#10 - Solo Challenge [June 2023] ENDED

[montybojangles]

The June solo challenge is now active. It is to play the Xenos versus the automa of the month, the Firaks (you must select the 'Automa of the month' button), on the Random map. Check that the seed in the automa score panel is 16856208. It is important that you read the “Rules“ section for more details, especially if the seed is not 16856208.



Whether you are a beginner or an expert, this challenge is for you. The goal is simple: have fun and get a high score in solo mode. Thanks to the BGA set-up, you can easily compare your score, watch replays of other players and learn different ways of playing a faction. (There's more guidance on how to view replays at/near the end of the May challenge.) Play serenely at your leisure: there is no timer pressure!



Thank you to the players who reported scores for the last challenge - whether winning ones or losing ones - and to others that tried it. Well done Kespie, who again topped the scores!



There's elite rank for the top 5 players and cadet rank for everyone else.

• pepealas 252 vs Automa 126 - https://boardgamearena.com/5/gaiaprojec ... =392352028 - Start with Academy and Trading. Focus Science and get the advanced.

• DarknessForever 245 vs Automa 129 - https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=390541426 - Academy start with science track and fast science tech. Going all the other tracks later on.

• kespie 236 vs Automächtig 130 - https://boardgamearena.com/4/gaiaprojec ... =385907991 - 4q+Ac opening, Sci, Nav, Eco, Terra, AI

• Cirdanthecirdan 197 vs Automa 126 - https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=384038749 - sci, econ, ai/nav

• Jonash87cz 187 vs Automa 126 - https://boardgamearena.com/3/gaiaprojec ... =385066938 - Eco, Nav and then Terra track. 2 advanced techs, 4 federations created (with just four satellites).

• Cazi 180 vs Automächtig 139 – https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=391530304 – Science, then Economy, then Terraforming/Navigation. Made 14 points from the terraforming advanced tech and lots of points (20+) from the science advanced tech.

• MyleneH 178 vs Automa 126 - https://boardgamearena.com/9/gaiaprojec ... =384873695 - focused on Science, a little bit of Nav, and Econ towards the end

• snyggis2003 175 vs Automächtig 133 - https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=386346145

• rpokeefe 174 vs Automa 129 - https://boardgamearena.com/3/gaiaprojec ... =386606556 - Sci/Eco/TF/Nav/AI

• Stevewithaj 171 vs Automächtig 129 - https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=383601755

• Pe-Ma 170 vs Automa 130 - https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=387172750

• djchadb 168 vs Automa 126 - https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=386626286 - ai/sci/econ/terra/nav

• MasterMystery 164 vs Automächtig 130 - https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=387266266 - Navigation and Terraforming, line up of round boni not the best

• pv666 162 v Automa 132 - https://boardgamearena.com/3/gaiaprojec ... =390299166 - Academy first round

• Morgause 161 vs Automächtig 136 - https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=382858540 - AI/Econ/TF

• danuer13 158 vs Ultoma 152 - https://boardgamearena.com/4/gaiaprojec ... =383964977 - Went nav + ai + a bit of econ

• Andreas G 158 vs Automa 132 – https://boardgamearena.com/5/gaiaprojec ... =391245818 – Academy in first round,

• Sassafia 157 vs Automa 132 - https://boardgamearena.com/5/gaiaprojec ... =383341982

• DeDeckx 155 vs Automa 133 – https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=384482746 – AI tech and terraforming

• LussLussy 142 vs Automa 135 - https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=383107984 - Gaia forming (maxed it)

• Jubal117 142 vs Automa 126 - https://boardgamearena.com/1/gaiaprojec ... =385220290

• UserNameNotNeeded 140 vs Automalein 109 - https://boardgamearena.com/1/gaiaprojec ... =384471285 - AI, Navigation

• Lyanta 140 vs Automalein 109 - https://boardgamearena.com/10/gaiaproje ... =388036931 - science, then navigation. I tried to focus on the things that scored extra points each round

• majiming 114 vs Automalein 115 - https://boardgamearena.com/3/gaiaprojec ... =383108984

1st step: Create a new table. Select “training mode“ on the Game Mode tab and “Random map” on the Game setup tab. Choose 1 player and click on “Start game”. Select the red box Automa of the month (Firaks).
2nd step: Select the difficulty you think you can handle.
3rd step: Select the faction Xenos. Check that the seed is 16856208 (in the player score panel). If it isn't, start again using the alternative starting method (below).
4th step: Play the game. Post your score(s), mentioning the chosen difficulty (see the format below).

Alternative starting method: Start the game with Random map selected >> Choose the Firaks faction card (as you would for a normal game) >> Set the custom seed (16856208 for this challenge), which is next to the heading 'Choose Automa Difficulty Level', and Select the Automa difficulty >> Choose Xenos.

Players usually insert the link of their game (you can find it on your profile – tab (x) games played) and mention which tech tracks and other actions have been crucial for them (e.g. terraforming).

