FH5, Series 38, Week 3

In spite of the intolerable regime that’s been imposed on us, I managed to get the Festival playlist done today.

This started with me wasting CR30,000 to unnecessarily upgrade the Lancer Evo VI to uncover the location of the treasure which was once again in the stadium (#ForcedEngagement). Not difficult to find by going to the first level and then jumping down to the chest.

Weekly challenge. The BMW Isetta was not the same sort of pain that the Peel Trident was, but once again the class requirements weren’t exactly obvious for the jump. I went up the volcano and got it in two.

From practice, I knew the Ranger T6 could do the speed zone. Some idiot player ruined my run-up by crashing into a traffic car, sending it across my path. The SWS was rubbish. I cheesed the drift zone in the new Ford Focus. Another rubbish SWS.

The statue for the photo is off to one side of the airfield. I don’t know what I got for my pains. Probably something really stupid and pointless.

And while we’re talking about those statues, there are enough throughout the maze to find twenty of them. I don’t know what I got. Probably stupidity.

Eventlab. Only one this week, Miniracers – Family Room. It was one of those miniaturised track-in-your-house settings. Probably inspired by those HW racing games, but not that expertly executed. The track felt undersized, was flat, and made of grey sand on grey-painted chipboard. This was not a rally circuit in spite of the sort of cars we had to use, although I think my Fulvia might’ve been specced up for road racing. One-third good SWS, but barely a good SWS.

I started Street Heroes with the Acura NSX, which I normally like. I didn’t like it. I switched to the RWD Ascari, which I liked a lot more. Highland Climb was pitch black, and why was the third race Cañón Run for the second week running? I thought this would land me my third 2018 Mustang, but it was only my second. However, I suspect that I may have removed one previous. See below for ironic SWS moment.

An Odd Sighting was another seasonal in the which-cars-exactly? category. I went with the FE Exocet, which was the only game in town apart from the FE Meyers Manx (aka the Tampon Ad Car). Why did every race this week seem to be in the dark on wet roads? Another 1977 Ford Escort No. 77. Not sure whether it’s my second or third.

All Wheels Down was another seasonal in which I started with one car, the GR Yaris, and switched to another, the Alfa Romeo 155. What was wrong with the Yaris? When we got the car – if I remember correctly –, it was good on dirt without the body kit and good on tarmac with the body kit. The races were that annoying Anything Goes, when most of the field shouldn’t have been going anywhere. What the hell were the Extreme E vehicles doing in this? I was expecting Gran Pantano to be dark and wet, but it was neither. Third 488 GTB, which is a car that the vast weight of cars in my garage largely causes me to neglect (#GarageBloat).

Old vs. New. 1973 Nissan Skyline. The biggest pain was the 2017 Alpine A110, another car which is really fast when the drivatars are in it, but sluggish and indolent when I drive it. And what did this seasonal get me? My fourth Sagaris.

I’d decided to use the 2017 Raptor for the Trial, but then thought that the T6 might be a faster choice. Off we went. On the first downhill section I’m blasting through the drivatars, but undesteered off into the trees on the left. Quit and switched to the Raptor. Late 2nd in El Descenso because I went deep on the final turn, but we got a team win. 1st in Estadio because the player in the Bronco seems to have muffed the turn into the stadium. Fortunately, he managed to make up some places and we won. We had two players in wholly inappropriate cars quit, leaving the pair of us to carry some clown in a Dodge who persisted in coming last.

I had to build my spare Holden Torana for the HW PR stunt, which I one-shotted for yet another rubbish SWS.

Playtime had me switching cars. I thought I’d try the FE Sesto Elemento about which everyone raves. No, still can’t get it to be this genius thing, Thought I might try the Czinger, but didn’t find that quite right, either. Went with the Apollo IE and cooked on gas. 3rd 2016 Honda Civic Type R.

I just managed to one-shot the RA PR stunt in the Holden Torana (rebuilt for dirt racing). The SWS was ironic as it gave me another 2018 Mustang.

Reaping What You Sow was B700 Hondas. Not really much choice in the way of Hondas that seemed to be suited to dirt racing and meet the class requirements, hence I ended up in the 1997 Honda Civic. What were the drivatars in? Sports cars. In the opening race, I got thrashed off the line partly because of the way my gears were tuned (I adjusted them ahead of the next race) and partly because it started on tarmac. I eventually took the lead. The other two races were entirely on sand or dirt, and the advantage I had from building the Civic as a rally car then showed. Mostly. It was amazing how Honda CR2000s and NSXs were so good on dirt.

Too many seasonals this week. It reminded me of some of the grindier weeklies in FH4.