Tiger Cub
Young Treant
Playful Panda
Ironbark Treant
Forest’s Favor
Thoughts
Rampant Growth in the next hand, but so is Merfolk Prospector. I think relying on Ferocity so much last game was a mistake after losing the Prospector, since codexnewb had no incentive to attack into me. So perhaps this time I plan to go with Ferocity + Galina early. If codexnewb tries to tech up, I’m threatening a much quicker setup for Murkwood Allies + Dinosize. Workering the Young Treant in that case, since I want units with attack. Backup plans are to attempt Circle of Life shenanigans, or Tiny Basilisk + Ferocity since Cal is discouraging Kidnapping.
Merfolk Prospector
Spore Shambler
Verdant Tree
Rich Earth
Rampant Growth
Thoughts
Not sure exactly what codexnewb is planning with all that gold, probably Zane? What’s the worst possible incoming damage? Zane + Ogre + Charge + Mad Man + worker + Tech I is 7 extra attack, or a total of 9. Maybe instead of Prospector I go with Spore Shambler to give the Treant a rune, then it’s at 2 attack in Squad Leader, and should kill any attackers. Squad Leader over another position, since 3HP + 2A is low enough for Zane + Dog + Mad Man/Charge to trade pretty efficiently. However, alternative is maxband Zane, Dog trades with Spore Shambler, Zane kills Treant. 6 extra damage, more if he delays Tech I or steals Scavenger gold.
Delay Tech I, Spore Shambler and rune Treant. Treant 2+3A in Leader, Shambler 1/2 in Scavenger. High-damage play is 7 damage, enough to wipe my patrol but with heavy losses. Alternative is maxband Zane, shove and kill Treant, Dog trades with Shambler. With no Scavenger gold steal, however, left with 2-HP Zane on board if doesn’t skip Tech I.
Spore Shambler, Prospector. 2/3+1A Shambler in Leader, 1+1/2+2A Treant in Elite. Same vulnerability to maxband Zane, but I’m left with a Prospector to try and do things with, unless codexnewb delays Tech I to play Mad Man. Putting Shambler is lookout is nicer against shove, but Mad Man + Dog can efficiently trade. Max-damage combo can get through and kill the Prospector, but losing all attackers in the process and going down on cards, so not worth it for codexnewb…
Spore Shambler, Tech I. As above, but I tech up instead of getting an early Prospector down. Less chance of having better income to fuel Frogs, but I don’t have to tech cards while accounting for lack of Tech I next turn.
Suppose I delay Tech I. What tech choices are good here? Moment’s Peace? Circle of Life? Ferocity? Spirit of the Panda? I’ll only have 4 gold next turn after worker + Tech I, CoL and SotP might be too expensive to reliably get off. Ferocity doesn’t do much if only the Prospector is alive, which is a possibility from maxband Zane. Moment’s Peace just tries to delay to second reshuffle, Zane can attack but just trades with Midori.
If I don’t skip, then what? Tiny Basilisk + Owl/Galina + hero is affordable, and gets me more reliable income, plus I could go for a Circle of Life off the Owl if Zane’s going to be around. Another option is Panda + Galina, and plan to Circle for Ancient then go into Wisps / Allies, but that leaves me depending on heroes and Tech 0 units for early aggression, to stop codexnewb from leaping for Bugblatters / Gunships. It’s different enough that he might not expect it, though, and I could attempt to switch to Ferocity if I think I need to.
Teched cards: 2
T2: Galina Glimmer, Giant Panda
Get paid - (5)
Worker - (4)
Spore Shambler - (1)
Tech I - (0)
Discard 3, draw 5
Forest’s Favor
Galina Glimmer
Giant Panda
Verdant Tree
Rampant Growth
Thoughts
I’m not sure what to do. Can I keep Galina alive if I play the Panda?
Worker, Giant Panda, Galina, float. Treant + Shambler + Wisp on patrol. Can I keep Galina alive? Galina should force codexnewb to attack, but he has enough gold for maxband Zane. Shove Shambler, kill Treant and draw, Dog trades with Shambler, so any damage out of 6-card hand kills the Wisp and lets the Ogre trade with Galina. I keep Giant Panda, codexnewb keeps Zane at 2 health. Alternatively, Kidnapping gives him 3 attackers against a 2-unit patrol. I’d need to put a 1-attack unit in Squad Leader so Galina can’t be Kidnapped to suicide into them, so Treant. Kidnap Treant, trades with Shambler, Dog trades with Wisp, Ogre trades with Galina. Giant Panda facing Drakk.
Worker, Galina, Giant Panda, pass a rune to Wisp, Treant in Squad Leader. Maxband Zane play: shove Treant, Ogre kills Treant, Zane kills Shambler, 2 damage from hand kills Wisp, Dog kills Galina. Kidnapping play: Tear through; or just Kidnap Galina and run her into Treant.
Worker, Galina, Giant Panda, pass a rune to Wisp, Wisp in Squad Leader. Maxband Zane play: shove Wisp, Zane kills Treant, Ogre kills Shambler, damage from hand kills Wisp, Dog kills Galina. Kidnapping play: no one with 2 attack to run Galina into, as long as Treant’s not in Elite! Kidnap Treant, Ogre kills Wisp, Treant trades with Shambler, Dog trades with Galina.
