FH5, Series 45, Week 3

The treasure hunt. The tile suggested that I should jump a particular distance across some river. I got in my FE Puma, left my house, and my job was done. Perhaps like London, there’s a buried river beneath Mulegé. This is not the first time I’ve completed a treasure hunt without actually doing it. There was another one which also involved a jump. I bounced over a low rise, I certainly hadn’t done the required distance, but had somehow completed the task.

The weekly challenge was in the Hoonigan Ford Focus Gymkhana 10. I retuned the car for road racing because one of the tasks was Tunnel Run, which didn’t really help. I’ve been trying some of the Hoonigan clown cars (let’s call ’em what they are) with the turbo rally engine instead, which seems to help.

I knew the danger sign into the stadium would be annoying because although I landed the car without it flipping, it appears you had to land on the wheels; and when I did complete the task, I PB’ed it to be applauded with a rubbish SWS. I one-shotted and PB’ed the speed zone in my International Scout, which is low S2 class. The SWS was one-third good and one-third very good. The trailblazer took a few attempts because I’ve not done it in ages. I know there’s a line that avoids the trees. My incompetence was punished with another rubbish SWS.

Eventlab (1), East Mangrove Circuit. A decent, intermediate length scramble which – I probably said this last time – ought to be in the game. I felt – probably said this last time, too – this would get better with repeated visits.

Eventlab (2), River Rush. A-class unlimited off-road. Yes, I chickened out again and opted for Extreme E. I remember this course from the last time and plethora of options there were at various points. The SWS was one-third very good.

It was easier to find this week’s picture for a photo than last week’s which, I suspect, I couldn’t find my way back to.

I somehow managed to PB the HW PR stunt for a one-third good SWS.

I also one-shotted the RA PR stunt for a one-third excellent SWS, which compensated me for all the rubbish I’d had.

The Trial annoyed me this week. For one thing, the connection kept getting dropped as the game vacillated between Horizon Life and Horizon Solo. I had to restart it before other players started appearing on the map. For the other thing, it was one of those events where, in essence, you’re being asked to drive a stock car with the option of adding a few upgrades – more engine, but no handling; or more handling, but no engine. I went with AWD and stock tyres for my first attempt.

I was on the front row for Tapalpa and came 4th in a super-close finish which had me about a second behind the leaders. I was at the back for Cordillera and managed a 5th, but again, the finish was incredibly close between me and 2nd place.

I decided to do the Trial again, but this time off-road race tyres and RWD. I was on the 2nd row for Tapalpa and came 4th again. There wasn’t much between me and 2nd, and quite a distance back to 5th, but I suspect the player in 1st was using an exploiter tune. I was on the front row for Cordillera, but lost a place near the end because the drivatar was on rails round one corner where I wasn’t prepared to be so bold. I came 3rd because, I guess, the player in 3rd let me have the place because I’d stayed out of his way earlier in the race to let him get past me. Again, the finish was very, very close.

Appendix, The Trial, Series 45, Week 2, revisited

Because of all the talk on the forums about tyre compounds for last week’s Trial, I did the Trial a couple more times as well as a bunch of testing round Lookout and Chihuahua. The second attempt was FWD on vintage race tyres because I was curious to see what they were like. Again, I came 2nd in both races, but had a tussle with the player in 1st round Chihuahua because they’d understeer round the curve ahead of the hairpin, but then push me wide going into the hairpin. Inexperience rather than malice, I believe, but stupid driving from them. In the third attempt, FWD and white-wall tyres, there were two players in Minis which were clearly on stock tyres because they were way faster than I was off the line. However, I won both races because neither of them could take corners at any great speed. In fact, I pulled away from them and won both races.

I tested various configurations in ordinary races. Stock tyres and FWD merely meant a lot of engine, but the handling was terrible. Perhaps a skilled player on a controller or wheel might be able to do something about it, but in spite of the extra power, the overall time was 21 seconds slower than other builds. It was a bit better with AWD, but not recommended.