Caylus

Rym

So I've pretty-much got this game down unless I discover some funky alternate strategies: I won handily 3 out of the four games I've played.

Game 1 vs Scott - Just learned how to play, lost.

Game 2 vs 4 people - Won by a giant landslide.

Game 3 vs Scott - Won in three rounds (Scott forfeit after I drew ahead)

Game 4 vs Scott - Won 134 - 78 (could have had more points, but didn't bother with last round strategy that would have denied Scott 12 more points and netted me three)

ph33r ^_~ I just need to play with more people to ensure that my strategies are fully sound.

Apreche

I'll respond in the episode.

Rym

Just an update.

Game 5 vs Scott, Katsu - Won by a substantial margin, Scott only one point above Katsu

This game wasn't a big deal, except that Scott said something along the lines of "See? I can win when I actually try" shortly before my juggernaut of VP generation exploded unto the board. ^_~

baltmatrix

There significant destruction I assume? :)

thornn

Rym, are you interested in playing Caylus on BSW? I haven't played much (despite being one of the lucky few to have owned the game since November), but I'd be curious to see this unstoppable strategy of yours. :)

Rym

Ooohh.. Very possibly. I'll get back with you when I have free time again. ^_~

I wouldn't say my strategy is unstoppable per se. I have a knack with new games. Whenever you break out a new game, and everyone's on equal footing, I tend to find the simplest path to victory and hammer it relentlessly. My winning streak tends to wane as the people who didn't stike that gold discover the alternate, more complex paths that destroy me.

Puerto Rico was a good example of that. Early on, the captain/harbour was the unbeatable juggernaut... until someone won with buildings/factory/whavever.

In Caylus, I determined that the stone-producing buildings are extremely valuable. My strategy involves claiming any and all stone-production I can. I require a strong, steady supply of cubes, but the actual type of those cubes does not matter. All things being equal, I'd prefer to have a surplus of stone over anything else, as stone can be easily converted directly into VP with a single action (prestige building).

Aside from the stone, I'll rotate through using various other buildings to claim a few food for the castle or cloth for favours, but I'll ALWAYS make as much stone as I can at all times. Having 12 stone sitting in front of you doesn't really hurt, since you can then ignore it and focus on grabbing the resources you need for whatever situation you're currently in, and any extra become a prestige building at the end.

I rely heavily on the build favours and lawyer in order to lay out residences early-on for cash flow, in addition to destroying the initial stone-producer. I also make great effect of the VP favours: maxing it out at every opportunity. I ignore the cube favour, and only take the money favour if nothing else is useful. (I get my money from the lawyer's residences and selling stone instead).

I rush the castle as hard as I can in the first phase, due to the points it generates. From then on, I mostly ignore it. I ONLY put batches in the castle if I'll beat everyone else there and claim the favour.

I play very conservatively with regards to the provost. I rarely will place a worker anywhere near him without also having one on the extra provost move building. I also mostly ignore gold, since it's trivial to get at least a few cubes of it for my prestige building, and fighting over it is an exercise in futility.

I ignore the inn. I push to end the game early (though I position myself via the stone to make it so that, were the game to continue, I could simply build -more- prestige buildings).