It would seem by the description that this game isn't ideal for solo play. However many of us out here play the most absurd games solo (we have no friends)

Has anyone tried it solo and how does it play? I realize you have to be different to play in multiple frames of mind but it can be done.

I have no shortage of opponents, so I haven't tried it solo, but I can't see how it would work. It's a confrontational game. Can half of your brain play near the Provost hoping the other half doesn't notice and move the Provost back?

You: "Do, you want to move the provost?"

Other You: "I dunno, if you won't move it, then I won't."

You: "Hmmm..."

On a serious note... I can't see how this could possibly be played solo. It's hard enough to adapt to the twists that come up during gameplay to even FATHOM playing multiple sides at once.

Half the fun is adapting your game to "fit the moment"... I can't see how you could keep the two seperate.

I feel your pain though!

I was working on an algorithm to create a "dummy" opponent (even if making it simple enough to handle, but competitive enough to compete with a human is a bit hard...). If I'll ever resume the project I'll keep you informed.

You could certainly play Caylus all by yourself and try to get the highest possible score. Since there are thousands of arrangements of the starting buildings, and each one has a highest possible score (it won't be the same for each arrangement) there's little danger of running out of possibilities.

On BSW, you can play "solo St. Petersburg" in which you are the only person buying cards. People get scores greater than 1000 this way. I'm sure you could get a gigantic score in Caylus. Part of the challenge would be in slowing the bailiff down and filling up the castle slowly so you get as many turns as possible.

I have played 1 "5 player" game solo. I did not however play as any color - I had played a once before and I was just trying to get all the rules fluid.

The game was actually enjoyable. I simply played it like many people play wargames solo - try to make the best possible move when it's that "player's" turn.

Of course, I would not recommend it for solo play alone. This game shines with other players. My one experience solo, like I said, was enjoyable, but I can't see playing it that way very often, if ever again since I know people who will gladly play it.

Al

Well you can play solo caylus without changing any rules (even getting the denier for being the first to pass): it's only a matter of how to optimize the placement of my 6 workers to have the maximum number of points.
The order of the initial pink buildings has no importance: you'll have 18 turns and never move the provost. You don't use the stables, inn, gate or guild. I did several play and my best score was 354. I think there is room for improvement but you really have to be a geek to test the solo game (or want to see the balance between buildings :P). It's a very different feel of the game.

I tryed that kinda solo play out of curiosity.. It was actually much more of a brain burner than I initially thought..

My top score was 403 points. And I still think there's room for improvement...

Btw, what were the first buildings you build. I did that stone building enabler and then all three stone production buildings in a row.. as for favors I ignored building track and points track until first scoring and then started using those heavily.

(this is turning into a confessional of sorts), I also 'solo-played' a 5P game of Caylus, for two reasons. Firstly, being an (amateur) game designer, solo-playing helps one to understand the game's mechanics and structures, what makes it tick. The other reason was to replay an earlier F2F game to see if my 'money-strategy' ever had a hope of winning (it didn't in both cases)

I am impressed by the 403 points score
I don't recall exactly (I did this in November). I did lawyer then mason and the 3 stone buildings, then bank and architect (I convert it into residential when the first prestige building - hostel - is built). I use the money track and trading post (the first 2 turns) to pile some money. I convert as much as possible buildings into residential to avoid looking for money afterwards, do 6 batches in dungeon and walls, use the building track on architect to build 3 prestige building in a row in the last turns (and build before prestige building that still give money)... and of course invest heavily the points track.

Well, its not a 'game', instead its a 'puzzle'. But this IS an interesting puzzle.

The starting position should be irrelevant....unless the optimal solution involves the lawyer as the first build, in which case it would require the cloth to be before the pink carpenter.
But I cant see how the optimal solution is anything other than some variation on "mason, then all three stone prodution builds" .

You want to use the favor track for points, I would think.

You're right about this being a puzzle and not really in the spirit of the game.


Well you have several turns to build the lawyer even as a first build (the bailiff move one by one) so even a cloth after the carpenter is not that problematic (the turn before the first building space is available, you have the second carpenter).


I though too but the most valuable ressource is your workers/actions: not wasting time collecting money is important and the lawyer allows you to get rid of this. Mason then all 3, means lawyer not available before 5th position. And wait to build the residential during the building of walls is late for me, and didn't work that well.