JJ Belyeu
United States
Ontario
California
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Hello and welcome to another of BeerMe's Drunk & Disorderly Solo Session Reports! Today, I am playing my first ever game of Agricola: Farmers of the Moor.
I have always been a big fan of solo games, and started recording my plays simply as a way to improve my own skills with any given game. But then I realized others may benefit in some way from my drunken ramblings, so here we are with my solo session reports.
For other games I have done, please visit my geeklist:
BeerMe's Drunk & Disorderly Solo Session Reports
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Variants I used for this game are:
 Complexity Level 3
"Not in use yet"
Solo rules and final scoring
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Starting Occupations:
Clay Deliveryman
Grocer
Maid
Meat Seller
Stablehand
Stone Carrier
Woodcutter
Minor Improvments:
Drinking Trough
Helpful Neighbors
Helpful Neighbors
Raft
Administration
Home Wood
Pheromones
Spinning Mill
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Rounds 1-4
My goal in these early rounds were simply to clear out the Forest and Marsh tiles from my farmyard. Having never played this game with this expansion, I thought this should be first in priority.
Round 1 - 1 Major/Minor Improvement
For my Person Actions, I used;
Plow 1 Field
Take 1 Grain
For my Special Action, I used;
Slash & Burn
This had me ending the turn with 2 plowed fields, and having cleared up some room so I felt pretty good about it.
Round 2 - Fences
Person Actions:
Take 1 Grain
1st Occupation - Stablehand
Special Action:
Hiring Fair (+ 1 Food)
This was a less productive round as I was simply trying to set things up for my next 2 rounds.
Round 3 - 1 Sheep
Person Actions:
Take Wood (+ 6 Wood)
Build Fences (- 6 Wood) + 1 Free Stable
Special Action:
Horse Coper ( + 1 Horse)
I think this is where I made my first mistake. I was so excited to see a "Free Horse" action, that I jumped on it when I probably should have taken "Cut Peat" or "Slash & Burn".
Round 4 - Sow and/or Bake Bread
Person Actions:
Fishing (+ 4 Food)
Sow and/or Bake
Special Action:
Cut Peat
Not a horrible round, but I hated having to take "Fishing". But honestly, I dont see a way around it in a Solo game where you need to produce 6 Food in 4 Rounds.
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Harvest 1
Left me fairly broke after having to give up lots of food and fuel, but I have a pasture built, and am on my way to getting some sustainable food sources.
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Rounds 5-7
I spent these rounds trying to improve what I already had. Using so much fuel to my crappy Wooden Hut really hurts in this game, something I realize now, and should have taken "Cut Peat" more to better prepare for it.
Round 5 - After Renovation also 1 Major/Minor Improvement
Person Actions:
Take Clay (+ 5 Clay)
Take Reed (+ 5 Reed)
Special Action:
Horse Coper (+ 1 Horse)
Again, the "Horse Coper" got me with a free Horse. At this point, they are still looking pretty good at +1 VP each, but they dont do anything to improve my farmyard unless I can get "Horse Slaughterhouse" but even them, they are a horrible way to make food.
Round 6 - 1 Stone
Person Actions:
After Renovation also 1 Major/Minor Improvement (Clay Hut + Fireplace)
2nd Occupation (Maid, -1 Food)
Special Action:
Black Market (Pheromones)
Now I have setup pretty well. With my new Clay Hut I will use less Fuel every Harvest, and with the Fireplace, I can start turning my animals into some Food that I desperately need. Maid also will help by getting my +1 Food every round for the rest of the game.
Round 7 - After Family Growth also 1 Major/Minor Improvement (+ 1 Food)
Person Actions:
Take Wood (+ 8 Wood)
Fishing (+ 3 Food)
Special Action:
Horse Coper (+ 1 Horse, - 1 Food)
Because my Horses now occupy my only Pasture, I was unable to take Sheep which I really need. Since the only Special Action availble to me this turn was "Horse Coper", I had to take it or be stuck with is as my final card for the remainder of the game.
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Harvest 2
Again, this Harvest leaves me broke and without much to work with. On the bright side, my horses are breeding, getting me more VP.
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Rounds 8-9
These rounds are simply a cleaning house, where I try to make up for lost time and VP.
Round 8 - 1 Wild Boar (+ 1 Food)
Person Actions:
Fences (- 5 Wood) + 1 Free Stable
Sheep (+ 5 Sheep)
Special Action:
Hiring Fair (+ 1 Food)
I FINALLY get sheep here, and start looking like a respectable farm. Right now, I'm just hoping I can salvage this game, and start clearing more space on my board. Having only Hiring Fair, Clandestine Work, or "Black Market" to choose from didn't help though.
Round 9 - Take 1 Vegetable (+ 1 Food)
Person Actions:
Take Stone (+ 4 Stone)
After Renovation also 1 Major/Minor Improvement (Stone House + Drinking Trough)
Special Action:
Fell Trees (+ 2 Wood)
Now I'm cooking with fire (literally) as I have a stable food source, an "In Use" Fireplace, and more cleared area in my board.
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Harvest 3
This is a VERY late game shape up for me, and I think I'm just not used to the Special Actions yet. Relying on them to only clear 1 space at a time is brutal, and I should have focused on it more early on.
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Rounds 10 - 11
More salvage work over these 2 rounds, simply trying to turn my tiny farm into a VP engine that works.
Round 10 - 1 Cattle (+ 1 Food)
Person Actions:
Plow 1 Field
Take 1 Vegetable (+ 1 Vegetable)
Special Action:
Fell Trees (+ 2 Wood)
With my Sheep under control, and the Horses taking up one of my Pastures, I now have to start seriously making room for more animals.