Ideally, use this format: YourNickname Score vs AutomaLevel Score – LinkOfTheGame – Techs focus – YourComment (e.g. : Marcus Aurelius 222 vs Ultoma 165 – www.boardgamearena.com/game=12345 – focus on Science and Terraforming until mid-game).

Have fun!

[montybojangles]

This is the first time a yellow faction has been played in one of the solo challenges. I'm fascinated to see what approach works best with the versatile Xenos. (I've not done a game with Xenos yet but tried the Gleens and scored a modest 156.)

Good luck everyone!

[Andreas G]

First try and a lot of room for improvements ...

Andreas G 136 - Automa 126 - https://boardgamearena.com/1/gaiaprojec ... =382869031 - Terra, Eco, AI and four alliances.

@montybojangles: Thank you for taking the effort to organize the solo challenge.

[montybojangles]

Thank you for being the first to post a score - though you've done it on the Fixed map, not the Random one.

I've answered your query on game replays at the end of the May challenge, and added a note about them in the main briefing.

[majiming]

Im terrible at Gaia Project. Only 84 points for me to the AIs 135. Playing on standard difficulty. https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=383069519

[majiming]

Second try. This time on the easiest mode. I still lost but it was only by a point - 114 to 115. https://boardgamearena.com/3/gaiaprojec ... =383108984

[LussLussy]

Hi, thanks for the challenge! It is my first time participating and first time playing solo game - excited!

LussLussy 142 Vs Automa 135, I did Gaia forming track (maxed it) as the Gaia planets were rewarded in the final scoring and also navigation track. A little bit of the green track for the cubes. I think early Gaia forming won the game, but it was close!

I haven't really read or tried to understand how Automa works and how it gets points (is it in the rules?), and I just started to play, but I observed that Automa had a lot more points than me in the beginning and during the game and in the last two rounds I somehow catched up..is it normal for you as well?

https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=383107984

[Zedseayou]

Zedseayou 152 vs Automächtig 147 – https://boardgamearena.com/1/gaiaprojec ... =383231511 – AI/Econ, then Nav/Terra

Man, felt like I had a good game and still not an insane score. Didn't feel like the adv techs or round bonuses were super conducive to additional scoring. I opted for the fun AI opening - Academy R1 + 4 QIC action for 3 techs in the first round (4c, 4pw buildings, 1k1c). This approach did mean that I bought all techs and the last few were probably not very valuable. I chose Econ because I wanted the tech there and I was worried about money/power, but actually I overcharged power after building PI. Sci maybe would have been good but buying so many techs probably would have capped me on keys, I already used 5 (topped terra, AI, econ, bought the 1qic/5c adv tech r4 and the 2pts/sector one at the end). Despite the 5c adv tech I was not overflowing in money since i had to build several 6c TPs due to less than ideal planning.

I think maybe a gaiaforming route instead of terra could have been nice to contest the gaia endgame scoring, but not having terra for key planets would probably also have been difficult, and xenos has no power token income so might feel starved. I also didn't use the 3qic action ever, which I think could have been a lot stronger than some of the techs I bought.

[montybojangles]

Thank you all for posting scores and sharing your experiences.

I still lost but it was only by a point - 114 to 115.

I think you were one move away from a solid victory: if you built a research lab instead of a PI at the end of R6, you could have taken the advanced tech tile on the terraforming track for 14 points.

I haven't really read or tried to understand how Automa works ... the Automa had a lot more points than me in the beginning and during the game and in the last two rounds I somehow catched up..is it normal for you as well?

Yes, the automa scores more steadily, and adds end-game scoring. Players typically score more heavily at the end, for example from building feds, taking advanced tech tiles and qic actions. I've seen a game with Nevlas on 0 (zero) point in R4 and score over 200, though that's very unusual! You can find the automa rules online. There are also videos of solo playthroughs of the boxed board game, some of which do a good job of showing how the automa deck works. (You don't need to watch a whole two-hour playthrough to get an understanding!)

Man, felt like I had a good game and still not an insane score. Didn't feel like the adv techs or round bonuses were super conducive to additional scoring.

It does look a good game, I enjoyed the replay. Not every set-up will generate huge scores (on first attempts, at least). But I'm sorry to break the news, you played on the Fixed map, not the Random one ... you're not the first player (me included), and won't be the last, to do a solo challenge on the wrong map.

[morgause]

Morgause 161 vs. Automachtig 136 - https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=382858540 - AI/Econ/TF
I am definitely still learning how to play this game, so not an amazing score (although one of my highest). Things were looking pretty grim until I managed to squeeze a ton of points out of the final round. I felt like I was always one step behind the automa, and only managed to tie it in endgame scoring, having had a crucial gaia planet stolen out from under me (my own fault for failing to pay attention to the automa's range that round). On the other hand, this is the first time I ever got 4 natural feds plus the TF track fed token, so that was fun.