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Exploring Puerto Rico: A Game of Economic Strategy
Welcome to the latest edition of Exploring Puerto Rico. In this article, I want to dive into a game that has dominated the charts for years: Puerto Rico. This game is the godfather of “Eurogames” and revolutionized the industry when it hit shelves back in 2002.
Puerto Rico is a captivating economy game that revolves around the vibrant world of its namesake country. Set in the bustling city of San Juan, you’ll find yourself amidst a wave of ambitious colonists searching for work or tending to the sprawling farmlands. As you skillfully expand your economic empire, each move propels you closer to victory, accumulating precious victory points by constructing vital structures and exporting valuable goods to Europe. Ultimately, the player who amasses the most VPs emerges as the victorious mastermind.
In the game Puerto Rico, each round, we players get to choose a role. This role determines what action each player can take, with the player who chose the role receiving a special bonus. Let’s say I choose the “Building” role. Now, everyone has the option to construct a building, but I get a discount on my purchase.
There are different ways to win in Puerto Rico. In this article, I’ll focus on three basic strategies that new players should consider:
1. The Corn Baron
If you want to follow this strategy, your goal is to collect a lot of Corn and send it out on ships. The idea is to use up all the Victory Points as quickly as possible.
When you’re one of the last players to take your turn in the game, it can actually be an advantage. Instead of starting with an Indigo plantation, you get a Corn plantation right from the beginning. As the game progresses, it’s important to keep an eye out for more Corn plantations during the plantation roles. However, this can be influenced by the choices of other players and how often Corn plantations appear.
Once you start producing Corn, your goal should be to ship them onto the largest ship available. This will help you earn points and move closer to victory. To ensure smooth sailing, consider investing in either a Small Market or a Hospice early on in the game. These structures can provide you with additional options and benefits. However, don’t forget to save up for a Wharf, as it will allow you to ship your corn without any obstacles later in the game.
When shipping Corn, it’s important to maintain a regular schedule. If you hold onto your corn for too long, you may end up not having enough to fulfill future orders. So be mindful of your stock and make sure to ship your corn regularly to avoid running into shortages.
The Coffee/Tobacco Baron
Hey there! Let me tell you about an exciting strategy for making loads of money in the game. You’ll become a real baron, focusing on selling expensive goods like Tobacco and Coffee at high prices through the Trader’s House.
First things first, you need to save up enough money to get either a Tobacco Storage or Coffee Roaster. Don’t forget to collect a few plantations that produce the right crops. Keep in mind that the game generates plantations randomly, so you might have to decide between Coffee and Tobacco based on what’s available. Also, make sure you have a Small Market and/or Large Market to maximize your profits when selling at the Trader’s House. And here’s a helpful tip: if you want the Trader’s House to be emptied often, you can either produce a secondary product like Corn, Indigo, or Sugar, or you can get an Office.
When you begin receiving Doubloons, it’s time to start saving up. You’ll want to invest in a Large VP building or a Wharf to make the most of your surplus goods. This strategy requires a lot of resources, so having a Quarry will help offset the early construction costs.
3. The Versatile Baron
Hey there! Are you looking to become a Jack-of-all-traders? Well, I’ve got a strategy just for you! In this approach, we’ll focus on diversifying into as many different types of goods as possible. By doing so, we’ll have a range of options available in both the Trader and Shipping roles, allowing us to maximize our gains and hinder our opponents.
To start off, we want to make sure we have a steady production of various goods. Aim to produce at least one Corn, Indigo, Sugar, and then either Tobacco or Coffee. By having these resources at hand, we’ll have a variety of goods to trade and sell.
Now, let’s talk about our late-game buildings. One of our key structures will be the Factory. This building is a real deal because it rewards us handsomely for producing multiple types of goods. So the more variety we have, the better the rewards!
In addition to the Factory, we also want to invest in the Harbor. This building will give us an edge when it comes to shipping our goods. It will allow us to move our products more efficiently, generating even more profit for us.
By following the Versatile Baron strategy, we’ll become a force to be reckoned with in the world of trade and commerce. So gather those resources, build those factories, and set sail with your diverse cargo. Get ready to conquer the market!
When it comes to picking the most dangerous role in the game, be smart about choosing the Production role. This role can have a big impact on your options, especially if the Trader or Captain roles are still available. To win the game, it’s important to follow your own strategy without helping your opponents.
Remember to populate your Guild buildings at the end of the game if you want to score bonus Victory Points. Keep an eye on the end conditions, like running out of Colonists or VP chips, or if a player fills all 12 building spaces. If the end condition is triggered by VP chips or building spaces, you might miss out on the mayor role, which could affect your population rearrangement for end game scoring.