Unsuccessful player seeking hints

[Murwiz]

I played this game once in paper, then a couple of times here with friends. Having finished far, far out of competition, I decided to play solo mode to see if I could pick up pointers.

This game is kicking my tail with a vengeance. I have yet to get a positive score. Most of my games end with my score between -40 and -20. I have had two plays where I got more than -10.

I am clearly missing something important here. Any suggestions?

[TheFourthJesse]

I'm not yet that experienced, but here's my thoughts - the biggest thing is whether you're using the Association action well.

When you're looking at your first 8 cards, take a look at the public conservation projects to see if there's something you can build towards quick. The easiest option is if there's a continent and you have one playable animal with that continent. Then your plan should be to get the partner zoo (one continent icon), build for that animal, play that animal. Then after the first break, support that conservation project.

Secondly, getting a second association worker early means that you can do two things (or more) per break. If you'll notice, all three of the non-conservation project association actions are what give you card upgrades, so if you can do more association actions than other people per break, you'll pull ahead of them.

I tend to always get an association worker and upgrade the association action with my first conservation project because it's that good to me.

[SoulPatchTV]

Here are a few of the things I have learned over playing quite a few games. Take or leave any of this as I am no pro (although I cannot wait to get into some Arena Ark Nova in the future):

• Association actions are incredibly powerful. Not only in what you gain from them, but also what they unlock on your board. Prioritizing these is very powerful.
• Notably are scoring cards. Try to get cubes on these early if you can since they unlock resources that you can get each break (or a burst of now if needed).
• Similarly, do what you can to pick a path to unlocking more workers early!
• Especially once you get more workers, pay attention to breaks. Either because you have unspent workers/too many cards, or to force a break quickly so if you have spent your resources down to punish someone else.
• Don't let your scoring cards drive your entire strategy. They are worth points, yes and they can make a difference in very close games. But I have won games by doing nothing at all related to my scoring card by just pushing hard into the cards and opportunities I have in front of me.
• I am pretty mediocre on Sponsor cards personally. However, sometimes they can help support other synergies (like getting science icons). To me the best Sponsor cards are the ones that reward you over time with money / points. Try to get them down early.
• Animals - Some random thoughts in roughly priority order:
  • Check the initial scoring cards to see if you can fill one out early and focus in on that.
  • I like filling a petting zoo every game if I can since they are just solid points and can be placed for cheap (late in a break)
  • See if there is a strategy line you can follow by animal type or region. Especially if supported by a Sponsor or scoring card.
  • Check if there are card effects that help you. Drawing more cards, snapping, generating money, punishing someone who is ahead of you, etc.
  • Look at what you can place (given prereqs) and what size locations you need for them. I like to try to pair these to hit bonuses by building in my zoo. EX: I can build both a 2 and 3 sized animal, but if I build a 3 I can hit 2 bonuses on my board. Assuming I can afford both the build and the place, I would aim for that. Inverse is also true. Maybe I only need a 2 to hit a bonus, or I can only afford to build and place the 2... don't aim for the 3.
• Personally, I also like to get rep whenever I can as I think it is one part of the game that leads to the most flexibility, especially when leveling up a card. Having deep rep gives you more options on playing and drawing from rep range depending on what actions you level, etc.

Those are just some random thoughts moving through the parts of the game. Not sure how helpful it is!

[Narcissa76]

I've improved rapidly after focussing entirely on conservation points. If your starting hand doesn't match the objectives play the cards which will give you more cards, e.g. hunter, and dump the rest. Build over the spaces which give you money and let you snap cards so that animal placement will be quick when you get the right ones. Upgrade your cards action and draw as many more as possible. Good luck!

[kerkael]

I found that this game played as solo is very challenging, with no possible difficulty level to set.

I tried it in paper with all different zoo maps, and not all of them (IMHO) are compatible with a win in solo game.

[Tisaac]

I found that this game played as solo is very challenging, with no possible difficulty level to set.

I tried it in paper with all different zoo maps, and not all of them (IMHO) are compatible with a win in solo game.

Hum there are 3 different difficulty level for solo mode.
And even the hardest one is winnable on every map according to Bastian that showed us its results.

[kerkael]

Ha, I guess I ignored these difficulty levels when I played on a table then. Sorry for my previous comment.

[Aetherllama]

This strategy guide video with some tier lists may help. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZjChoUZtIo
A few basics to add:
Maximize your income early. Focus on conservation points later.
Build around 2 base conservation projects and your sponsor cards.
Have a plan to get your 2nd worker. I prefer using the reputation track or 3rd partner zoo bonus. I think using the 2 conservation point bonus or the conservation project bonus is giving up too much.

[Pinstar1]

To add to the "Try to sponsor your first conservation project after the first break" If you are lucky enough to a [animal type] breeding card and one playable animal of that type, you're golden as far as getting that early project in. Just take the partner zoo that matches your animal and play it. Not only is it super-easy, it is more powerful than the stock standard 2-conservation level projects since it gives you 2 reputation AND 2 conservation."


Other tips are to try to get at least a dozen appeal as quickly as possible. The early appeal levels have a much more pronounced on your base income than the later levels do, so make sure you play at LEAST one decently appealing animal before the first break. Two if you can swing it.

[Panthergirl]

I found that this game played as solo is very challenging, with no possible difficulty level to set.

I tried it in paper with all different zoo maps, and not all of them (IMHO) are compatible with a win in solo game.

I am also trying to learn using the tutorial, reading/watching rules and strategy guides, and some nice players here are also doing a training game with me which is awesome.

What I don't understand in solo mode is why I'm losing points at the end? (It's a Wonderful World does that in solo mode too). I thought I was going along great and then bam...finished at -30.