Players: Allan, Joshua, Mike B, Mike C
I apologize for any errors in reporting, but I wasn't there so I take no responsibility for same. As McMulti opened, three basic strategies were apparent: Mike C. made a grab for the retail market, purchasing three stations and a refinery to capitalize on the differential between the foreign/domestic and consumer markets; Allan went after the oil-production market, hoping to find some inexpensive wells before the other players; Joshua and Mike B. played balanced stratgies, with a few stations, some oil exploration, and a refinery thrown in here and there. The consumer market remained relatively stable for a while, so Joshua and the two Mikes made some decent profit whereas Allan patiently awaited his first oil strike (eying the other players' cash piles all the while).
An oil embargo came to light, sealing off the foreign market and driving all prices down. His patience finally wearing out, Allan filled his entire island with exploratory rigs; he hit one, but then Joshua found the next four, driving up the price Allan would ultimately pay for his next few. The news forecast wasn't good for anyone who owned gas stations, and the consumer market fell into the bubbling bidet along with the domestic market. Reaction to these events varied, with Allan hungrily waiting for the news to crush his competitors, Mike B. and Joshua holding their stations and their breath for better news (though both claim they had the cash to handle any tax levy), and Mike C. pretty much clearing off his island to avoid projected taxes (which left him close to where he started -- with about $250 million).
When the news disappeared, some bizarre dice rolls bounced the market from PROSPERITY to RECOVERY and back several times, bringing about explosive growth in the consumer market. This growth worked in favor of those who took the news risk, and at that point, it was pretty much a two-player scramble for the victory, with Joshua and Mike B. in a Porche and Lambourghini (respectively), Mike C. in a Taurus Wagon, and Allan in a '76 Pinto (American-made, of course). Allan finally hit his second and third wells, but probably overpaid for them (given the number already owned by other players), and with his capacity added to that of other players, the crude oil market bottomed out again and again. From this point on, it was "buy oil for $1 million, refine it for free and sell it on the consumer market for somewhere between $15 and $60 Million (a tidy profit no matter the final price). The whole gang employed this strategy (to the best of their individual ability) for many rounds, and the game was decided when Mike B. was able to sell the last of his equipment during PROSPERITY while Joshua had to sell his in RECOVERY. The final count was (approx.) Mike B. $1.16 billion, Joshua $1.1 billion, Mike $700 million, Allan $500 million.
A word from our winner, Mike B
"I tried to kep a balanced asset set, and to weight it in the direction the market was moving at all times. I placed a few rigs and took my wells when they came, slowly securing a steady supply for my refineries. I always had enough cash on hand to pay whatever (outrageous) taxes were threatening and never let the tax situation influence my decisions about the market."
Allan's words to live by:
Aggressive play can win or lose you the game:
1. Mike B. and Joshua kept their stations in the face of serious taxes, and the strategy paid off
2. Mike C. was ahead but sold his equipment too aggressively and fell behind at mid-game
3. Allan bought tons of rigs but unlucky rolls doomed his strategy, aggressive as it was.
- Posted by Scott on behalf of Allan
I apologize for any errors in reporting, but I wasn't there so I take no responsibility for same. As McMulti opened, three basic strategies were apparent: Mike C. made a grab for the retail market, purchasing three stations and a refinery to capitalize on the differential between the foreign/domestic and consumer markets; Allan went after the oil-production market, hoping to find some inexpensive wells before the other players; Joshua and Mike B. played balanced stratgies, with a few stations, some oil exploration, and a refinery thrown in here and there. The consumer market remained relatively stable for a while, so Joshua and the two Mikes made some decent profit whereas Allan patiently awaited his first oil strike (eying the other players' cash piles all the while).
An oil embargo came to light, sealing off the foreign market and driving all prices down. His patience finally wearing out, Allan filled his entire island with exploratory rigs; he hit one, but then Joshua found the next four, driving up the price Allan would ultimately pay for his next few. The news forecast wasn't good for anyone who owned gas stations, and the consumer market fell into the bubbling bidet along with the domestic market. Reaction to these events varied, with Allan hungrily waiting for the news to crush his competitors, Mike B. and Joshua holding their stations and their breath for better news (though both claim they had the cash to handle any tax levy), and Mike C. pretty much clearing off his island to avoid projected taxes (which left him close to where he started -- with about $250 million).
When the news disappeared, some bizarre dice rolls bounced the market from PROSPERITY to RECOVERY and back several times, bringing about explosive growth in the consumer market. This growth worked in favor of those who took the news risk, and at that point, it was pretty much a two-player scramble for the victory, with Joshua and Mike B. in a Porche and Lambourghini (respectively), Mike C. in a Taurus Wagon, and Allan in a '76 Pinto (American-made, of course). Allan finally hit his second and third wells, but probably overpaid for them (given the number already owned by other players), and with his capacity added to that of other players, the crude oil market bottomed out again and again. From this point on, it was "buy oil for $1 million, refine it for free and sell it on the consumer market for somewhere between $15 and $60 Million (a tidy profit no matter the final price). The whole gang employed this strategy (to the best of their individual ability) for many rounds, and the game was decided when Mike B. was able to sell the last of his equipment during PROSPERITY while Joshua had to sell his in RECOVERY. The final count was (approx.) Mike B. $1.16 billion, Joshua $1.1 billion, Mike $700 million, Allan $500 million.
"I tried to kep a balanced asset set, and to weight it in the direction the market was moving at all times. I placed a few rigs and took my wells when they came, slowly securing a steady supply for my refineries. I always had enough cash on hand to pay whatever (outrageous) taxes were threatening and never let the tax situation influence my decisions about the market."
Allan's words to live by:
Aggressive play can win or lose you the game:
1. Mike B. and Joshua kept their stations in the face of serious taxes, and the strategy paid off
2. Mike C. was ahead but sold his equipment too aggressively and fell behind at mid-game
3. Allan bought tons of rigs but unlucky rolls doomed his strategy, aggressive as it was.
- Posted by Scott on behalf of Allan
