#13 - Solo Challenge [September 2023] ENDED

[LupinePrototype]

I tried again today .

LupinePrototype 241 vs Alptrauma 239
https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=415004089
RL+2m opening, 3 feds. Again focussed Eco first but then Nav to grab the advanced tech tile there. In round 5, I built 6 mines on Gaia planets for 60VP in tech and round bonusses. In the last round, up to Sci4 to grab the advanced tech there (22VP) and get up to Gaia5 (15VP).

[jgpaladin]

jgpaladin 231 - automa 126
https://boardgamearena.com/8/gaiaprojec ... =415355673
Slightly better version of my last attempt.
40 vp from research, 46 from tech, 61 from round bonuses

[montybojangles]

I tried again today .
LupinePrototype 241 vs Alptrauma 239

Nice game - and close. Did you know you had got the win, or was there a nervous moment?

Score lists updated. It's nice to see some Ultoma and Alptrauma games. Stay cool everyone .

[montybojangles]

After trying to forget details of all the replays I've viewed, here's my second attempt, trying a different level.
montybojangles 207 vs Automächtig 139 - https://boardgamearena.com/table?table=416685474 - RL+TS+M, economy, nav then gaia, late up science.

[Heraklejski]

Heraklejski 199 vs Ultoma 186 - https://boardgamearena.com/7/gaiaprojec ... =416774195
It was my second run. Started with Navigation, than continued with Terraforming and AI.

[jgpaladin]

Question for the group, since while I've played a decent bit of GP both in real life and more recently on bga, I have almost no experience with the automa.

Is there any reason to expect that playing against the more advanced automa could help your score (even as you're now less likely to actually win the game?)

[jgpaladin]

Is there any reason to expect that playing against the more advanced automa could help your score (even as you're now less likely to actually win the game?)

Replying to myself since I read the automa rules. Looks like the only difference between automa levels (until the top level) is that the automa gets more actions every round. So I'd imagine the only potential positives for the player are...
- that they get more power charging opportunities
- better chance that there's a nearby automa build which can get you a cheaper trading station

Those both seem unlikely to make up for the automa being able to interfere with your plans more, but hard for me to say.

[LupinePrototype]

- that they get more power charging opportunities
- better chance that there's a nearby automa build which can get you a cheaper trading station

Yes, I believe both of those are true. I think the extra power charge especially can make a big difference in kick-starting your engine.

Another difference is that the automa can go up totally different tech tracks. The automa often goes up whichever track it already had advanced the most steps on. So which tech track it happens to choose first can make a big difference. In this case (random seed) the Automa difficulty goes up Nav really quickly and takes the advanced tech there before you get a chance to take it.
At other difficulties, that tile could be a big part of a high scoring strategy.

So yes, a higher difficulty offers more competition in general, but that might be in other places (planets/tech tracks).

[danuer13]

https://boardgamearena.com/5/gaiaprojec ... =417066451
danuer13 215 vs automa 216
WEnt eco + science, then nav + AI.
got 3 feds, scored heavily on gaia round and trade post round.
Definitely have room for improvement as at the end had quite a few resources

[meebs]

meebs 135 v Automa 109

I don't usually play this faction so I was figuring it out as I went along. Did try to focus on economy and upgrading though.

https://boardgamearena.com/5/gaiaprojec ... =417189888