on a new challenge...  

More to come.

 Enjoy and Merry Christmas!   

 

Joe   

 

 

Canadian Grand Prix

 Race 2      .  I am happy with my progress to my ultimate F1 game so far; the robots were working well, the random events needed some love and I haven't even thought of the campaign aspect yet.  Hopefully 2 more races and then I could start to feel comfortable with a game and system.   So on to the great north. 

 It was a sunny weekend  as BMW went to my teammate's home country. Alonso, fresh from his win in Spain took pole with a 2 stop strategy.  Ferraria seemingly had their troubles figured out taking second and third postions with Schumacher and Massa.  They would also be running a 2 stop strategy.  I had a 66% chance of keeping my skill [ shortened pitting] which I did so 2 stop was in the offing for me.  I upped my card by 1 which brought me to 5 but still ended up in 6th behind both a surprising Rosberg and Raikkenon.   

  The track courtesy of Bennington at BGG.  Thank you sir!

Gentlemen, start your engines!  [ I am in 6th position in BMW colors.  The tire chips function as softs for the robots.  they will go soft, hard, soft.]   I start on soft tires and chose chase as strategy since that worked well in Spain and I am in the upper third of the start.  By poor Canadian teammate starts 13th!

Not too much to speak about for the first 10 laps except Rosberg in his slow robot slowly loses ground.  [Slow robots who pit before turn 8 don't have to do a 2 stop strategy.  Frankly they are going to lose anyway.] 

Lap 17    Alonso, who has been leading the whole race starts to open up on Ferrari.  I cling to 5th but can't seem to gain any track cards.  Should have chose balance as the track is wide open for me.  

Lap 27   I am at "L'Epingle"and Montoya and Fisichella [not Fisherella!] decide to contest.  I block...

I keep the Italian behind me but the aggressive Columbian clips me going inside. It damages my tire and I have to pit several laps early!#$%%$#.  I change to mediums but will have to be careful to make them last.  I could have tried save tires but chose balanced as a strategy.  I am now 10th.   

Lap 30 Alonso pits, Raikkonen takes the lead, Alonso manages 2nd followed by Schumacher.   I have moved up to 9th.

Lap 31  Barachello, running in 5th for Honda has to retire when his clutch fails; heartbreaking.  

Lap 42   Raikkonen finally pits.  Alonso resumes the lead with Schumacher right behind.  Massa and Raikkonen are 3rd/4th.  As you can see I am literally not "in the picture".  

Lap 56    Everyone on 2 stop strategy pits. This includes Alonso, Schumacher and Massa.  Raikkonen takes the lead by default.   The big question is, will his tires hold up till the end?   I change to supersofts and keep balance.

 Right before I pit, I have been battling Montoya and Fisichella for most of the middle race trying to move from 7th to 5th.  Of course now we all will have new tires for the final push...

Lap 57   Heading into turn 6 Montoya has the racing line but Fisichella passes him. [ Used his tire chip]  I am left out.  To add insult to injury Couthard comes out of nowwhere and passes both me and Montoya!  I hate this game. 

 

Lap 59  Schumacher guns it by the pits to pass Alonso into 2nd place!  

 

Lap 59    Revenge time!   On L' Epingle it is time for me to challenge Montoya and that sneaky Couthard.   Okay, so I only pass Couthard.  Boy, Montoya is good. 

Lap 65  Random event   Raikkonen's tires are wearing faster than expected. Schumacher, Alonso and Massa catch him at corner 1.  Schumacher will contest corner.  Alonso, with tire chip declines.  Massa will not contest teammate.  Raikkonen hold's Schumacher back but there is contact and both cars bend wings.  They both will have -1 movement now.  With two turns left a pit stop is not an option.  All they can do is hope to hold on with damaged cars for 5 laps... 

Lap 70   Using corners Raikkonen manages to hold off Schumacher, Alonso and Massa despite worn tires and damaged wing.  People are already calling Raikkonen's defense the last 5 laps one of the greatest drives in formula 1.  Alonso makes it past Schumacher's damaged car to take second.  Schumacher takes third and Massa 4th.  Fisichella is 5th.  On soft tires I pass Montoya for 6th after holding off Couthard for the last 5 laps!  

