An Ark Nova maximum animals puzzle

[FrankJones]

Correct, Cut down on the edge spots and Europe to put the enclosures back to get the x tokens. Or, once the cutbacks have been done, Expert on Americas would work too, placing Kiosks on the edge spots to get the additional three 2x tokens, though Europe is better, since we would then regain 1-size enclosures we might need.

To actually do it on BGA? Yes, Enclosure space would become the limiter, most likely.

Doing it hypothetically on a spreadsheet, rigged deck, perfect draws, etc? Likely not a problem. There are so many "zero-size" animals that can go in the reptile house or aquarium (mostly the Aquarium), it likely wouldn't be a problem.

Maybe I'll try to work it out on a spreadsheet (hell of a lot easier and less tedious than doing 3200 moves in a hot seat game.)

[Credit to kevinsbane for thinking of the cut down, and credit to Slayer, whose Quadruple Eagle sequence while starting at 0 appeal helped us think of trying to use the sun Bear with the Eurasian Bear to do a double association release to get back both hypnosis marine animals, while still having appeal low enough to use hypnosis 4 times. ]

[FrankJones]

Yeah, excavation might be tough; the new sequence already requires the large aquarium and a 3-size (with expansion area to be a 5-size for the Eurasian Bear), so I would need to rework the entire map structure, possibly giving up one of the other unique buildings. That's before even trying to use excavation.

That said, in my actual BGA sequence, I stupidly covered the "play sponsor for cash" spot before starting the animals action, which isn't necessary if we're rigging the deck. Start with the eagles, the two hypnosis animals, and the two bears, and then "draw" during the sequence whichever sponsor would best add to the sequence when that placement bonus is covered from Europe or Americas. (Maybe expansion Area, gaining one of the edge spots to get a 2x token with archaeologist.) Or, Okapi and then sequence several sponsors. If I even had Okapi on my map, I forget.

[Edit: Never mind; Large Aquarium was already involved. So, just need to free up 3 spots for Expansion area. Trying to Get Okapi might be too much though.

[yazavats]

There's 58 hexes to work with. 15 go to aviary, large aquarium, and reptile house. 3 for petting zoo. 3 for barred owl hut for necessary card draw. 3 for expansion area. Two two sizes for sun bear and cobra. That still leaves us 30 hexes.

[FrankJones]

True. In the actual game, I also had the small aquarium, and underwater tunnel (just in case), and the spotted Hyena compound (which drew a lot of cards with hunter X, ensuring at least one small animal would likely be drawn.

But with a rigged deck, 9 aquarium spots are not necessary, and the spotted Hyena compound might not be necessary either.

I also noticed I have a random rock that wasn't covered with an enclosure.

So, assuming perfect draws, there would not be a need to have so many standard size 1s and 2s, and thus plenty of room for expansion area and probably Okapi Stable too.

If we want 3 workers to do 2 projects, all we need is talented Communicator and to begin the sequence at 8 reputation. So, we can start with 2 universities (Or maybe 3), and 2 partner zoos, and play the necessary sponsors in a sequence that keeps appeal as low as possible to ensure all the hypnosis actions are possible, and to leave room for the highest number of "points added" when taking into account the cap on CP and appeal.