I have been looking forward to playing this for some time so it was a great opportunity when Tim & Kath brought it along to Shire Gamers last night. Andy, Mike and I had not played it either, Tim and Kath have played a few times before.
Round 1.
My first decision was that bidding for a builder at this stage was going to be useful. I was prepared to go as high as necessary realising that he would save me 400f every time I built from then on. Unbelievably, I got him for 600f so I recouped the money in one and a half builds. Consequently I built a workshop immediately as my action. For my second action I purchased the freedom of religion. I suspected that competition for the freedoms would be greater than competition for buildings. Although at the end of the first round I was disappointed to see all those who had completed a work race off into the lead
Round 2
To complete one of my works this go I needed a forest. I duly bid for and got one fairly cheaply. As my actions I purchased freedom of opinion and completed my first work, the Bell Maker. I shared the 3pp bonus for greatest work and cashed in a considerable amount of the prestige points for florins. A glance around the table showed me that I was doing well for cash at this stage, the effect of an early builder, I think.
Round 3
I spotted that Tim had completed the Goldsmith, fitting my workshop and freedom of opinion. He would be good to recruit later. So in the auction phase I built a park. Now the bottom 3/7ths of my principality was full with no gaps. To celebrate I built another big building, the laboratory. I figured this might help for prestige cards later and it would enable me to build my Botanist. However I did no work during this action phase due to an epiphanic moment. I realised that it was worth sacrificing something to ensure getting the greatest works bonus each time I completed - like building in the castle in Caylus. From now on no work without the bonus. Instead of completing a work I bought a bonus card to ensure my plan would work.
Round 4
The minimum cost for a work was getting higher and I needed to boost my efforts. Most people already had a jester so I was able to bid for one fairly cheaply. To boost my work value I first bought a profession card. Then I completed the Botanist, winning the greatest work bonus as planned. Cash back was about half and half, but I was pretty well off compared to others so I could afford prestige points.
Round 5
In order to recruit the Goldsmith later I bought a Lake for 200f. No-one else was bidding. I purchased a tower for my Astronomer and completed that work. With the help of the bonus card I was able to secure the greatest work for the second time. I took nearly all the prestige points rather than florins, hoping to run down to nearly zero cash by the end of the game. Risky, but necessary.
Round 6
I needed a recruitment card and a prestige card from the final two auctions. This round brought the recruitment card. Amazingly no-one else went for it, most people either having a different agenda or being out of cash. I picked up a fairly rubbish bonus card as my first action but was still able to complete the Goldsmith I had recruited. Because all the different buildings and landscapes were in place I was able to win greatest work again. Most of the florins went towards prestige, saving just 1000f for the final round.
Round 7
I needed a prestige card to win and was willing to bid as high as 700f for it, saving 300f for a bonus card. I duly got the prestige card, only Kath was really interested, but she faded after 600f. The plan was intact. A really good bonus card allowed one final work but failed to be the greatest. However Mike, who was quite a way behind, won that stopping any other nearer rivals. Finally, the prestige card put me out of sight on 67pp.
Conclusion
I have learned that an early builder is good and that completing a work is best if it also gets the greatest work bonus. Another time I think I might have gone for another prestige card and earlier in the game. This game jumps to near the top of my wish-list. It is well balanced with several good lines of strategy left to explore. Each round brings a fairly difficult choice both of bidding and action. And all the time a delicate equilibrium of money, prestige and building needs balancing. Just my sort of game.
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