Category Archives: Miscellaneous

The (Board) Gamer’s Guide to Supply Management Part XXVIII: At the Gates of Loyang: Part II – Going Solo!

As per our last post, when you are At the Gates of Loyang, you can ply your trade solo. The primary difference between a multi-player game and a solo game, particularly if you don’t use the nine lantern helpers, which we won’t to keep the game simpler, is that, during the distribution round, the courtyard is pre-populated with a 4*3 grid of 12 action cards and discards are only shuffled back into the deck after the first field is emptied. Although one variant allows you to select two cards from the courtyard, we will stick with the one card from your hand and one card from the courtyard rule to keep the game simple and consistent with the multi-player version, and also ignore the buy a “two-pack” option to not only make the gameplay simpler, but allow for easy repeat game-play.

Note that, when selecting cards in the courtyard, cards in the top row are free, cards in the second row cost 1 Cash each, and cards in the third and fourth row cost 2 Cash each.

For those of you who want a multi-media run-through of basic game play, check out the three part series by Rahdo Runs Through:

  1. Gameplay Run-through
  2. Extended Run-through
  3. Final Thoughts

Since we think we’re so smart, and able to fly by the seat of our pants, we’re going to jump right in. We’ll buy and plant Wheat, for 3-Cash, in our 9-plot field in the set-up phase, since we obviously need lots of it by the fact that the shop stocks one more wheat than it does any other vegetable, populate the courtyard, and start the game.

Before we start, note that:
C.C. – Casual Customer
R.C. – Regular Customer
M.S. – Market Stall

 

Round 1:

Harvest Phase:
Harvest: 1 Wheat
Acquire: 5-plot Field
Prosperity: 1

Vegetables

Wheat Pumpkin Turnip Cabbage Beans Leaks Cash
Store 2  2  2  2  2  2   
Storehouse              
Cart 1            7 
Fields

Field Planted Remains
9 plots Wheat 8
5 plots 0
Helpers

Helper Ability
                  
Market Stalls

Stall Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Vegetable 3
                                                                                                       
Regular Customers

Customer Wants Buys Left Pays
                       
Casual Customers

Customer Wants Pays
     

Hand:

  • C.C. 2 Pumpkin / Bean 9
  • 4-Plot Field
  • R.C. Wheat/Leeks 5/6/7/8
  • Helper Merchant – buy 1 vegetable from the shop for 1 Cash if it must be delivered at least twice to regular customers this round

Courtyard:

Helper Saleswoman
satisfies all R.C. or
all C.C. give +2 bonus		 C.C. Pumpkin/Turnip/Leeks 10 Helper Shopper
2 Cash discount on 1 veg. at Shop
C.C. Wheat/Turnip/Beans 9 R.C. Beans/Leeks 7/8/9/10 M.S. Pumpkin/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2
3-Plot Field C.C. Pumpkin/Cabbage/Beans 10 M.S. Wheat/Pumpkin/Leeks 1/1/1
Helper Squire
up to 3 cards from courtyard		 Helper Ploughman
re-sow a non-home field with 2+ vegetables		 M.S. Turnip/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2

Card Phase:
1) Hand: Helper Merchant, because we can’t plant leeks (for R.C.), can’t afford to plant in two fields (and don’t need the 4-Plot field), and don’t have pumpkins or beans (for C.C).
2) Courtyard: Wheat/Turnip/Beans 9 for 1 Cash (leaving us with 6 Cash), since the top-row helpers don’t help us now and the C.C. doesn’t need wheat.

Action Phase
1) Buy Turnip for 5 Cash (leaving us with 1-Cash) since the C.C. requires Turnip
2) Sow Turnip in 5-plot field (as that’s what we have)
3) In the Storehouse, store 1 Wheat
4) Advance up the Path of Prosperity 0 space(s) for 0 Cash (as we only have 1 Cash)

 

Round 2:

Harvest Phase:
Harvest: Wheat, Turnip
Acquire: 6-plot Field
Prosperity: 1

Vegetables

Wheat Pumpkin Turnip Cabbage Beans Leaks Cash
Store 2  2  1  2  2  2   
Storehouse 1             
Cart 1    1        1 
Fields

