12) Space Assassin Solution

[champskees]

Even with minimum stats, this book can be completed fairly easily by using the method presented below. Luck is inconsequential, your armour should be able to take at least a couple of hits from the Guard Robot, and Skill is used differently in this book (although you probably want at least Skill 8). As per the rules, Pep Pills can be used at any time. This includes during battle, which means even a Skill 7 or 8 character has a very strong chance of making it out alive.

Item selection: Take E. Lash & Rest in Armour Points.

- Take a look through the pile of refuse.
- Remove device from body.
- Take Device.
- Go right.
- Continue down tunnel.
- Go through hatch.
- Threaten them.
- Take Security Keys.
- Open security door in room.
- Open the door.
- Take Energy Bars (can heal 5 Stamina).
- Simply attack it.
- Fight Sk 7 St 6 Guard Robot (fires twice every round). Gun fight.
- Inspect remains of robot.
- Press red.
- Press green.
- Take Gravity Bomb.
- Take door to the side (-1 Armour).
- Fight Sk 9 St 1 Laser Globe. Gun fight.
- Take Nerve Gas and Tablets.
- Try one of the tablets (+5 Stamina, +2 Pep Pills).
- Open security door.
- Read Book on Molluscs.
- Continue down corridor.
- Press them both together.
- Go west.
- Go south.
- Go south.
- Go west.
- Go south.
- Explore for a little while.
- Take a closer look.
- Stand fast.
- You would like to come into possession of the device.
- You have the matching piece of the device.
- Turn Device into Pan-Dimensional Homing Device.
- Decline their offer and leave by foot.
- Go north.
- Leave them.
- Go west.
- Go north.
- Follow the chasm west.
- Go west.
- Search for a way down the chasm.
- Go down the stairs.
- 3D6 Stamina Test. Fail = D6 Damage.
- You have read a book on Mollusc nervous systems.
- Fight Sk 9 St 8 Bivalve (you inflict 3 Damage per hit). Hand to hand.
- Take a nap on the submarine (+4 Stamina).
- Follow path left.
- Turn left.
- Look into your pack.
- Use the Pan Dimensional Homing Device.
- Give him the Nerve Gas & Gravity Bomb.
- Take Assault Blaster.
- Go through sliding door.
- Stay there to eat for a while (+5 Stamina).
- Cross the bridge.
- Answer the question.
- OTTFFSSE = One two three four etc. Letter = N for Nine.
- N = 14. 14*10 = ‘140’. Turn to Para 140.
- Take centre path.
- Ignore the spheres and walk straight through towards the door.
- Time.
- Not real.
- You are looking for Cyrus.
- Go right.
- You have not read this book.
- Jump for the hanging girders.
- Test Luck. Fail = 2 Damage.
- Engage Sentinels in a fight.
- Fight Sk 4 St 9 Sentinel & Sk 4 St 9 Sentinel together. Gun fight.
- Assume it’s trying to get your guard down and attack it.
- Use Energy Bar to heal stamina to maximum if needed.
- Go through the crescent door.
- Move straight in for the kill.
- Grab him and finish it.
- Go for him regardless.
- Fight him.
- Fight Sk 9 St 12 Cyrus. Gun fight.
- Your mission is a complete success. Congratulations.

[BookBurner]

Thank you for the review! Unfortunately this was the joint first gamebook I ever played (charity shop 10p still on inside cover) shame that it was so dismal! If I hadn't also bought Portal of Evil with it I do not think I would have ever played another!

[CharlesX]

Jun 23, 2022 11:51:12 GMT BookBurner said:

Thank you for the review! Unfortunately this was the joint first gamebook I ever played (charity shop 10p still on inside cover) shame that it was so dismal! If I hadn't also bought Portal of Evil with it I do not think I would have ever played another!

I think Andrew Chapman is one of the better Fighting Fantasy authors but Space Assassin is definitely not his best gamebook. Comparing those two is like comparing Star Wars The Phantom Menace with Star Wars The Force Awakens.
   For whatever reasons, variable quality seems to be an issue with gamebook series, particularly ones by many different authors - Fighting Fahtasy's competitor series Choose Your Own Adventure has the same problem.

[terrysalt]

The only Chapman book I liked was Seas of Blood but I was never really taken with the Sci-Fi books in general. If he'd written more Titan-based books, I may have appreciated him more.

[kieran]

Jun 23, 2022 11:59:12 GMT CharlesX said:

Comparing those two is like comparing Star Wars The Phantom Menace with Star Wars The Force Awakens.
   

Which is which in this analogy? I think I would happily go to my grave declaring The Phantom Menace is the better of the two.

Re Space Assassin, it's fun enough but leaves no real impression beyond it's solid equipment and combat rules which should really have been reused in other sci-fi books in the series.

[a moderator]

I am moving the discussion of Star Wars to its own thread. Pray I don't move it any further.

[philsadler]

Jun 23, 2022 17:41:33 GMT a moderator said:

I am moving the discussion of Star Wars to its own thread. Pray I don't move it any further.

This is not the thread you are looking for.

[slloyd14]

Oh come on, you don't have the kill the pilot. Let's be kinder to AIs people. Just have a nice convo with it and make friends.

[CharlesX]

Is there some relationship algorithm about when it's best to take the Assault Blaster instead of the E. Lash?

[terrysalt]

Jul 29, 2022 10:16:30 GMT CharlesX said:

Is there some relationship algorithm about when it's best to take the Assault Blaster instead of the E. Lash?