An amazing race! The most fun Race 90 game I have ever played.  My contest rules really livened it up and having some robots 2 pit makes for variety.  There was a battle for the front and though I didn't get to battle for the front this time I was in a battle for 6th most of the race.  For BMW that seems appropriate.  

I like my robot rules.  The only change will be for aggressive bruisers instead of 3 cards for contests I think I will try drawing 3 cards and taking the best two. { Thanks Peter from BGG!}  Still need them taking more ETs and LBs.  Will work on that.  Also more work on my random events.  

Still great game that played even quicker; about 2 hours this time.    

Alonso is in the lead after 2 races with 18 points.  Raikkonen has 15 and Fisichella has 12.  I have 7 which puts me 7th; not bad.  For the constructor Renault is crushing everyone with 30 points; Mclaren and Ferrari both have 19.  

Next up, China!

Enjoy

Joe
 

 
 
 

Spanish Grand Prix V2

 So race day!  I left off with my methodology for the project and the robots.  There were a couple of nice comments on BGG.  It was a bright sunny day in Spain with fan favorite Alonso starting 5th.  Mclaren seemed teh strongest team with 1st and 3rd.  Ferrari was disappointing with Massa 9th and Schumacher 11.  Guess who was between them, me in my BMW.  

I rolled my skill and got Pitting so a two stop was a no brainer.  I chose soft tires and banging wheels to try to make up some ground before my early pit.  

Gentlemen start your engines!

Raikkonen leads as Weber slowly loses ground in his slow robot.Montya remains competative and keeps Alonso behind him.  Fisherella on soft tires gains ground.  I manage to move up to 5th so my team is happy.  

Around lap 6   Raikonnen, Alonso, Montoya, Fisherella and then a host of others behind Button!

At lap 10 Fisherella passes Raikkonen on corner 5 and takes the lead!  Since he is doing a 2 pit strategy he pits lap 15 and Raikkonen resumes the lead.  I pass Massa to move into 3rd place!   Unfortunately, I have to pit on lap 22.  I change to mediums and now find myself behind leaders so change strategy to chase.  I start out 7th.  On lap 25 Raikkonen and Alonso go into the pits for their one stop.  Now is my chance!

The race leaders with Raikkonen and Alonso pitted.  Montoya is the new leader followed by Schumacher, Fisherella, Massa, Raikkonen and me.  Alonso is behind me for the moment while I chase Massa.

Lap 40 I get a random event.  My right rear tire is wearing faster than expected.  Fortunately I plan to pit in 10 laps.  Will need to watch it. 

  

Lap 44   Schumacher continues to hold off Raikkonen and finally passes Montoya to take the lead!  Fisherella bids his time.  I continue to fight off Alonso while chasing Raikkonen.  

Lap 50  Schumacher and I pit.  Montoya takes lead.  I chance to super softs and go with balance since there is a gap now between my and the leaders.  

Lap 56  Raikonen passes his teamate Montoya to take the lead.  Schumacher is in traffic behind me!  

Lap 63  Things are nearing the end.  Alonso and Fisherella pass Raikonen, Fisherella making use of his soft tire chit at an opportune moment!  Massa passes Montoya to take 4th.  Schumacher passes me to move into 6th.

Final lap  First we have a contest here:

See the second space.  On the last turn I thought it would be a great idea to challenge Montoya and Schumacher to gain two spots.  I thought this was corner 4 with a +3.  Now I play the second car gets +3 and the third car [me ] would get +2 but still +2 is pretty good.  Schumacher beats everyone and I beat Montoya but no one spins out so that was fun.  Then I realize this is actually corner 5 so no one challenges.  Had I not messed up Schumacher probably would have challenged based on his skill set. 

So everyone roars ahead on the last turn and I have the cool +2 tire chip for super softs which allow me to pass Montoya and that pesky Schumacher!  I secure 5th place!   

Alonso takes first having started 5th

Fisherella takes second having started 4th

Massa takes 3rd having started 9th

Raikkonen settles for 4th having started on the pole

I take 5th having started 10

Schumacher takes 6th having started 11th. 