Field Planted Remains
9 plots Wheat 7
5 plots Turnip 4
6 plots 0
__ plots
Helpers

Helper Ability
Merchant  buy 1 veg. to be delivered twice to RC for 1 Cash 
                  
Market Stalls

Stall Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Vegetable 3
                                                                                                       
Regular Customers

Customer Wants Buys Left Pays
                       
Casual Customers

Customer Wants Pays
1  Wheat/Turnip/Beans  9 
     

Hand:

  • C.C. Wheat / 2 Cabbage 9
  • R.C. Wheat/Pumpkin 4/5/5/6
  • Helper Tenant Farmer (3 Cash to choose next field from private field pile or trade an empty field for another in the private field pile)
  • R.C. Pumpkin/Cabbage 5/6/6/7

Courtyard:

Helper Saleswoman C.C. Pumpkin/Turnip/Leeks 10 Helper Shopper
3-Plot Field R.C. Beans/Leeks 7/8/9/10 M.S. Pumpkin/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2
Helper Squire C.C. Pumpkin/Cabbage/Beans 10 M.S. Wheat/Pumpkin/Leeks 1/1/1
C.C. Wheat/Cabbage/Leeks 10 Helper Ploughman M.S. Turnip/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2

Card Phase:
1) Hand: R.C. Wheat/Pumpkin 4/5/5/6, as the helper doesn’t help us, the C.C. requires 2 Cabbage we don’t have, and the other R.C. requires 2 vegetables we don’t have
2) Courtyard: M.S. Pumpkin/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2 for 1 Cash (and we are now broke) as we need to trade for that Pumpkin to satisfy our R.C.

Action Phase
1) Trade Wheat for Pumpkin at M.S. 1
2) Deliver W/P to R.C. 1 for 4 Cash
3) Buy Pumpkin for 4 Cash
4) Sow Pumpkin in 6-Plot field
5) In the Storehouse, Store 1 Turnip
6) Advance up the Path of Prosperity 0 space(s) for 0 Cash (as we have no Cash)

 

Round 3:

Harvest Phase:
Harvest: Wheat, Turnip, Pumpkin
Acquire: 6-plot Field
Prosperity: 1

Vegetables

Wheat Pumpkin Turnip Cabbage Beans Leaks Cash
Store 2  1  1  2  2  2   
Storehouse     1         
Cart 1  1  1        0 
Fields

Field Planted Remains
9 plots Wheat 6
5 plots Turnip 3
6 plots Pumpkin 5
6 plots 0
__ plots
Helpers

Helper Ability
Merchant buy 1 veg. to be delivered twice to RC for 1 Cash 
                  
Market Stalls

Stall Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Vegetable 3
1  Beans (2) Leeks (2)
                                                                                                       
Regular Customers

Customer Wants Buys Left Pays
1 Wheat/Pumpkin  3 5/5/6 
                       
Casual Customers

Customer Wants Pays
1  Wheat/Turnip/Beans  9
     

Hand:

  • 5-Plot Field
  • 5-Plot Field
  • C.C. Turnip/Cabbage/Leaks 11
  • M.S. Turnip/Cabbage/Leeks 1/2/2

Courtyard:

Helper Saleswoman C.C. Pumpkin/Turnip/Leeks 10 Helper Shopper
3-Plot Field R.C. Beans/Leeks 7/8/9/10 M.S. Wheat/Pumpkin/Leeks 1/1/1
Helper Squire C.C. Pumpkin/Cabbage/Beans 10 M.S. Turnip/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2
C.C. Wheat/Cabbage/Leeks 10 Helper Ploughman 4-Field

Card Phase:
1) Hand: M.S. Turnip/Cabbage/Leeks 1/2/2 (as we can’t use the fields and the C.C. requires two vegetables we do’t have)
2) Courtyard: C.C. Pumpkin/Turnip/Leeks 10 as we now produce two of the vegetables (and casual customers will wait)

Action Phase
1) Deliver Wheat/Pumpkin to R.C. for 5 Cash
2) Upgrade Storehouse for 2 Cash (leaving us with 3 Cash)
3) In the Storehouse, store 2 Turnip
4) Advance up the Path of Prosperity 1 space(s) for 1 Cash (since we’ve arbitrarily decided 1 Cash is our safety net)