You're probably fine to always take the lash. There's only 2 gun fights in the Champskees solution prior to obtaining a blaster. One of which only has a single stamina anyway.

[kieran]

Yeah I can't see getting the assault blaster slightly earlier would outweigh the advantage of extra grenades and armour.

[CharlesX]

Jul 29, 2022 16:36:39 GMT kieran said:

Yeah I can't see getting the assault blaster slightly earlier would outweigh the advantage of extra grenades and armour.

I basically forgot you get an assault blaster midway through the gamebook.

[kieran]

Jul 29, 2022 16:44:05 GMT CharlesX said:

Jul 29, 2022 16:36:39 GMT kieran said:

Yeah I can't see getting the assault blaster slightly earlier would outweigh the advantage of extra grenades and armour.

I basically forgot you get an assault blaster midway through the gamebook.

Not even midway, you can get one in the first few sections.

[CharlesX]

Jul 29, 2022 17:21:45 GMT kieran said:

Jul 29, 2022 16:44:05 GMT CharlesX said:

I basically forgot you get an assault blaster midway through the gamebook.

Not even midway, you can get one in the first few sections.

Really? The given solution has you getting one in the second half of gameplay.

   Maybe you pick up an assault blaster in the solution which isn't specified. Like in the remains of the robot. I haven't played Space Assassin for 20+ years and don't have a copy anymore.

[vastariner]

Although the book makes sure

SPOILER: Click to show

you can never get an atomic disintegrator

, I can't help but feel that that's a missed opportunity;

SPOILER: Click to show

it would be intriguing to have a weapon that is insta-kill but at a (say) six attack strength penalty.

[a moderator]

Jul 29, 2022 17:27:02 GMT CharlesX said:

Jul 29, 2022 17:21:45 GMT kieran said:

Not even midway, you can get one in the first few sections.

Really? The given solution has you getting one in the second half of gameplay.

   Maybe you pick up an assault blaster in the solution which isn't specified. Like in the remains of the robot. I haven't played Space Assassin for 20+ years and don't have a copy anymore.

Champskkes' solutions generally go for the quickest route (that's why he says to attack the pilot - talking to it takes up more sections). The earliest fight in which you can acquire an assault blaster is avoidable, so it's not in the solution.

[johnbrawn1972]

Jul 29, 2022 20:38:18 GMT a moderator said:

Jul 29, 2022 17:27:02 GMT CharlesX said:

Really? The given solution has you getting one in the second half of gameplay.

   Maybe you pick up an assault blaster in the solution which isn't specified. Like in the remains of the robot. I haven't played Space Assassin for 20+ years and don't have a copy anymore.

Champskkes' solutions generally go for the quickest route (that's why he says to attack the pilot - talking to it takes up more sections). The earliest fight in which you can acquire an assault blaster is avoidable, so it's not in the solution.

He does talk to the pilot though? The answers are given above. Time and not real?

[a moderator]

Aug 3, 2022 16:54:05 GMT johnbrawn1972 said:

Jul 29, 2022 20:38:18 GMT a moderator said:

Champskkes' solutions generally go for the quickest route (that's why he says to attack the pilot - talking to it takes up more sections). The earliest fight in which you can acquire an assault blaster is avoidable, so it's not in the solution.

He does talk to the pilot though? The answers are given above. Time and not real?

Those are answers to the questions posed by the Simulacra. Champskees' recommendation for interaction with the pilot is

Assume it’s trying to get your guard down and attack it.

[scouserob]

A Risk Free Solution for the Tank Battle Mini-Game

Firstly, playing this mini-game can be part of an optimal solution (as long as you don't care about paragraph count).
There is no risk of failure if you follow this sequence and the whole scenario is so damn, cool that I think you should probably take this route just to experience it.

You can do an ouroboros style payment of the Pan-Dimensional Homing Device for its use against the two Guards from the cover illustration to allow you to keep the Gravity Bomb for use on the Toroid.
(It certainly fits the criterion of any piece of technology that you possess.)

Anyhow, here is the solution I came up with.
You get two shots on the enemy tank during every 16 STATUS rounds.
He get no shots on you.  EVER!



Here is a playthrough of this risk free Tank Battle Solution on my iPhone app:

[scouserob]

For those who like their solutions visual, here is a run through of Space Assassin on my iOS App.
I've gone the Tank Battle route.  😉

[CharlesX]

A very rough % chance of completing an FF worked out by extrapolating Champskees Table Skill, 3 permutations for Stamina and Luck, although in this case Armour instead. Because the table was slightly bigger, they were divided by 162 instead of 110.

In this instance the table was different. Luck is all but inconsequential with a single test for 2 damage (thank you Scouserob below for making the point there are no rules for using Luck in combat).

Space Assassin Odds of Victory 97.24%

Even a minimum stats adventurer has a solid above 50% chance of making it through. I wish more FF took this approach!

I'm pretty sure generously letting Adventurers consume energy tablets during fights is one reason the odds are that good.

[scouserob]

Hi Charles
As with all of the non-fantasy gamebooks, up to and including the one I am currently playing: The Rings of Kether, I don’t think you can use luck in battles in Space Assassin.
(At least it isn’t mentioned at all in the rules for any of them.)

So you better knock that hundredth of a percentage (1 in 10,000 play-throughs) back off. 😜