Looking for feedback

[Daniel1234567890]

Hi,

somebody willing to give feedback on that game? https://boardgamearena.com/16/arknova?table=841020231

I feel like I wasted too much time by getting the money with low valued sponsor actions, but they unlocked some higher gain actions as well. How do you resolve such situations with suboptimal solutions? Or do you just avoid them? How?

Or did my opponent just play very well finishing so early?

[yazavats]

I'm not the best person to review games as my gameplay is far from optimal and I often make mistakes.

26 turns is a fast paced game. My feedback, for what it's worth, is that your breaking for money indeed enabled your opponent to outpace you, since they could break while playing a sponsor.

From the get go, I wouldn't have picked trading sponsors over digging cards, but I suppose that's subjective.

Upgrading sponsors was good, but I don't think trading for rep did all that much for you, especially since you needed the money.

You used your cards at 5 to snap diversity researcher which you just ended up discarding, so that was kind of a wasted action.

You committed to playing release of patents, but you already had tempo to win the partner zoo at 8cp so that didn't do much for you.

There was a card draw spot on the map for a 2 size which you just kept ignoring. You didn't deny draw the tiger shark when it was a point bomb animal for the opponent, or deny draw the proboscis for the shark attack.

You didn't utilize the map ability all that well, e.g. you used an x token to do cards at 5 when you could've discarded a card for it. Once you broke 4 followed by break 1 to cause the break, when you could've just broken 5.

Overall, your game plan wasn't bad, even though getting the dugong with the herbi uni was more luck than planning. The opponent just had the cards to outpace you. A cross in 26 turns is a win in most cases.

[Daniel1234567890]

Thanks a lot, this is very valuable feedback.

You used your cards at 5 to snap diversity researcher which you just ended up discarding, so that was kind of a wasted action.

I agree. But what would you have done with the cards action instead? Retrospectively, it seems clear, that the opponent would go for a quick break. But was is that obvious? Rather get an X marker for cards here?

You committed to playing release of patents, but you already had tempo to win the partner zoo at 8cp so that didn't do much for you.

So you're saying its not worth getting those 2 CP if it doesn't gain anything in addition? But i also wouldn't know if the opponent secretly had a animal release conservation project, no?

There was a card draw spot on the map for a 2 size which you just kept ignoring. You didn't deny draw the tiger shark when it was a point bomb animal for the opponent, or deny draw the proboscis for the shark attack.

This I definitely undererstimated. I was too focused on my game.

Overall, your game plan wasn't bad, even though getting the dugong with the herbi uni was more luck than planning.

This is what made it a frustrating in particular. I thought, I already got a really good start including the lucky draw. Why would I still loose. Now, it least it became a bit clearer


Also, before playing the Dugong, I used sponsors at 2 to being able to play two animals at once. Is this favorable over playing just one animal but being able to play sponsors at higher level?

[yazavats]

I agree. But what would you have done with the cards action instead? Retrospectively, it seems clear, that the opponent would go for a quick break. But was is that obvious? Rather get an X marker for cards here?

Diverse is a good sponsor, I think I would've kept it in hand over the release of patents. But I would've prioritized snapping amazon house as an even better sponsor, even though it would take a while to play because you were at one rep. But with spokesperson, rep wouldn't be that hard to get by, just grab science 2 rep uni at some point. And you could've gotten the america partner zoo as reward for 8cp.

So you're saying its not worth getting those 2 CP if it doesn't gain anything in addition? But i also wouldn't know if the opponent secretly had a animal release conservation project, no?

It didn't get you all the way to 8cp immediately, you still had to play Dugong to get there. So I dont think it was worth it. Oppo could've sniped it from you, but you could've inferred they were likely just going to leech of your release with the kookaburra, which wasn't enough.

Also, before playing the Dugong, I used sponsors at 2 to being able to play two animals at once. Is this favorable over playing just one animal but being able to play sponsors at higher level?

Playing two animals is better tempo, but it kind of defeats the point if you have to break for money first. It depends on how much you gain from that second animal and what your plan is afterward. You got your australia 5, but you had no worker to do the project with and no money left, so nothing to do for the rest of the round. The venom didn't bother them that much. I think it would've been better to just play dugong and do some deny digging. Barn owl and underwater tunnel were still on display at that point I think. They had barred owl hut played, so owl is a good draw for them as it's basically a free cards action for them with all the perception plus a tag towards birds 5.