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« on: December 10, 2013, 10:49:34 am »
Maybe we should make this an ongoing topic for anyone to add to?
(Note about comments, sorry about changing the topic, but this is in the "innovation articles" section)
This article is optimized for Echoes or Echoes + Figures play. Your mileage may vary in other variants. Sorted by E (echoes tricks) and F (figures tricks).
I might update this from time to time as I think of more...
E1) Never open with a bonus 2/3 card
Candles will be an instant tech up for your opponent to 3 on turn 1. Not a good thing.
E2) Always open with a bonus 1 card
Or risk losing it to turn 1 flute. Caveat of course is if your base 1 has at least 1 crown on it.
E3) Try to get either flute or code of laws
The splay left is enormously important in this configuration.
E4) Acquire 1 or more of flute / umbrella/ chopsticks / ruler
These are the first echoes in age 1 that can be used with a splayed left stack (relating to E3). Domestication / chopsticks and umbrella / the wheel are ideal combos
E5) Resist the urge to tech up too quickly.
Realize that by leaving the 1 stack alone, you are giving your opponent all the good cards I have just listed. Writing is a no-no, I'd say. However, a turn 1 ruler can be a worthwhile risk. Again, I advise staying in age 1 until you've got a good splayed stack ready.
E6) As a general rule of thumb, always try to draw echoes cards
In general, echoes cards are far more powerful than base cards. The biggest potential is the killer splay left stack that can give you many many actions per turn.
E7) foreshadow, foreshadow, foreshadow
The power of foreshadow is enormous: 2 cards melded, 1 immediate effect. Linguistics, bangle, and bell are the early ones, all excellent cards. As far as a foreshadow size, I'd say 3-4 is a critical mass before you are really wasting actions IMO. You will usually never realize the effect of all the cards before they become obsolete. Yes destiny is nice, but also consider that you are wasting tempo that you could be using to build your board / find useful cards. Also, try to foreshadow echoes (E6).
E8) The "drawing" cards to look for (ages 1-3)
wheel (1 green base), flute (1 purple echoes), comb (1 green echoes), fermenting (2 yellow base), lever (2 blue echoes), paper (3 green base), novel (3 purple echoes)
These cards allow you to draw 2+ cards, and are far more efficient that just straight up drawing.
E9) The "build power" cards to look for (ages 1-3)
domestication (1 yellow base), masonry (1 yellow base) mysticism (1 purple base), sailing (1 green base), perfume (1 blue echoes), code of laws (1 purple base), road building (2 red base), Pagoda (age 2 purple echoes), Optics (age 3 red base), Deodorant (age 3 yellow echoes)
E10) color themes (age 1 and comb ideas)
want to splay, pick purple
want to build power quickly, pick yellow
want to tech up, pick blue
want to catch up in tech, pick red
want to draw quicker, pick green
E11) The 3 "golden" cards to remember: almanac (3 blue echoes), measurement (5 green base), industrialization (6 red base)
These three have the ability to turn the game on its head. Almanac, besides foreshadowing and a sweet left splay echo, can literally end the game in age 3. Measurement can end the game (make sure you have a higher score) or give you a massive tech-up. Industrialization while tucking echoes will give you ALL the special achievements in no time. Watch out for these, and consider ways to remove them (road building an EXCELLENT low tech option hits measurement and industrialization, just make sure you have a red to throw to them so they don't boomerang it back to you).
E12) If behind on symbols, troll for all you're worth. You might even cover their "engine" cards
Most if not all of the E9 cards become troll cards in later ages. In figures you even get a bonus for sharing!
F1)* If you have a relatively harmless share, spam it for all it's worth
Some things that come to mind, perfume, horseshoes, sailing, mysticism. Figures cards are VERY powerful indeed. I haven't had enough experience with them to give a detailed run-through
F2)* Quick tech-up trick
I don't know if this has been addressed before, but if your opponent had an early lucky writing / ruler into a runaway tech lead, one viable tactic is what I call the achieve / steal trick, which is claim an achievement then immediately steal the bonus figure with archery. The other card I always search for is perfume, but then if it was math they can just give you that, and your tech catchup is thwarted. This trick can also be used with construction, because techers usually have no hand.
Love competition, and well played indeed.