 

Round 4:

Harvest Phase:
Harvest: Wheat/Turnip/Pumpkin
Acquire: 4-plot Field
Prosperity: 2

Vegetables

Wheat Pumpkin Turnip Cabbage Beans Leaks Cash
Store 2  1  1  2  2  2   
Storehouse     2         
Cart 1  1  1        2 
Fields

Field Planted Remains
9 plots Wheat 5
5 plots Turnip 2
6 plots Pumpkin 4
6 plots 0
4 plots 0
__ plots
Helpers

Helper Ability
Merchant  buy 1 veg. to be delivered twice to RC for 1 Cash 
                  
Market Stalls

Stall Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Vegetable 3
1  Beans (2) Leeks (2)
2  Turnip (1) Cabbage (2) Leeks (2)
                                                                                                       
Regular Customers

Customer Wants Buys Left Pays
1 Wheat/Pumpkin 2 5/6 
                       
Casual Customers

Customer Wants Pays
1 Wheat/Turnip/Beans 9 
2 Pumpkin/Turnip/Leeks 10 
     

Hand:

  • R.C. Turnip/Turnip 5/6/6/7
  • M.S. Pumpkin/Turnip/Beans 1/1/1
  • 3-plot Field
  • Helper Bookkeeper (restocks shop as you see fit)

Courtyard:

Helper Saleswoman R.C. Beans/Leeks 7/8/9/10 Helper Shopper
3-Plot Field C.C. Pumpkin/Cabbage/Beans 10 M.S. Wheat/Pumpkin/Leeks 1/1/1
Helper Squire Helper Ploughman M.S. Turnip/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2
C.C. Wheat/Cabbage/Leeks 10 M.S. Wheat/Beans/Leeks 1/1/2 4-Plot Field

Card Phase:
1) Hand: R.C. Turnip/Turnip 5/6/6/7 (since the helper won’t help us yet, we have unplanted fields, we already have two market stalls, and we need to serve more customers to get more Cash)
2) Courtyard: Shopper (since we need to start planting, take the shopper to get a vegetable cheaper than usual)

Action Phase
1) Deliver Wheat/Pumpkin to R.C. 1 for 5 Cash (taking us to 7 Cash)
2) Deliver Turnip/Turnip to R.C. 2 for 5 Cash (taking us to 12 Cash)
3) Use Shopper to Buy Turnip from Supply for 3 Cash (taking us back down to 9 Cash)
4) Show Turnip in 6-plot Field (since we now need lots of turnip)
5) Buy Beans from Shop for 6 Cash (to eventually appease C.C. 1 and take us to 3 Cash)
6) Sow Beans in 4-plot Field
7) In the Storehouse, Store 1 Turnip
8) Advance up the Path of Prosperity 1 space(s) for 1 Cash (since we have more than our safety net)

 

Round 5:

Harvest Phase:
Harvest: Wheat / 2 Turnip / Pumpkin / Beans
Acquire: 4-plot Field
Prosperity: 3

Vegetables

Wheat Pumpkin Turnip Cabbage Beans Leaks Cash
Store 2  1  1  2  1  2   
Storehouse     1         
Cart 1  1  2    1    2 
Fields

Field Planted Remains
9 plots Wheat 4
5 plots Turnip 1
6 plots Pumpkin 3
6 plots Turnip 5
4 plots Beans 3
4 plots 0
__ plots
Helpers

Helper Ability
Merchant  buy 1 veg. to be delivered twice to RC for 1 Cash 
                  
Market Stalls

Stall Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Vegetable 3
1  Beans (2) Leeks (2)
2  Turnip (1) Cabbage (2) Leeks (2)
                                                                                                       
Regular Customers

Customer Wants Buys Left Pays
1 Wheat/Pumpkin 1 6
2 Turnip/Turnip 3 6/6/7
                       
Casual Customers

Customer Wants Pays
1 Wheat/Turnip/Beans 9 
2 Pumpkin/Turnip/Leeks 10 
     

Hand:

  • R.C. Pumpkin/Turnip 4/5/6/7
  • C.C. Pumpkin/Turnip/Cabbage 9
  • M.S. Pumpkin/Turnip/Cabbage 1/1/1
  • M.S. Pumpkin/Cabbage/Beans 1/1/1