Best non-Panda option I can see:
Worker, Galina, Argagarg, Verdant Tree. Galina’s still vulnerable, maybe less so if I patrol Argagarg too, but the Tree is there as a backup threat. Definitely going for Ancients if I do this: I need to ramp up more quickly than Bugblatter + haste, and if I’m expecting Blood then Mimics are less desirable.
I think option 4 is best here. Argagarg can patrol where the Panda can’t, and I need bodies more than health if codexnewb goes on offense, which he’s highly motivated to do so when I’m sitting on Galina and Tree. Putting Forest’s Favor in workers, since Ancients should be replacing it.
Teched cards: 2
T2: Galina Glimmer, Giant Panda
T3: 2 x Blooming Ancients
Tiger Cub
Playful Panda
Merfolk Prospector
Giant Panda
Thoughts
Taxman, nice. I can delay Tech II if I think the Tree stays standing, so what do I want to patrol with? Argagarg is recovering, but I think I want things with more attack anyway, to get rid of that Taxman. Can’t afford a Tower, I wouldn’t have enough gold left over to place things in front of it. Maybe Calamandra or Midori in front, so codexnewb has to get through them first to start killing units. Frenzied Taxman makes short work of them, but it has to trade.
Teched cards: 2
T2: Galina Glimmer, Giant Panda
T3: 2 x Blooming Ancients
T4: 2 x Moment’s Peace
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($8)
worker - ($7)
break tower, base to 18, build hero’s hall - ($5)
mad man - ($4)
kidnap merfolk - ($0)
GPT trades with Cal
Drak kills wisp
MSR trades with Galina
Mad Man and Merfolk trade with Panda
Float ($0)
Discard 1, draw 3
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader:
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
In Play:
Drak lvl 6 (3/3)
Buildings:
Base HP: 18
Tech I HP: 5
Heroes’ Hall HP: 4
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 3
Deck: 2
Disc: 6
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 9
Thoughts
hero’s hall is more important than breaking verdant tree. only way to keep the momentum going is to threaten zane and surprise attack.
not sure how long drak wil stick around, so double SA it is.
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($9)
brogre, hasted - ($7)
lobber - ($6)
war drums - ($4)
Lobber trades with blooming ancient
Drak breaks verdant tree
brogre (4/2) frenzy (5/2) breaks your tech 2, base to 18
Zane, hits your base to 16 - ($2)
Never it is, then. Delaying with Midori instead of Murkwood Allies, since I can afford a Tower, which is nice against Drakk with Midori in Squad Leader. Expecting a maxband Zane. no Tech II gives me a glimmer of hope if I can delay here.
Teched cards: 2
T2: Galina Glimmer, Giant Panda
T3: 2 x Blooming Ancients
T4: 2 x Moment’s Peace
T5: 2x Murkwood Allies
T6: Giant Panda, Nature Reclaims
Get paid - (8)
Rebuild Tech II
Worker - (7)
Master Midori - (5)
Moment’s Peace, your units can’t attack - (3)
Tower - (0)
Discard 2, draw 4
Midori L1 2/3+1A
Base HP: 16 Tech I HP: 5 Tech II HP: 5 (Growth) Tower HP: 4
Hand: 4
Moment’s Peace
Playful Panda
Murkwood Allies
Rampant Growth
Deck: 4
Spore Shambler
Galina Glimmer
Giant Panda
Blooming Ancient
Discard: 7
Blooming Ancient
Verdant Tree
Giant Panda
Nature Reclaims
Moment’s Peace
Merfolk Prospector
Murkwood Allies
Card-count details (opponent-viewable)
Expected: 10 + 10 teched = 20
0 on board
4 in hand
4 in deck
7 in discard
5 in workers
Total: 20
Gold: 0
Workers: 9
4 x start
T1: Young Treant
T2: Rich Earth
T3: Forest’s Favor
T4: Tiger Cub
T6: Ironbark Treant
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($11)
worker - ($10)
tech 2 blood - ($6)
max zane, shove midori to tech - ($1)
zane kills midori, takes 3, levels fizzle, reshuffle, draw 1
drak hits your base to 13
nautical dog - ($0)
brogre to hand after discard/draw
Float ($0)
Discard 1, draw 3, bounce brogre to hand
Tech 0 card(s)
Get Paid - ($10)
surprise attack - ($5)
brogre, hasted - ($3)
loobber - ($2)
lobber (war drums at +6) - ($1)
Shark kills Cal, levels fizzle
Shark kills elite, levels fizzle
Zane kills tech, we both draw
nautical dog kills scav
lobber kills lookout
…war drums at +2
Brogre frenzy, war drums hits your base for 6, your base to 7
Lobber frenzy war drums hits your base for 5, your base to 2
Drak finishes your base. GG!!!
Any thoughts, now that the games are over? I was surprised at how well the Cal + Early Ferns worked out, even if it struggled without income from Merfolk Prospector. I’m still not really sure how to approach Bugblatters once they’re established, either.
Ironbark Treant 1+1/2+2A
Base HP: 20
Base HP: 20
Ironbark Treant 1/2+2A