Montoya and Buttons also score points.

Not surprisingly the superfast robots scored almost all the points.  The 2 fastest cars should be Alonso and Schumacher and they appear to be but Schumacher started 11th.  It was also interesting that a superfast that had pole ended #4.  Also the robots clearly challenged me as I pulled out 5th and that only by super softs.  Another good thing was the game never dragged for me.  I played the short version and it took about two and a half hours.

A couple of changes I will make.  Robots on 2 pit strategy will pit 2 spaces less than regular plus 1 soft tire to keep them competitive.  I changed mid game and Fisherella used this strategy and came in 2nd.  Aggressive/bruiser drivers will draw 3 cards when in contests. Montoya drew two "1s", that should never happen.  

So there is my report.    Suggestions welcome.   Also let me know if that was too much or too little detail.     
Next up Montreal and Notre Dame island!

Enjoy!

Joe

 

Back to try again

 Well I am back to try again!  The goal is the same.  Life got in the way with the death of my father and Covid.  Several things have helped, time to grieve, I recently retired from full time at the hospital and Gotha launched a kickstarter for the second edition of Race.   It renewed my interest in the game and the project.  There is an excellent video of the upcoming solo system embedded in the kickstarter here.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s0L9NvRtUU.   So I looked for a season to simulate and have settled on 2006.  It was BMW's first official season and Michael Schumaker's last.  In addition I have found short rules on BGG and must say that I enjoy them.  I have played 2 solo practice races on the Brazillian track and think I am ready.  Rather than start in Bahrain I will start in Spain again as that is an official board and will give a little comparison to my previous experiences. I am using the short rules.  Since I am BMW and we did not have a great car I am giving myself 3 points instead of 4 used in the short game.  I am going to go balance with 1 point for cards, tires and damage.  

   I am using the Race robot rules with several exceptions; robots do pay to pass, any fast or super fast robot that initially pits before turn 9 will pit twice during the race as they are doing a 2 pit strategy.  Their first set of tires will allow them 1 blue chip.  Robots can challenge in curves against other robots.  I am using my modified contest table found at BBG and a special events table that I am testing. 

The field

Fernando Alonso           Super  Fast          +1 if same cards drawn

Giancarlo Fisichella     Super   Fast

Kimi Raikkonen           Super    Fast

Juan Pablo Montoya       Fast                  +1 if same cards drawn  Aggressive 

Michael Schumaker      Super Fast         +1 if same cards drawn  Bruiser

Felip Massa                   Super Fast

Me

Jacques Villenevue        Slow                 +1 if same cards drawn

Jenson Button                Fast                   reflexes,  rain expert

Rubens Barrichello        Fast

David Couthard             Fast                    reflexes

Christian Klien              Slow

Mark Weber                  Slow                  free passing, pass on corners for 1mp

Nico Rosberg                Slow                  rookie year

 

Aggressive will start a contest or take a ET or LB on a "6" but will only do this once per game turn row.

I hope the above will give me some variation in the drivers but still play fast enough to keep me engaged.  During testing I could play a clean turn in under 5 minutes.  As you can see the goal over the season is not to "win" with my car as that would be unrealistic.  It is to perform better than BMW did historically.  

So...

As qualifying approached I rolled for my skill.  I got "pitting" so a 2 stop was certainly in the works. The highest card I drew was a "3" so I added 1 and hoped for the best.  That put me 10th in the field!  As I was pitting turn 7 I decided on soft tires and went with "banging wheels" since there will be a lot of traffic.  

McLaren was well represented so it looks like they will have fast cars this year.  Raikkonen took pole and Montoya was third.  Mark Weber from Williams surprised everyone and was second.  Fan Favorite Alonso was fifth as he prepared to defend his 2005 crown.  

 The starting grid.  You can't even see me from here!   [ I haven't got new cars yet.]

A shot of the track.

So I am off to the races so to speak.  Will see if I like this game and format.  I know there are more experience players out there so comments and suggestions on the drivers or rule changes always welcome.

Thanks

Joe