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[Argonaut Adams]

Hello World,

This is my first post, so before I blather on about a card combo that everyone already knows (and knows 19 different faster counters) I just wanted to say thanks to all the dedicated people that make Dominion awesome. In case you're wondering, yes that's you (unless you resign before I can earn my achievements, then you go to hell).

Also: THANK YOU CAPTAIN_FRISK for taking the time to teach me the basics!

http://councilroom.com/game?game_id=game-20120128-140821-8e5e9f76.html

This is a story about how I, an admitted (but reforming) Noob, bought a bunch of Fishing Villages, and Bridges and married them in a Chapel. It seemed pretty fast (12 turns) although I won on a 3 pile. Please bear with me as I try to briefly illustrate what I see as the strengths of this deck. I'm treating this as a learning exercise. I would also love to hear what the more experienced players have to say.

Caveat: My opponent let me get 8 FV, but I think this deck is still strong with a more competitive number like 5.

Trashing was important to the speed of this deck, but I don't think the holy grail of trash (Chapel) was necessary. Ambassador could be a fun variation, someone who knows the cards better could probably think of another couple. Admittedly I don't think a different trashing option would be quite as fast, but rather that the deck would probably still be optimal with a decent trasher, and perhaps even without. (see CR notes below)

That brings me to FV, The virtual coin (now and later...mmm tasty now and laters!) is great, but what I love is the ability to load up on terminals. Once the saturation of FV is high enough you will never starve for actions. By the end, when I was playing my whole deck, I had something like 16. The virtual coin provides the standard benefit against something like PS, and the persistent coin against things like Torturer. Although a 5 coin attacker might be too slow against this deck.

Ahh Bridge, and who doesn't like playing 5 of them in a turn? Jerks who resign before I get my achievements, that's who!

Council Room surprised me here. I hadn't thought of a terminal card draw as an "engine" before, but it kinda was. Once I started playing CR on turn 9 the deck exploded. It doesn't hurt that CR is THE BEST (so far as I know, which isn't very far) +card for this kind of deck (the +buy really seals the deal). However, another drawer would totally work, perhaps a Lab. Actually on a board with a lab but less than stellar trashing, an early lab might help you cycle through to what you need. Although since it's 5 coin, one of the cantrips or villages might serve better. On this board the cantrip ended up being a pile I wanted anyway!

So that's it really. He/she/it helped me (a little) buy out the FV. Then we both bought out the bridges. Then I bought every GH (almost in one turn, I could have bought them all in one turn, but f'ed up cause I'm a noob). I considered stalling to get an obscene point score, but the turn 12 end was too tempting.

Strengths

•FAST, if I were a better player I think a turn 11 is def. possible, and a turn 9 or 10 just maybe.
•Virtual coin and actions to help against attacks
•3 pile ending likely, which I think makes this a viable strategy on any board where it's present, including colony (esp. if one of the emptied piles is an alternate VP) . It also really helps that FV is so spammable, that's a pile right there.

Weaknesses

•Mirroring, kinda like Minion games, reduces your odds closer to luck
•Maybe an early curser? But then that's just another pile...
•I dunno, finding weaknesses is the mark of a higher tier player, and guess what I'm not...so COMMENT!!! 

Thanks for reading, peace.
Argonaut Adams

[brokoli]

Nice synergy.
I think here, all cards were perfect. FV is the best if you need a bunch of actions. Chapel is the fastest trasher (ambassador would be really bad : too slow and your opponent can buy an ambassador too). Wharf or margrave could be good, but I think Council room is better...

[lespeutere]

As you judged correctly, trashing is needed for your strategy. And then you need some card draw cause you don't get any from FV nor bridge. Labs are obviously not as mighty as CR with that.
The reason you won imho: it does not seem our opponent had a real strategy. He didn't trash, bought a chapel on turn 8 (!), (buying chapel after t2 is very rarely useful), bought all those bridges he though he went kind of big money but didn't buy CR he should've with his coins.
The problem with this lot of actions and bridges is that the end of the game might come rather suddely which you exploited but this control of three piling is one ability that comes through experience for most players, I'd assume (at least for me, it did). You really need to be careful. In this case your opponent wasn't since he bought 5 bridges and helped you 3 piling.
However, he could've bought a duchy on turns 9, 10 and 11 each and he would've been leading then..

[Argonaut Adams]

Hi folks, thanks for responding.

Brokoli: How about a Steward (or two) instead of Chapel. Decent trashing, boosted by longer term value in the +card and +money?

Lespeutere: I completely agree that my opponent had no strategy! However, should he have bought duchies on turns 9, 10, and 11 he could have delayed me, but not for long. For instance I could have responded (although I would not have, preferring I think to fortify my engine) with a duchy and another engine card on turn 10. I could have responded with a Province on turn 11, and every turn thereafter. And if I set myself up exactly as I did, but Greened from turn 12 on, I could have bought 2 provs a turn (or at least a prov and a duchy).

EDIT: I forgot to add a little about if this had been a more competitive game. Assuming average trash and average +card: 5 FV and 5 Bridges is still potentially $15 coin/turn, 6 buys and all costs reduced by $5. That's IF I'm remembering the cards right...  It would be somewhat slower, esp. b/c I'd have to stop along the way for more +cards. But still I think better than BM + smithy.

I perceive another big advantage to this synergy being the surplus of +actions. They give so much flexibility to the deck, and from a pretty early stage, I had xtra actions on turn 4! Opponent wants to start a cursing war? Just detour for the curser. Although, again, running out a pile really only helps this deck.

Do you have any thoughts on a different competitive strategy on that board? I believe mirroring to be optimal on that board.

Thanks again for taking the time, I really appreciate it!

[shark_bait]

Ironworks could work out nicely.  With surplus FV actions, play your IW's after a bridge to gain a 5-cost card like council room or inn.  I'd actually consider opening IW/Chapel because even with a collision after the first reshuffle, you could gain a FV and still trash your remaining 3 cards.

[Argonaut Adams]

@ Shark_bait

Nice one. I think the IW could help you win the FV split too. Later in the game it can just get trashed with one of the many extra actions.

[lespeutere]

IW seems to be one of my biggest weaknesses and I seem to not have looked at this board carefully.. 
It's not only gaining cards like CR or inn (remember: if you gain it with IW within your turn, you can take action cards from the discard pile into your drawing pile and draw them very likely with CR then) after one bridge but it's also gaining provinces after 4 bridges. No need for trashing IW here if you can ensure you draw your whole deck. Moreover, IW obviously works nicely with GH as you get +1 action and +1 card gaining it, so 3 piling is even more likely. And opening IW/chapel is definitely the right choice here then.