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The components are of good quality and the work corresponds to the theme. It`s a comfortable game and I think the theme fits quite well here. When I look at some of the pieces, for whatever reason, I immediately think of my aunt, who did a bit of patchwork here and there before dying in early wickedness. I think I like the subject because it`s a bit personal to me. For many others, I know it will appear on the dry or boring side of the spectrum. However, if you look at the rest of Uwe`s catalog, his topics seem to touch on fairly safe topics such as agriculture, fishing or other economic and resource transfer euros. I wonder how the patchwork compares to the Automa compared to the new roll and write version Patchwork Doodle. I saw it recently in my FLGS. The Automa is very easy to use and has a few options to give it some variability. First of all, you can choose a difficulty. You have the choice between 5 levels. Difficulty changes two variables. One is when he automatically wins the 7×7 reward tile and the second is how he scores at the end of the game.

At the easiest difficulty level, it`s much easier to win the 7×7 reward tile, but hitting the Automa is always a challenge as it isn`t penalized for empty squares. The reason for this is that the Automa doesn`t even get a board, but simply collects patches and buttons based on the card taken from the Automa deck. Patchwork plays really easily. You have a starting income and can buy one of three patches before the tile marker, which moves to the patch tile location you buy at the end, meaning that in most rounds there are three different patches to choose from. If you can`t afford it, move your timing piece in front of opponents and claim button revenue based on the number of positions you`ve moved. If you take a patchwork tile, some have buttons on it, this will add to your button generation engine. From time to time, you pass a button icon on the timeline that indicates revenue generation. You then count all the buttons on your personal board and remove as many buttons in stock. For: 1 to 2Designer: Uwe RosenbergPublisher: Lookout Spiele One caveat about the Automa is that it doesn`t actually replicate the same interaction you encounter with 2 players. It lacks a strategy element where you can take a tile even when you don`t need it, just to prevent another player from finishing the 7×7 on their board. It`s minor because the Automa certainly takes the tiles I want, more often than not, but it`s always something to watch out for.

The second problem I have with the Automa is the fact that it is quite repetitive. He will only ever do two things, take a tile or, if he can`t afford it, go ahead of you and potentially generate income. I think that`s all you need, but it makes it a very repetitive exercise. Finally, the general difficulty. I still don`t see how to beat the Automa at its highest level of difficulty. I think you would have to be a member of Mensa with an IQ of over 160 to make the right and most perfect decision every time. I followed this title on SGOYT (solo games on your table) and I see that most seem to reach the 3rd or 4th level of difficulty at most. Please note that it might be a bit frustrating if you lose a lot like I did. Patches come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, varying amounts of pimples, and different durations (which I`ll talk about in a moment). Choosing a patch with the most buttons is not necessarily the best option, as you could cause a problem where you can`t properly fill the spaces with other parts. Choosing the largest room to quickly fill your personal board isn`t always the best idea either, as the room may not have many buttons to generate revenue. At the same time, the first player to complete a 7×7 section on his personal board earns a 7-button token, contributing to his final result.

Patchwork, designed by Euro-Hit-Fabrik Uwe Rosenberg, is essentially a polyomino tile laying game in which you compete for the most beautiful quilt. There`s a simple economic engine that runs under the hood of the game, giving you extra leeway to decide while you play and build a quilt. The player with the most buttons at the end of the game wins. Each patch also includes the cost of printing and the time it takes to add it to your personal board. This means that some patches, when placed, can move your time sign, say one field, while another can move you 6 squares, bringing you much closer to the end of the game. In a way, time becomes another resource that you manage. Here is the clincher; The more you move in front of your opponent in time, the more tricks he could possibly do. The player furthest behind on the time path can take patches until time forces his token in front of the other players on the time track, then it`s the turn of the other players. I really like this mechanism because it creates more depth and strategy.

Sometimes, with a small cost of time, you can take a lot of coins with you to quickly fill your personal chart. The Automa deck also comes with 2 flavors. One is the standard Automa deck and the other is called the tactical deck. The cards are the same, the difference being due to the tactical game, which indicates how many keys he must buy on the back of the card in the next turn. This will give you a bit more data to use to make your decisions. I feel like it really wasn`t necessary, the Automa alone is good, but having the choice shows how much care and development it has received. By default, note that no single-player mode is included. You need to purchase or print the Automa game, which consists of 24 cards, to play the single-player game. You can buy them directly from Lookout games for a meagre 2 euros or if you wish, print them and cut them yourself. Once you have the Automa deck and a copy of the single-player instructions, which is a downloadable PDF on Boardgame Geek, you`re ready to play! Patchwork has been in the BGG Top 100 for quite some time and is often recommended as a fast-paced lightweight game for two players. More recently, however, an Automa has been developed, which is then officially launched and now sold via Lookout Spiele`s online store, giving players the option to play solo if they wish. The game is a blast for two players and allows you to get creative with your strategy to prevent an opponent from taking a specific patch they need, so how does that translate into single-player play? Is it only worth it for single-player games? I would end yes, but with a few caveats, which I will describe below.

If you already own Patchwork, there`s nothing stopping you from purchasing or printing the Automa deck. It`s really child`s play. But if you don`t have patchwork, you risk taking a break from the nature of the game and the fact that some of the player interaction just isn`t there.