From the minute I read Xaffax's Challenge on the bulletin board, I knew I had to try it. I hadn't gotten a Police Moth in the regular offline game. I didn't even know it was possible until dyar1 wrote me and told me how he'd done it by trading with Downtown Moths. I knew I could do that because it was basically the same strategy I used to get Death's Heads.

I started one game and played almost all the way through it before getting a Police Moth by trading with Downtown Moths and buying whatever they had in bay #3. Then I realized that the Mystery Package had to be installed on the Police Moth. Gadzooks !! I was going to have to start another game. At least I knew for myself how to get an offline Police Moth.

Before starting the new game I thought through my overall strategy. I'd start out like always by pirating to build up my funds. I'd also get the plot moving early by not hesitating to run the *Decoy Required* mission.

I decided I would upgrade to a Neo-Tiger before doing all of the trading required to get the Police Moth. It's speed would be needed to avoid pirates and to speed up the whole process. I would begin trading with Downtown Moths immediately upon getting a Neo-Tiger and Laz amnesty from the *Decoy Required* mission. I'm not much of a Trader, but Xaffax's Challenge requires a great deal of trading to be successful. It was all very well worth it.

Things went very well and I'd built up quite a stash of cash trading with Downtown Moths. They first produced a Silvery-Y. I flew back to my hangar and took a taxi to buy it. The made a Death's Head next. I bought it, too. The Police Moth was the very next Moth they made. I considered myself very lucky not to have to buy four or five Moths to get to a Police Moth. Remember that you have to become a millionaire in this game. Keeping your expenses nominal goes a long way toward this.

I got the Police Moth and outfitted it with stuff from my Neo-Tiger. I was trying to keep my expenses minimal. Originally I intended to play out the plotline with the Police Moth, something I'd always wanted to do. I used the Police Moth to target the Secret Bases and get Matter, Trigger, some Fusion Parts and amnesty from all offended factions before Day 8.

I had traded the Fusion Parts to Downtown Components in hopes they'd make me a Fusion Cell. I didn't have time to check them before the *Important Mission* message arrived. I spent a day getting the Mystery Package and running the other two missions quickly. I then started to supply Downtown Components and they produced a Fusion Cell on my second run on Day 11 -- This is the earliest I've ever gotten a legit Fusion Cell.

I decided it was time to complete other aspects of Xaffax's Challenge. I bought hangars in all available craters. Most hangars are money-makers so I didn't mind buying them and setting up at all. Then I bought a Hawk and a Moon Moth to complete the required fleet you have to build.

By Day 13, I had completed all of the requirements except finishing the plotline and becoming a millionaire. After all of my pruchases, my funds were sparse.

I began a campaign of piracy unrivaled in my history on Titan. Things started slowly as there just didn't seem to be many traders and pirates around. Then I picked up on a very active Narcotics trade route running from General Industrial to Flyer's Retreat. I'd say I sold over a hundred units of Narcotics to Flyer's Retreat. They're great. They never seem to run out of money and pay top prices for your cargo.

Things finally slowed down to the point where I could check out other craters. I went Downtown and the Port district was on fire. Matter, Trigger, Fusion Parts, and Fusion Cells everywhere. Every pirate I targeted was loaded down with valuable alien cargo. I had a field day.

I made nearly $200,000 in one day working the Port district Downtown. That went a long way toward that million.

I ran all of the other missions until I got the *New Developments* message. I delayed that mission until I got well over $900,00. It was a delay of about four days. Then I ran the mission, made the rest of my million and finished the plot as quickly as I could. I entered the Port Crater in Syd's specially fitted Moon Moth on the evening of Day 24.

I should've saved the game then, but I decided to wait and try to get back to my Downtown hangar. It takes about a day for all of the people gunnng for you to die in the Port Crater. I waited them out and was comfortably back in my Downtown hangar in Day 25. That's where I ended and saved the game.

Xaffax's Challenge brought new enjoyment of the game for me. I've never been much of a Trader, but when such things as Police Moths and Fusion Cells are possible, anything's worth it. I'd forgotten just how exciting outrunning pirates can be. My hat is off to Xaffax for coming up with such a difficult, but "do-able" challenge. If you've been getting a little board with HardWar lately, it's time you tried Xaffax's Challenge. It will really wake you up.

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