Board Game Arena

Bogeyun wrote: ↑09 October 2025, 06:01 Yeh I would go metals power gen CSM, plenty of draw with guild/contacts, just get econ + electro cat going and play AI later.

Just pointing it out cuz this is a strong player, gen 1 AI, they even find -9 on space with Media (-12 on space events) and still lose pretty handily. I felt fairly confident gen 1 ai wasn't an issue, get a bit nervous later with quantum/mass but cuz they skipped nitrogen and joves were all cut they have no real way to score in the end game.

Obv i get some good cards too (most notably EC) but it's not like i have some absurd OP setup

Taruassassin wrote: ↑16 October 2025, 16:50 So i have mostly skimmed this topic as it seems to derail at some points. I dont understand how Mars U is considered a BETTER draw card then AIC. It is cheaper yes and doesnt have requirements but it needs a flow of science cards(noting that each one bought/played counts towards the cost put into the engine) to keep going. Is it better bang for your MC in a short game yes very much. You get the 1 vp and at least 1 draw so definitely good. However once AIC is down it just draws no resoucres, or additional tags needed. If you opp gets all the big space card and can play them you probably lose because it will end fast. However i dont see this happening too often. Another thing is if luck is in the AI they can usually drop enough points to keep up with your terraforming score. I wont claim its insta win, however i feel it is unfairly strong for 1v1 play.

FrankJones wrote: ↑17 October 2025, 19:40 Mars U. can be super fun and super strong. Especially with Olympus conference! And Pluto, of course.

I had a wild sequence: I started the generation with some decent cards:
Herbivores
Media Archives
Red Spot Observatory
Floater Technology
Trans-Neptune Probe
Livestock
Large Convoy
Underground City

All of which were played in the sequence.

I also had:
Interstellar Colony Ship
Water Import From Europa
Tundra Farming
Jovian Lanterns

which would be played later.

And Lunar Beam, which would not get played.

In the draft, I bought Beam from a Thorium Asteroid, Corona Extractor, Greenhouses.

I started with one resource on Olympus and various discounts.

The sequence:

1) Pluto trade gave me Anti-gravity and some junk. But that started the crazy sequence. Note the incredible number of top-tier cards I drew and played that were not in my hand when this began:

2) Anti-gravity
3) Red Spot Observatory
4) Floater Technology.
5) .....[Ceres colony bonus]
6) .....[Use AI central]
7) Underground City
8) .....[use Floater Tech]
9) .....[Use Red Spot]
10) invention contest
11) .....[Use Business Network]
12) Earth Catapult
13) Mass Converter
14) .....[Plant conversion]
15) Quantum Extractor
16) Media Group
17) Hired Raiders
18) LaGrange
19) Space Station
20) investment Loan
21) Livestock
22) Imported Hydrogen
23) .....[Use Livestock]
24) Trans-Neptune
25) .....[Use Sub-zero Salt-fish
26) Large Convoy
27) Corona Extractor
28) Beam From a Thorium Asteroid
29) Gene Repair
30) Solar Probe (with 15 science tags)
31) Restricted Area
32) .....[Use R.A.]
33) Protected Valley
34) Mine
35) Nitrite-reducing Bacteria
36) .....[Use NRB]
37) Local Heat Trapping
38 Media Archives
39) Fuel Factory
40) Standard Technology
41) Nitrogen-rich asteroid
42) Molecular Printing
43) Rim Freighters
44) Herbivores
45) Greenhouses
46) .....[Plant conversion]
47) Tropical Resort
48) Adapted Lichen


I played 36 cards. I gained 27 new cards, and did 13 Mars U. swaps.

The results: TR +7
MC production +9
Steel Production +3
Titanium Production +1
Plant Production +2 (I was birdsed. Birded? Whatever. My opponent hit me with Birds.)
Energy Production +14
Heat Production +1

VP from cards +19
VP from resources on cards +14 more VP
Greenery VP: +3
City VP: +2
TR VP: +7

Total VP gained: 45.

This made it a close game, and we still had two more generations.

Fun stuff.


I'm sure crazier sequences have happened. I'd be interested to read any that anyone has.