Courtyard:

Helper Saleswoman R.C. Beans/Leeks 7/8/9/10 M.S. Wheat/Pumpkin/Leeks 1/1/1
3-Plot Field C.C. Pumpkin/Cabbage/Beans 10 M.S. Turnip/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2
Helper Squire Helper Ploughman 4-Plot Field
C.C. Wheat/Cabbage/Leeks 10 M.S. Wheat/Beans/Leeks 1/1/2 M.S. Wheat/Cabbage/Beans 1/1/1

Card Phase:
1) Hand: R.C. Pumpkin/Turnip 4/5/6/7 (as we are producing both vegetables)
2) Courtyard: M.S. Wheat/Pumpkin/Leeks 1/1/1 (as that’s the best stall we can get and we still don’t produce leeks)

Action Phase
1) Deliver Wheat/Turnip/Beans to C.C. 1 for 11 Cash (as we get a +2 bonus for having more regular customers, and now we have 13 Cash)
2) Trade Turnip for Leeks at M.S. 3
3) Deliver Pumpkin/Turnip/Leeks to C.C. 2 for 12 Cash (and now we have 25 Cash)
4) Buy Turnip for 5 (as we need a lot of turnip, and now we are down to 20 Cash)
5) Sow Turnip in 4-plot Field (as that’s our only empty field)
-) Accept that R.C. 1, 2, and 3 are Unhappy (and we’ll lose Cash if we can’t satisfy them in a subsequent round)
6) In the Storehouse, Store nothing (as we have nothing)
7) Advance up the Path of Prosperity 3 space(s) for 12 Cash

 

Round 6:

Harvest Phase:
Harvest: Wheat / Pumpkin / 3 Turnip / Beans
Acquire: 3-plot Field
Prosperity: 6

Vegetables

Wheat Pumpkin Turnip Cabbage Beans Leaks Cash
Store 2  1  0  2  1  2   
Storehouse              
Cart 1  1  3    1    8 
Fields

Field Planted Remains
9 plots Wheat 3
6 plots Pumpkin 2
6 plots Turnip 4
4 plots Beans 2
4 plots Turnip 3
3 plots 0
__ plots
Helpers

Helper Ability
Merchant  buy 1 veg. to be delivered twice to RC for 1 Cash 
                  
Market Stalls

Stall Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Vegetable 3
1  Beans (2) Leeks (2)
2  Turnip (1) Cabbage (2) Leeks (2)
3  Wheat (1) Pumpkin (1)
Regular Customers

Customer Wants Buys Left Pays
1 (U) Wheat / Pumpkin 1 6 
2 (U) Turnip / Turnip 3 6/6/7 
3 (U) Pumpkin / Turnip 4 4/5/6/7 
Casual Customers

Customer Wants Pays
     

Hand:

  • R.C. Wheat/Cabbage 4/5/6/7
  • C.C. Turnip/Cabbage/Leeks 11
  • M.S. Wheat/Cabbage/Leeks 1/1/1
  • Helper Messenger-Boy (deliver twice to any regular customer in one action phase)

Courtyard:

Helper Saleswoman R.C. Beans/Leeks 7/8/9/10 M.S. Turnip/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2
3-Plot Field C.C. Pumpkin/Cabbage/Beans 10 4-Plot Field
Helper Squire Helper Ploughman M.S. Wheat/Cabbage/Beans 1/1/1
C.C. Wheat/Cabbage/Leeks 10 M.S. Wheat/Beans/Leeks 1/1/2 Helper Market Crier
refill all market stalls

Card Phase:
1) Hand: Helper Messenger-Boy as we don’t want the regular or casual customer right now, already have 3 stalls, and the messenger-boy might be useful later
2) Courtyard: Market Crier for 2, taking us down to 6 Cash, as his ability will be useful this round

Action Phase
1) Trade Beans for Pumpkin at M.S. 3
2) Deliver Wheat, Pumpkin to R.C. 1 for 6 Cash (taking us up to 12 Cash)
3) Deliver Turnip, Turnip to R.C. 2 for 6 Cash (taking us up to 18 Cash)
4) Deliver Pumpkin, Turnip to R.C. 3 for 4 Cash (taking us up to 22 Cash)
5) Use Market Crier to Refill all Market Stalls
6) Buy Leeks for 6 (and now we’re down to 16 Cash)
7) Sow Leeks in 3-plot
8) In the Storehouse, Store —
9) Advance up the Path of Prosperity 2 space(s) for 9 Cash

