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theJester

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Analyzing interesting kingdom
« on: October 22, 2014, 10:28:15 am »
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Game is Shelters/Provinces. Cards are:


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Fool's Gold, Watchtower, Pirate Ship, Spy, Mandarin, Merchant Ship, Rogue, Grand Market, Harem, Nobles
Actual game was not what I found most interesting, since my attempt at building an engine was greatly helped by opponent's Pirate Ships. What I'd like to ask instead is few questions regarding this kingdom, since I found it most interesting and providing lots of food for thought:

1) What would be an optimal strategy here? There are powerful cards, true, but only trashing is opponent's PS, only village is Nobles and only draw are Nobles and Watchtower (conditional). This is actually where I was glad that this was Shelters game - since it adds Hovel (trashable quickly due to Nobles) and Necropolis (adds much needed +actions) to the mix. I'm interested in is engine quicker than e.g. MerchantShip+BM or Mandarin+BM.
1a) If engine mirror, where, say, Nobles split is 4-4, how effective would Nobles be as almost only source of +actions and +draw? Can Watchtower be useful here?
1b) How would you assess this kingdom with Estates instead of Shelters?

2) Which money strategy would be optimal here? Fool's Gold or not? MS or Mandarin? How much is moneyish approach hindered by Pirate Ship? Would anything change in your evaluation if this kingdom is played without PS?

3) How would you open with 3/4 and 2/5? Which do you prefer?

Thanks for all comments and help.
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assemble_me

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Re: Analyzing interesting kingdom
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2014, 11:45:11 am »
+2

I don't think you can build an actual engine here.
I'd guess you just want lots of Fool's Golds and add Nobles for draw. The question is how to define engine. Going for Pirate Ship as your opponent did has to be a great mistake because it makes going for Grand Market viable at first place.
It's usually appraised as mistake if you have to use Nobles as village, and I think so, too here. I don't think a Nobles-Watchtower engine is a thing, even with Necro around.

So it's just Fool's Gold, one-two Nobles should be easy to get as you just need two FGs to collide with one copper. A midgame Mandarin bought for two FGs could be pretty good and it's great if you can put back more FGs when you play it. Picking up GMs at an opportune moment might be viable, but maybe you can skip them here, although the +Buy is probably nice. On the other hand, it just might be drawn dead and you'll probably have the choice between GM and Province.

I don't think you want Merchant Ship here. It might be OK if you open with it on a 5/2, but then I guess I'd rather have two FG's in my deck after the shuffle. So I'd probably open double FG anyways.
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liopoil

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Re: Analyzing interesting kingdom
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2014, 05:23:52 pm »
+1

I'd go for an engine, though I might lose. I would only get FG if my opponent did, and then only 3-4 of them. Open watchotower/silver or rogue/FG. Rogue > merchant ship here I think.

Pirate ship and mandarin are definitely always bad, maybe a situational mandarin in a FG deck.
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flies

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Re: Analyzing interesting kingdom
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2014, 09:28:20 am »
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Pirate ship is laughably bad here.  I mean seriously, what the hell was your opponent thinking?
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