Round 11 - 1 Stone (+ 1 Food)
Person Actions:
Build Fences (- 4 Wood) + 1 Free Stable
Wild Boar (+ 4 Wild Boar)
Special Action:
Fell Trees (+ 2 Wood)
The Wild Boar boost my VP a TON, and having room for so many will pay off in the end.
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Harvest 4
Food is no longer a problem, and with the Stone House, neither is Heating. What is really slowing me down though is not having more famliy members.
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Rounds 12 - 13
Getting close to the end here and I really need to start working things out, because my little farm is never going to hit the 72 VP goal if I dont step it up.
Round 12 - Family Growth without Room (+ 1 Food)
Person Actions:
Family Growth without Room (+ 1 Family Member)
Sow and/or Bake
Special Action:
Hiring Fair (+ 2 Food)
I am now stuck with the same Special Action Card for the remainder of the rounds, and my lack of ability to "Cut Peat" is going to cost me a lot.
Round 13 - Plow and/or Sow (+ 1 Food)
Person Actions:
Family Growth without Room (+ 1 Family member)
Take Stone (+ 4 Stone)
Cattle (+ 4 Cattle, - 3 for 9 Food)
Special Action:
Hiring Fair (+ 2 Food)
Churning out Family members is now my top priority. The Food is coming in fast and furious, so it shouldn't prove a problem in the end.
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Harvest 5
I have all my animals covered, both types of crop, and a Stone House packed with people. All I have left to do is fill in the rest of my unused spaces.
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Round 14 - After Renovate also Fences (+ 1 Food)
Person Actions:
Family Growth without Room (+ 1 Family member)
Build Rooms (+ 1 Stone Room)
Take 1 Vegetable (+ 1 Vegetable)
Fishing (+ 5 Food)
Special Action:
Hiring Fair
This was a "meh" last round. Added my last family member, another room, and another vegetable for + 6 VP, so at least it was profitable.
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Harvest 6 and End Game
Final Scoring:
Fields = 3 (2 VP)
Pastures = 3 (3 VP)
Grain = 7 (3 VP)
Vegetables = 3 (3 VP)
Sheep = 6 (3 VP)
Wild Boar = 7 (4 VP)
Cattle = 1 (1 VP)
Horses = 9 (9 VP)
Unused Space = 0 (0 VP)
Fenced Stables = 3 (3 VP)
Stone Rooms = 3 (6 VP)
Family Members = 5 (15 VP)
Bonus Points = 0 VP
Points for Cards = 2 VP
TOTAL = 54 VP
VP Needed for the Win = 72 (ouch!)
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Afterthoughts
Wow, what a difference Farmers of the Moor makes! I used to play vanilla Agricola all the time when it first came out and I would ruin people at it. But having not played in a couple years and having the new mechanics thrown in, I was not expecting such a challenge.
What really hurt me were the Horses. I was so excited to get them, and start them making my VP, I neglected my Farmyard, and didnt use enough "Cut Peat" actions to clear more space. Plus, have the Horses take up a Pasture killed my food engine.
Over all though, it was a good learning experience, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next time I get this to the table.
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Geoff Burkman
United States
Kettering
Ohio
"Punk is not dead" by daughter, Emily
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Your pic of Harvest 1 makes it look like you only added one grain to each of your sown fields. I think the problem corrected itself by Harvest 2.
You're right about fuel & cutting peat, though. You only get, what? Four chances to cut peat and you've got three Moor tiles. There's no reason to waste wood on heating unless you can't avoid it. Gotta admit, though, I've never tried "FotM" solo; the base game solo is enough of a pain as it is.
Next time you play, give yourself Advance Payment and then try the "Kiln Gambit," and see how that works out. Of course, with any bad luck you'll end up with all your "Cut Peat" cards showing up at game's end!
Nice report.
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JJ Belyeu
United States
Ontario
California
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MisterG wrote: Your pic of Harvest 1 makes it look like you only added one grain to each of your sown fields. I think the problem corrected itself by Harvest 2.
You're right about fuel & cutting peat, though. You only get, what? Four chances to cut peat and you've got three Moor tiles. There's no reason to waste wood on heating unless you can't avoid it. Gotta admit, though, I've never tried "FotM" solo; the base game solo is enough of a pain as it is.
Next time you play, give yourself Advance Payment and then try the "Kiln Gambit," and see how that works out. Of course, with any bad luck you'll end up with all your "Cut Peat" cards showing up at game's end!
Nice report.
Thanks.
Yeah, I managed to play a 2-player game tonight as well, and my buddy managed to clear his entire board, while I was stuck with 2 Peat tiles and a Forest tile still left. I still won on the simple fact that he had a 4-Room Wooden hut while I had a 4-Room Stone House.
40 to 44 was the final score of our game. I dont think I'll play without FotM again. It just adds too much not to play with.
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Mike T
United States
Maryland
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I don't know much about solo FotM, but even in the expansion, you still need to increase your actions with growth. If you were going the Renovation route, why not get the Clay Deliveryman out, so you could actually build a clay room or two? Building Stone rooms is a giant waste of the scarcest resource, when there are so many nice Majors to buy. Also, Grocer should never stay in your hand!
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James Klemm
United States
Walnut Creek
California
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Only took 2 of those images to wallpaper my Clay Hut.
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Hugh Grotius
United States
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Quote: I dont think I'll play without FotM again. It just adds too much not to play with.
After just one game with FoTM, I feel the same way. We enjoyed just about every aspect of the expansion: the forests and moors, the special actions, the horses, the new cards. About the only thing we didn't explore was the new set of Major Improvements. I don't know how feasible it is to "dig down" to the new Major Improvements. But aside from that, we loved it.
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Posted Thu Sep 29, 2011 11:23 pm