 

Round 7:

Harvest Phase:
Harvest: Wheat, Pumpkin 2 Turnip, Beans, Leeks
Acquire: 3-plot Field
Prosperity: 8

Vegetables

Wheat Pumpkin Turnip Cabbage Beans Leaks Cash
Store 2  1  0  2  1  1   
Storehouse              
Cart 1  1  2    1  1  7 
Fields

Field Planted Remains
9 plots Wheat 2
6 plots Pumpkin 1
6 plots Turnip 3
4 plots Beans 1
4 plots Turnip 2
3 plots Leeks 2
3 plots
__ plots
Helpers

Helper Ability
Merchant  buy 1 veg. to be delivered twice to RC for 1 Cash 
Messenger Boy deliver to any R.C. twice
                  
Market Stalls

Stall Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Vegetable 3
1  Pumpkin (1) Beans (2) Leeks (2)
2  Turnip (1) Cabbage (2) Leeks (2)
3  Wheat (1) Pumpkin (1) Leeks (1)
Regular Customers

Customer Wants Buys Left Pays
2 (U) Turnip / Turnip 2 6/7 
3 (U) Pumpkin / Turnip 3 5/6/7 
                       
Casual Customers

Customer Wants Pays
     

Hand:

  • R.C. Wheat/Wheat 4/5/5/6
  • R.C. Cabbage/Leeks 7/8/8/9
  • C.C. Pumpkin/Beans/Leeks 11
  • Harvest Helper (harvests 2 vegetables from each field with 4 or more vegetables)

Courtyard:

Helper Saleswoman R.C. Beans/Leeks 7/8/9/10 M.S. Turnip/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2
3-Plot Field C.C. Pumpkin/Cabbage/Beans 10 4-Plot Field
Helper Squire Helper Ploughman M.S. Wheat/Cabbage/Beans 1/1/1
C.C. Wheat/Cabbage/Leeks 10 M.S. Wheat/Beans/Leeks 1/1/2 Helper Tenant Farmer

Card Phase:
1) Hand: Helper: Harvest Helper, because we don’t want the regular customers or the casual customer because …
2) Courtyard: R.C. Beans/Leeks 7/8/9/10 will generate more revenue

Action Phase
1) Deliver Pumpkin/Turnip to R.C. 3 for 5 Cash (taking us to 12 Cash)
2) Deliver Beans/Leeks to R.C. 4 for 7 Cash (taking us to 19 Cash)
3) Trade 1 Wheat for 1 Turnip at M.S. 2
4) Deliver Turnip/Turnip to R.C. 2 for 6 Cash (taking us to 25 Cash)
5) Buy Beans for 6 Cash from Shop (since we now need more Beans, and now we have 19 Cash)
6) Sow Beans in 3-Plot (as that’s what we have)
7) In the Storehouse, Store —
8) Advance up the Path of Prosperity 2 space(s) for 11 Cash

 

Round 8:

Harvest Phase:
Harvest: Wheat, Pumpkin, 2 Turnip, 2 Beans, Leeks
Acquire: 5-plot Field
Prosperity: 10

Vegetables

Wheat Pumpkin Turnip Cabbage Beans Leaks Cash
Store 2  1  0  2  0  1   
Storehouse              
Cart 1  1  2    2  1  8 
Fields

Field Planted Remains
9 plots Wheat 1
6 plots Turnip 2
4 plots Turnip 1
3 plots Leeks 1
3 plots Beans 2
5 plots 0
__ plots
Helpers

Helper Ability
Merchant  buy 1 veg. to be delivered twice to RC for 1 Cash 
Messenger Boy  deliver to any R.C. twice
Harvest Helper  harvests 2 vegetables from each field with 4 or more
Market Stalls

Stall Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Vegetable 3
1  Pumpkin (1) Beans (2) Leeks (2)
2  Cabbage (2) Leeks (2)
3  Wheat (1) Pumpkin (1) Leeks (1)
Regular Customers

