Exploring Different Action Spaces in A Feast for Odin
Find out how exploring different action spaces and underutilized strategies can improve a final score in A Feast for Odin.
One of the greatest benefits of keeping a single board game on my table at a time is the reduced setup time. By leaving A Feast for Odin out, I merely had to reset a few components! I had no intention of packing this up. Scratching the surface was all I accomplished with my initial session, and I was determined to try out a lot more. To the feast!
Game Overview
Game Name: A Feast for Odin
Publication Year: 2016
Designer: Uwe Rosenberg
Artist: Dennis Lohausen
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
A-ha! The moose first player marker helped mark the mountains that were available for resource gathering each round. This actually sped up play quite a lot.
Normally, each tile is flipped one at a time. Resources then have to be stacked during play. Thanks, moose!
First Play
April 5, 2020
Complexity
4
Latest Play
July 19, 2020
Expansions
0
Setup Time
10 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
8
Play Time
1 Hour
High Score
113
Game Area
44" x 28"
Low Score
45
More Cow
Leave it to the Calico Critters to stop by for flair! I decided to explore animals a little more. Cows can be quite lucrative, so I hopped off to a quick start with my first one.
This looks like a proper Viking, right? I gave him points for the red scarf. That was about it!
There are so many strategies to pursue, yet not every related action will be useful. Sometimes it comes down to knowing what works, and what doesn’t.
I had a few new ideas in mind, although I wasn’t anywhere close to mastering anything! One cow. Good start. Ha!
To the Special Tiles
Perhaps the best way to learn the efficient combinations is to start off doing what seems right. Some might prefer crafting, while others hone in on pillaging or raiding.
That’s where I was with my first session. This time, I tried to pay attention to a few features I initially ignored.
Indeed, pillaging and raiding were on my list! So I set out to do the best I possibly could. The die was kind, allowing me to pick up the coveted crown at one point!
I still have a long way to go, but slowly adding in these unused actions and paths feels like it will work for me.
A Nearly Filled Board
There were plenty of things I didn’t get to do and missed opportunities, but when it was all over, my board was pretty much filled. No negative point spaces! Hurray!
I seemed to do much better in terms of converting goods. It was less about taking random actions than actually making progress towards reaching the luxury goods.
Emigration was where I failed when I miscalculated during the final round. Still, it wasn’t a total loss.
There are very few random elements during the course of play, so I should be able to improve even more.
Is This Game a Solvable Puzzle?
With limited randomness and variability, there may come a time when the optimal sequence is solvable. If I ever get there, I’ll certainly have to celebrate! It’s entirely possible that the game can turn into a repetitive exercise with few deviations. I applaud anyone who gets there, though. It’s not like there are just a handful of options here.
Part of the joy in finding the optimal actions comes from the failures. I try to learn as I go, yet it’s also fun to laugh at my mistakes. Wrong choice! It happens, and I don’t worry about it all that much.
Perhaps that’s part of the excitement of playing solo board games. Are you interested in having fun, maximizing your score, or something in the middle? There’s no wrong answer! I like the thrill of winning and earning a personal best, yet it mostly boils down to the experience for me. So long as I’m enjoying my time, I’m spending it well!
And that ties into solvable puzzles. It’s the journey to get there that’s important. Most of the time, I won’t get to a point where I’ll consider a board game solved. There are a lot of variables, as well as house rules to increase the challenge.
An Entire Cow Family
None of the cows produced during this play were used during the feast! I managed to see the benefit of breeding, even if it isn’t the most lucrative activity.
Calico Critters cows are the cutest! This entire family simply had to stop by to pose at the end of my play.
Speaking of my beloved animal figures, there’s currently a voting event going on! The Calico Critters Election 2020 is all about favorite families, and possible future families.
I’ll have more on that eventually! Suffice to say that these cows brightened up my play. So I added up my points…
Session Overview
Play Number: 3
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Play Details: Deck A
Required Play Space: 44″ x 28″
Setup Time: 5 Minutes
Play Time: 1 Hour
Outcome: 75 Points (Loss)
Much better! I still counted it as a loss since my victory threshold is just a touch higher, but I was very happy. My final actions were a bit concentrated in certain areas, yet my choices made sense… At least, to me. Ha ha!
%
1 Play
Affordability
Price & Value
7
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
7
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
7
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
6
Victory Conditions
Score 80+ Points
- Overall Goal Progress 67%
Goals and Milestones
Score at least 50 points.
Score at least 100 points.
Score at least 120 points.
Continue the Conversation
What do you think of A Feast for Odin and its mechanics? Do you have a preferred path or strategy? I still have plenty of other elements to explore. Namely, exploring the islands! I haven’t touched that aspect yet, and it’s about time I try. There is a lot here, and it all may seem overwhelming, but with these little additions, I’m having an awesome time!
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