Big score by GPT-6 Astra here. it averaged $15,515 on Vending-Bench 2 bench without the collusion or failed prepayments Andon observed in Fable.

Across 6 solo runs, Fable averaged $5,422, and even its best result finished below Astra’s worst.

Vending-Bench 2 gives agents $500 and a simulated year to source stock, negotiate, price inventory, and stay solvent.

Most of Astra’s $10,093 lead came from purchasing discipline, with about $8,540 less spent per run on supplier payments.

Fable’s payment-verified Coke price rose from $1.17 to $2.21 across the year, while Astra’s final-period average was $1.15 in available orders.

Fable also made 45 identified failed prepayments to closed suppliers, losing $14,331 across six runs; Astra recorded $0 despite encountering 64 closures.

The deeper failure is execution over time: Fable wrote a rule against paying before confirmation, then violated it days later and recognized the loss afterward.

Astra checked for a fresh supplier reply before 99% of repeat payments, compared with 58% for Fable.

Across both tests, Astra kept negotiation targets, payment checks, and competitive behavior steadier as the simulated horizon stretched.