Customer Wants Buys Left Pays
2 (U) Turnip / Turnip 1 7 
3 (U) Pumpkin / Turnip 2 6/7 
4 Beans / Leeks 3 8/9/10 
Casual Customers

Customer Wants Pays
     

Hand:

  • R.C. Pumpkin/Leeks 6/7/7/8
  • C.C. Wheat/Cabbage/Cabbage 9
  • 5-Plot Field
  • Helper Official (2-pack action is free)

Courtyard:

Helper Saleswoman C.C. Pumpkin/Cabbage/Beans 10 M.S. Turnip/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2
3-Plot Field Helper Ploughman 4-Plot Field
Helper Squire M.S. Wheat/Beans/Leeks 1/1/2 M.S. Wheat/Cabbage/Beans 1/1/1
C.C. Wheat/Cabbage/Leeks 10 R.C. Pumpkin/Beans 5/6/7/8 Helper Tenant Farmer

Card Phase:
1) Hand: Helper Official (as we don’t want another field, a customer who wants cabbage, or another regular customer when we have 3 already)
2) Courtyard: M.S. Turnip/Beans/Leeks 1/2/2 (as we need the Turnip, Cheap)

Action Phase
1) Deliver Beans / Leaks to R.C. 4 for 8 Cash (and now we have 16 Cash)
2) Deliver Turnip / Turnip to R.C. 1 for 7 Cash (and now we have 23 Cash)
3) Trade Wheat for Turnip with M.S. 4
4) Deliver Pumpkin / Turnip to R.C. 3 for 6 Cash (and now we have 29 Cash)
5) Buy Pumpkin from Shop for 4 Cash (as we are out, and need more, and now we have 25 Cash)
6) Sow Pumpkin in 5-Field
7) In the Storehouse, Store Beans
8) Advance up the Path of Prosperity 2 space(s) for 13 Cash

 

Round 9:

Harvest Phase:
Harvest: Wheat, 2 Turnip, 1 Beans, 1 Leeks, 1 Pumpkin
Prosperity: 12

Vegetables

Wheat Pumpkin Turnip Cabbage Beans Leaks Cash
Store 2  0  0  2  0  1   
Storehouse         1     
Cart 1  1  2    1  1  12 
Fields

Field Planted Remains
6 plots Turnip 1
3 plots Beans 1
5 plots Pumpkin 4
__ plots
Helpers

Helper Ability
Merchant  buy 1 veg. to be delivered twice to RC for 1 Cash 
Messenger Boy  deliver to any R.C. twice
Harvest Helper  harvests 2 vegetables from each field with 4 or more
Official  “two-pack” action is free
Market Stalls

Stall Vegetable 1 Vegetable 2 Vegetable 3
1  Pumpkin (1) Beans (2) Leeks (2)
2  Cabbage (2) Leeks (2)
3  Wheat (1) Pumpkin (1) Leeks (1)
4  Beans (2) Leeks (2)
Regular Customers

Customer Wants Buys Left Pays
3 (U) Pumpkin/Turnip 1 7 
4 Beans/Leeks 2 9/10 
                       
Casual Customers

Customer Wants Pays
     

Hand :

  • C.C. Wheat/Pumpkin/Turnip 7
  • Helper Book-keeper (re-stocks shop as you see fit)
  • M.S. Pumpkin/Cabbage/Leeks 1/1/2
  • R.C. Wheat/Pumpkin 4/5/5/6

Courtyard:

Helper Saleswoman C.C. Pumpkin/Cabbage/Beans 10 4-Plot Field
3-Plot Field Helper Ploughman M.S. Wheat/Cabbage/Beans 1/1/1
Helper Squire M.S. Wheat/Beans/Leeks 1/1/2 Helper Tenant Farmer
C.C. Wheat/Cabbage/Leeks 10 R.C. Pumpkin/Beans 5/6/7/8 Helper Shopper

Card Phase:
1) Hand: Book-keeper (as we don’t want customers we can’t deliver to)
2) Courtyard: 4-Plot Field (as we don’t want to pay for anything)

Action Phase
1) Deliver Pumpkin/Turnip to R.C. 3 for 7 Cash (and take us to 19 Cash)
2) Trade Wheat for Leeks with M.S. 3 (because we can use Leeks)
3) Use Messenger Boy to Deliver Beans/Leeks twice to R.C. 4 for 18 Cash (taking us to 37 Cash)
4) Advance up the Path of Prosperity 3 space(s) for 30 Cash

End the game on jade stone 15 on the Path of Prosperity and 7 Cash.

