Highest solo game

[Peach 2d]

I blame a lazy reliance on AI
I fed the Statistics tables from the BGA Results page for those games into ChatGPT and fired some queries. I also noticed that the summary tables it produced didn't reconcile, so simply instructed it to use only games for which I provided all details (I had forgotten to add which map a few games were on, and gave as prompt that it should skip those games from the summary table). It's not meant to be a 100% record of all my solo games, but only an overview to give a realistic, ballpark idea.
I did abandon the odd game when it became clear I was on track for a failure to complete the terraforming. I played the games for fun and out of interest, not primarily for data collection purposes.

Meanwhile, I've tried Amazonis Planitia twice - getting 152VP with Saturn Systems, and 133 with Interplanetary Cinematics. 16 generations of terraforming on the extended map in base game.

[FrankJones]

I hear what you're saying but I would be careful about presenting data that could be misconstrued. Posting your average score per corporation after subtracting out the losses gives misleading data. For Example, UNMI is terrible in solo mode if not playing TR63, and has a low win rate. Posting the average scores of only the wins though will make it seem like a strong solo corporation though, because its wins likely have good scores.

Also, win% with each corporation is helpful for other players to see.

[Peach 2d]

I hear what you're saying but I would be careful about presenting data that could be misconstrued. Posting your average score per corporation after subtracting out the losses gives misleading data. For Example, UNMI is terrible in solo mode if not playing TR63, and has a low win rate. Posting the average scores of only the wins though will make it seem like a strong solo corporation though, because its wins likely have good scores.

Also, win% with each corporation is helpful for other players to see.

That's fair enough - I've added a caveat under my earlier post clarifying that. I simply meant to offer a slightly broader picture.

But back to the main theme of this thread. I've had another go at Amazonis Planitia. This time with Mining Guild, base game only, and a score of 171 VP. It's a different, extended board of course, so not entirely a fair comparison against scores on regular boards with 9 oceans, 14% oxy and 8 degrees Celsius.

https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=878949502

[FrankJones]

I've never played Solo on that map but it seems fun. Maybe I'll give it a try. So, no expansions on that map you get 16 generations?

[Peach 2d]

I've never played Solo on that map but it seems fun. Maybe I'll give it a try. So, no expansions on that map you get 16 generations?

Yes. I didn't know upfront, and when generation 15 started, I hadn't seen a "last generation" warning, but did a quick internet search giving as result, incorrectly, that it would go to 15 generations - so I sold off some endgame scoring cards in my first effort and completed the terraforming in gen 15 - and got a bonus generation, but without the deck to score well in that generation. It's a tricky beast, that huge map, and I think I've played it only about ten, twelve times before, in 2p/3p Prelude games. My second attempt was trickier - only just scraped by on the oxygen track, virtually all through greenery placements, but no funds for padding that out with cities. Third attempt went better. It's strange how the ramping up works - it feels like a monumental task when seeing the slow initial progress and the huge number of parameter steps to take.

No idea how they compare to other people's efforts, but over the three games these were the scores (all base game only, 16 generations, on Amazonis Planitia):

Saturn Systems
68 TR
19 Cities
21 Greeneries
44 Cards
152 Total

Interplanetary Cinematics
68 TR
0 Cities
20 Greeneries
45 Cards
133 Total


Mining Guild
70 TR
34 Cities
21 Greeneries
46 Cards
171 Total

[FrankJones]

I got a whopping 110. I couldn't play my scoring cards because I had to do a lot of standard projects just to avoid failing.

[ft029]

Hellas, prelude+colonies, 158 as Vitor
https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=878738797

Gave away several points through carelessness but vitor is just busted

[Peach 2d]

On Amazonis, I've gone for a peak of 173 VP. Base game only, 16 generations: https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=879229651
The full stats for my experiment with Amazonis Planitia solo, base game only:
8 games
1 fail (Thorgate, abandoned)
and as scores for the other 7 games:
152 - Saturn Systems
133 - Interplanetary Cinematics
171 - Mining Guild
173 - Credicor
127 - Saturn Systems
133 - Interplanetary Cinematics (again - it's not a double listing)
171 - Credicor (For this one, terraforming was complete in generation 14)

The scoring profile for all 3 games above 170 is strikingly similar.
TR ranges from 70-78
Board VP (cities + greeneries) from 49-55
Card VP from 49-55.

All three still had something "missing" - either a discount engine, strong bio package, ongoing card draw, etc, or needed a few SPs to complete the terraforming. So given enough attempts, higher scores are possible, but luck becomes a big factor. And I could still find stronger ways of play - not sure for now where I'll find the path to better scoring. Curious to see where others find better ways.

[Tolik42]

Tried that exercise some time ago, my best result is 527, with Prelude, Colonies, at Amazonis… and, of course, Point Luna corp: https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=858725581

So I usually discard dozens of games until get promising initial setup. There are some hints:

• As my friend says, cards are the best you can get in that game, so it should be Point Luna corp - it easily allows you to reshuffle the deck in 14th gen (or even 13th somitems).

• Of course, to draw so many cards Pluto colony should be in play. First put any usual colony on it from any card except two that allows placing on the same colony, then that two - with such setup you are able to draw lots of cards each gen from Pluto only. Another good is Miranda (animals + cards). Callisto with energy is third good - it allows you to visit all colonies when you have many fleets but experience luck of energy in the beginning. Titan with floaters is also good for points.

• Don't spend resources to keep cards that give you only points in most cases like Advanced Ecosystem, etc. - most probably you'll be able to get them in the end from reshuffled deck.

• Play Search For Life for the tag only, don't perform it's action until the end, it's fail when you discard AGT or AI.

• Have to evaluate when you already have lots of resources and start spending floaters for VPs, not for resources.

• etc.

In general, everything depends on luck, how fast you get most of discounts, projects that give you cards. It's possible to play most of useful cards, some of the cards are just useless e.g. cards that gives you just oxygen, they are suitable as dummy cards for exchange on Pluto or via Mars University. In the end the whole map should be covered. So plan how to place cities better. And don't spend money on standard Greenaries when you have enough plants to complete the map in the end.

Also with good luck 400+ is possible with any other corp.

[ft029]

incredible job Tolik!! The point about finding reshuffled VP cards is smart.