Andrei3009 wrote: ↑17 October 2025, 21:22

There are video on ThreadPacifist channel about crazy scoring in one generation. I won't spoil anything

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26IyGRJ ... wJAYcqIYzv

Andrei3009 wrote: ↑17 October 2025, 21:22

FrankJones wrote: ↑17 October 2025, 19:40 Mars U. can be super fun and super strong. Especially with Olympus conference! And Pluto, of course.

I had a wild sequence: I started the generation with some decent cards:
Herbivores
Media Archives
Red Spot Observatory
Floater Technology
Trans-Neptune Probe
Livestock
Large Convoy
Underground City

All of which were played in the sequence.

I also had:
Interstellar Colony Ship
Water Import From Europa
Tundra Farming
Jovian Lanterns

which would be played later.

And Lunar Beam, which would not get played.

In the draft, I bought Beam from a Thorium Asteroid, Corona Extractor, Greenhouses.

I started with one resource on Olympus and various discounts.

The sequence:

1) Pluto trade gave me Anti-gravity and some junk. But that started the crazy sequence. Note the incredible number of top-tier cards I drew and played that were not in my hand when this began:

2) Anti-gravity
3) Red Spot Observatory
4) Floater Technology.
5) .....[Ceres colony bonus]
6) .....[Use AI central]
7) Underground City
8) .....[use Floater Tech]
9) .....[Use Red Spot]
10) invention contest
11) .....[Use Business Network]
12) Earth Catapult
13) Mass Converter
14) .....[Plant conversion]
15) Quantum Extractor
16) Media Group
17) Hired Raiders
18) LaGrange
19) Space Station
20) investment Loan
21) Livestock
22) Imported Hydrogen
23) .....[Use Livestock]
24) Trans-Neptune
25) .....[Use Sub-zero Salt-fish
26) Large Convoy
27) Corona Extractor
28) Beam From a Thorium Asteroid
29) Gene Repair
30) Solar Probe (with 15 science tags)
31) Restricted Area
32) .....[Use R.A.]
33) Protected Valley
34) Mine
35) Nitrite-reducing Bacteria
36) .....[Use NRB]
37) Local Heat Trapping
38 Media Archives
39) Fuel Factory
40) Standard Technology
41) Nitrogen-rich asteroid
42) Molecular Printing
43) Rim Freighters
44) Herbivores
45) Greenhouses
46) .....[Plant conversion]
47) Tropical Resort
48) Adapted Lichen


I played 36 cards. I gained 27 new cards, and did 13 Mars U. swaps.

The results: TR +7
MC production +9
Steel Production +3
Titanium Production +1
Plant Production +2 (I was birdsed. Birded? Whatever. My opponent hit me with Birds.)
Energy Production +14
Heat Production +1

VP from cards +19
VP from resources on cards +14 more VP
Greenery VP: +3
City VP: +2
TR VP: +7

Total VP gained: 45.

This made it a close game, and we still had two more generations.

Fun stuff.


I'm sure crazier sequences have happened. I'd be interested to read any that anyone has.

There are video on ThreadPacifist channel about crazy scoring in one generation. I won't spoil anything

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26IyGRJ ... wJAYcqIYzv

StrandedKnight wrote: ↑17 October 2025, 18:06

Taruassassin wrote: ↑16 October 2025, 16:50 So i have mostly skimmed this topic as it seems to derail at some points. I dont understand how Mars U is considered a BETTER draw card then AIC. It is cheaper yes and doesnt have requirements but it needs a flow of science cards(noting that each one bought/played counts towards the cost put into the engine) to keep going. Is it better bang for your MC in a short game yes very much. You get the 1 vp and at least 1 draw so definitely good. However once AIC is down it just draws no resoucres, or additional tags needed. If you opp gets all the big space card and can play them you probably lose because it will end fast. However i dont see this happening too often. Another thing is if luck is in the AI they can usually drop enough points to keep up with your terraforming score. I wont claim its insta win, however i feel it is unfairly strong for 1v1 play.

Mars University will - on average - draw almost as many cards as AI Central when played.

Why? First of all, because you can get it down earlier. Second of all, because there is no limit to how many cards you can cycle per gen. It's not uncommon to cycle through 10+ cards if you have an early Mars U.

AI is probably still the better card overall, but it's close.