This is not too bad for our first game, but considering a careful reading of the rules say a “Good” player will reach stone 17, not too good either. We should have done better. And, had we did our homework and analyzed the game marketplace, we probably would have. That’s why, in our next post, we are going to do an initial analysis of the game and our (potential) marketplace options to see if we can do better next time.

 


I want to plant
I want to trade
I want to walk down the path
That’s covered in jade
I want to go out
And trade the grain
At the Gates of Loyang

The (Board) Gamer’s Guide to Supply Management Part XXV: Interlude or Why You Need to Game More to Add More Game To Your Sourcing Skills, Part I

Sourcing, like many facets of Supply Management, is not as easy as it seems. The skills required to identify the products and services required, identify potential suppliers, construct an appropriate RFI, evaluate that RFI, construct an appropriate RFP, evaluate that RFP, identify suppliers for negotiations/RFQ, assess the market, assess the RFQ responses against the market, select one or more finalists, negotiate, define the award, create a contract, and manage the whole process are quite numerous. Especially since that’s just the basic process. A determination of demand, of current market conditions, of expected cost, etc. will require spend analysis, (should-cost) modelling, and (statistical) trend projection. If multiple bids are competitive, and an auction is out of the question, then (strategic sourcing) decision optimization, and the mathematical modelling it entails, is also required. Plus, if the buy is strategic, then multiple stakeholders will be involved and cross-functional team-management skills will also be required. All this, and more, may be required just to get to a contract.

Then comes the actual Procurement. This will involve considerable skills in logistics, inventory, and global trade. When do you place the order? What is the best mode of transportation? Do you cross-dock or not? If the inventory is available too early, do you store it over-seas, before export, or locally, after import. If there are value-add components, do you take them or leave them, as they can considerably increase import or export tariffs? For example, sometimes the difference between shipping a cartridge in a printer and shipping it separately will save a few percentage points off of the total cost. (Check the HTS codes if you don’t agree.)

So, to re-iterate, you need the following skills at a minimum:

  • (Cost) Analysis / Market Analysis
    What are the current market conditions, what is the expected or best cost, etc.
  • Logistics
    What is the best method of transportation and how do you time it to optimize costs and revenues, etc.?
  • Needs Identification
    What do you need, when, and are there alternatives, etc.?
  • Negotiation
    What do you offer? What’s your minimal viable alternative? etc.
  • Project Management
    How do you balance your resources (time, money, talent) to achieve the goal? etc.
  • Resource Management
    What’s the best use of your limited resources? When do you buy and sell? etc.
  • Supplier Identification
    Which suppliers want to supply you? Which suppliers are acceptable to you? etc.
  • Trend Identification / Projection
    Are demands going to increase, decrease, or stay the course? etc.

These skills are not easy to come by and not easy to advance. For example:

  • Analysis
    requires mathematical skills and training
  • Logistics
    requires cost analysis and network modelling skills and training
  • Needs Identification
    requires the ability to elicit details from both analyses and stakeholders
  • Negotiation
    requires training and people skills
  • Project Management
    requires knowledge and training
  • Resource Management
    requires strong analysis skills and an understanding of the inherent value and limitations of each resource
  • Supplier Identification
    requires the ability to assess a supplier across multiple dimensions and know what those dimensions should be
  • Trend Identification
    requires analysis, statistical training, and an instinct for the right questions

But when do you practice them outside the job? About the only time you’ll practice analysis at any level of sophistication outside the job is when you are buying a house or a car, which is a rare occurrence. You don’t practice global logistics at home. Needs identification is limited to you(r family’s) needs, not a multitude of stakeholders across multiple departments. Negotiation is limited to bargaining with your kids to do their chores. Project Management is really time management to fit all the family activities in. Resource Management is practiced daily, but at a much smaller scale. Supplier Identification is limited to (online) store identification when you need something, and trend identification doesn’t really enter into the picture.

