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[BaruMonkey]

http://dominion.isotropic.org/gamelog/201205/25/game-20120525-095200-5512059a.html

Wolverinehokie went with a Horse Trader, Hoard, Scout, Duchy strategy, which I didn't expect to work. Buying Hoard on turn 3? Buying a reaction card, with Noble Brigand (which I didn't buy) as the only thing to react to? Greening so early, and with Duchies? Actually using the Scout card, especially without cheap alt-VPs on the board? I was confused.

I went with a pretty heavy Remodel/Spice Merchant trash-for-benefit strategy. My Wishing wells were never more than cantrips (I tend to have trouble with them), but they were late-game "whatever" buys anyways.

I lost 41-33, so it wasn't too bad, but it was unexpected.

Known errors: I did violate PPR. If I got an Estate instead (as Duchies were empty) and a Province on the next turn, the score would have been 41-40. I also wonder if I should have bought a Hoard instead of one of the Golds, but I was thinking Gold->Remodel->Province.

So, the asking for help:
1) Whose overall strategy choice was best? Theirs, mine, or something different?
2) What should I have done to play my chosen strategy better?
3) What other tips do you have that I can't think of the right question for?

[eHalcyon]

If you were going to Gold->Remodel->Province, a Hoard would work just as well since it's the same cost.  Plus, if you use it to buy a VP card, you can get free Gold to remodel.

Did you skip NB because of his Horse Traders?

[BaruMonkey]

If you were going to Gold->Remodel->Province, a Hoard would work just as well since it's the same cost.  Plus, if you use it to buy a VP card, you can get free Gold to remodel.

Did you skip NB because of his Horse Traders?

- Duh, right. I really should have seen that.

- I think that was my main thought. Secondarily, because it's another terminal that I didn't need. And tertiarily, they didn't have too much silver/gold for it to be worth using my actions on.
EDIT: Oh, and (quad...rarily?) I've read that it's not a very good card.

[Asklepios]

I'd look at this another way:

With remodelling an estate in this set, was there any better card to remodel to than Horse Traders? Scout, Noble Brigand and Spice Merchant don't shout out to be bought, and remodelling to remodels leads to lots of clashing remodels, and ultimately a slower climb than pure big money.

In the case of Horse Traders, what we have is a card that reliably turns 3 cards into $3, and helps deal a little with the clash of terminal actions. Not a strong choice by any means, but its not just a defensive card.

I have to say though, with this kingdom, my approach would have been silver/silver/etc., then getting Council Room on first $5, then straight big money plus two Council Rooms as the game plan. Boring as hell, but fairly consistent.

[ehunt]

You know, I actually think the opponent's strategy, absent scout, is dead on, including the early hoard. The point is that this is a weak board with a ton of cards that lend themselves to early greening. It seems like the sort of board where it's easy to win by 4 duchies after a 5/3 province split, kind of like one of those boards where bureaucrat is good. Horse traders make those duchies easy to grab late game and gives them something useful to do when drawn with a gold and a hoard. Even scout is justifiable, although not early and not two. The only card that doesn't lend itself well to early greening is remodel, but this is well canceled out by the remodel/hoard synergy.

[qmech]

I find the notion of an "early" Hoard slightly bizarre.  If you want Hoards, you want to be buying them as soon as possible.  I'm not sure what Gold instead would be for: if it would let you get a Province, then you're happy to spend your $7 on another Hoard, and if it's to let you get a Hoard ... ?

[DG]

Generally trashing the poor cards out of your deck is only half a strategy since the deck needs to be refilled with quality cards as well. In this case the other half of the strategy was to refill the deck with gold using a hoard. This would also have tied in nicely with remodelling gold to provinces.

You also seemed to be buy/gain cards at cost 4 or 5 when a better card for your deck was available at lower cost. This filled your deck with too many terminal actions. Silver was always available and both wishing well and scout could have been made to work.