But gaming changes the scenario.

The (Board) Gamer’s Guide to Supply Management Part XXIV: The Builders (Middle Ages)

It turns out that you did such a great job building the city of OddVille that you have been recruited by another city as one of The Builders and it’s your job as a foreman to build the machines and buildings they need for their city.

In The Builders, you are one of the foreman pursuing your dream of becoming the First Builder of the Kingdom, a position that will be granted to the foreman who builds the most (valuable) buildings in the time allotted. This won’t be an easy task, as you will be vying against other foremen for the best buildings and will have a limited number of workers available to you. Each worker has a different skill set, and is capable of providing you with the different resources you need to build your buildings. Only by selecting the right buildings and the right workers will you achieve victory and become the first builder.

Another resource management city-building card-game, you have limited money to hire workers, each worker has limited ability to generate materials required for building, and you have limited time to deploy those workers. But you need to deploy enough workers to finish your buildings, as the only way you can become the First Builder of the Kingdom is to finish enough buildings to secure your victory. (Which is secured as soon as you build 17 victory points worth of buildings.)

In The Builders, you start the game with:

  • one apprentice and
  • ten coins

Then, on each turn, you can perform three actions. The actions you can choose from are:

  • begin construction of a new building or machine (by selecting one of the available five buildings)
  • recruit a worker (from one of the five available workers)
  • send a worker to work (on a building by paying his wages)
  • earn coins (by spending an action)

Just like in the real world when you are building a new Procurement department, you start with a small budget, one or two assistants, and a potential set of sourcing projects that you have to select from (as you don’t have the resources to do all of them); then you have to recruit new workers, task them with sourcing projects, pay them to tackle the projects, and hope you succeed in time. Also, if times are hard, you moonlight by taking on GPO work to make ends meet.

The complexity of the game is that, just like you experienced in OddVille, each worker has a different experience level and brings with him different resources (stone, wood, tile, and knowledge) that can be used in the buildings you need to build, and each take different amounts of different resources to build. Furthermore, you can’t assign two workers to the same building on the same turn (without sacrificing extra actions), your earnings become exponential if you sacrifice multiple actions (1 coin for 1 action, 3 coins for 2 actions, and 6 coins for 3 actions), and you can buy extra actions for 5 coins. Plus, every machine you are able to build before the game ends gives you an advantage. For example, the circular saw produces 2 or 3 wood, the crane produces 2 or 3 stone, the tile oven produces 2 or 3 tile, and the survey tool produces 2 or 3 knowledge, depending on the one that you build. These tools can be used like workers, but you don’t have to pay them.

Similarly, in the real world, each of your workers have different backgrounds and bring different skills with them; each sourcing project requires a different skill set; you add communication complexity if you assign too many resources to a single sourcing project (and pay for it with delays); building and maintaining a team costs money; and you can acquire additional revenue for your department by providing GPO services.

The game ends at the end of the round in which one player reaches 17 victory points (tallied as the sum of the completed building and machine victory points and the amount of coin possessed divided by 10).

Like OddVille, The Builders (Middle Ages) is a neat little game that, like OddVille, has the advantage that you can generally finish a game with 10 minutes per player once you get that hang of it. You can play multiple head-to-head games against your cube mate, or a couple of 3 or 4 player games in a lunch-hour.

Enjoy Your 32 Day Vacation!

The World Cup starts today.

For 30% of you, that means a 32 day vacation until the final match is played on July 13, or, at the very least, your best effort to work as little as possible during matches so that you may watch as many matches as possible.

How do I know this?

Is the doctor psychic?

Does the doctor have inside information?

Has the doctor been informed of your plans en masse?

No, he just has historical knowledge to guide him. SI has been going for 8 years (as of Monday, June 9) and over this timeframe has grown steadily in readership quarter-over-quarter, and often month-over-month, with only one exception which lasted for one month, where it saw, on average, a temporary drop in stats of almost 30%. An exception which happened almost four years ago to the day which, of course, coincided with the start of the 2010 World Cup.

So, for those of you taking vacation, enjoy it!

For the rest of you, you’ll be happy to know that SI plans to keep publishing, and will keep bringing you insights day in and day out.