To compare this with Gaia Project: With the base game only, I like Gaia Project more, but with the Merchants of the Seas expansion for Terra Mystica, I like Terra Mystica more. I don't own the solo Automa box yet but I'd love to see a playthrough of the solo Automa with the Merchants of the Seas expansion!
Hey Colin, love the playthroughs. I know this is backwards from most Automa systems. A correction on the AI deck: the play their first card to the right, then place the second to the left. Each consecutive round the new cards are played to the left. This means you never know if the AI will pass and only have a general sense of where they will act (marked vs unmarked buildings), direction, or where they prioritize their cult track advancements.
Thanks Colin, really enjoyed watching the playthrough. Going to have to catch up with the Giai playthrough next. Been struggling to concentrate on a lot of playthroughs lately so it was great to actually sit down and watch one! Hope you and the family are all doing well!
Hello Colin. Yes, of course we wanna see you on another playthrough for this. Include all the expansion so we, including you, can get a fulfilling experience with the game. Then we are eager for your inevitable comparison between the (complete) Big Box and Gaia.
6:54 Thank you so much for explaining how to set up those double-sided automa scoring tiles. The rulebook did a very poor job explaining it. The part that's very hard to understand is, "Place the side face-up that shows the relevant round." They failed to explain what exactly the relevant round is and how you determine that. I now see that the highlighted rectangles on the left-hand side of the tiles tells you what rounds you can place them in. I will have to write to the company about this because it absolutely needs further explanation in the automa rulebook. Thanks for clarifying!!
Thanks for the video! I already own Gaia Project and Terra Mystica but not the solo Terra Mystica box yet and I'm glad to be able to see it being played. I have a note for the Klingon subtitles: at 30:47, it looks like you spent 2 workers to build a dwelling but they only cost 1 worker.
Thanks for another excellent play through! I recently received the game and went out and bought the solo automa right away. Really enjoying it so far! In fact, this video inspired me to set it up and play again :) Haven’t played Gaia Project but this one works for me!
I just recently got gaia project but I'm thinking about also getting Terra Mystica. I feel like so much of the strategy is in the building of the map in Gaia Project. I got Gaia Project because it had an AI and TM didn't, but I see they added one now with the big box. So now I'm thinking I might try getting both. I do love Gaia Project a lot. I also Love this and your Gaia Project video and hope you make more with a few more races. I would love to watch more playthoughs from you!
1) for round scoring cult bonuses, only collect/realise them when that round ends, e.g. for 1 coin rewarded for every earth cult track step you only collect the coins when that round ends. Not like how you immediately collected the coins when the round began. This is why the final scoring tile has the right hand side (cult bonus) covered, since that side pertains to end of round bonus. Being the final round, you cant carry over any bonuses to a subsequent round after ending that current round, so it's covered 2) power leech (charging when beside adjacent neighbours) works by totalling all adjacently touchung structures' power values. When you pointed out if the AI were a human player, by you upgrading to a trading post, you erroneously said the AI woild charge/leech 1 power because they had dwellings. However, they had two yellow dwellings touching your TP, so that would've been a decision to charge/leech 2 power tokens by paying 1 VP (since you need to total the power values of their two structures that touch your upgraded structure) 3) im still trying to wrap my head around automa mechanisms. correct me if im wrong, but did you miss out on an AI pass here? 29:44 - the right side card showed an end turn scroll in the top-right corner, but you still let the AI upgrade its structure
The rule for passively charging power is different in this game than in Gaia Project. The rule for Terra Mystica, from the rulebook, is: In order to determine the total number of Power an opponent may gain, add up the Power values of their Structures directly adjacent to your newly built Structure.
Loved the playthrough! Thanks a lot. One remark for Klingon (even if it's a bit old) At 30:00 the AI should upgrade the lower dwelling because you "only" generate 3 power. The top one would reward you with 4 power, or am I missing somethging?
Great playthrough Colin and a comprehensive win. I agree that Gaia Project seems better but I played it first and haven’t tried Terra Mystica yet. Looking forward to trying it soon to be able to compare properly. It looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for the video!
Fire and Ice expansion gives the optional end victory conditions. I too haven’t got the boats expansion. But it’s on the list. I do like Gaia’s variability and added power abilities but I prefer Terra Mystica. The art, for me, is better. So I’ve stuck with it.
Fantastic playthrough! I really appreciate this and it helped me verify that I was playing most of this correctly. Let me ask, at 43:40 when you placed the Automa dwelling, shouldn't it have been a "marked" structure?
Thx for this video. I need to learn how to play Automa because there is no TM app with Merchants of the Seas expansion and this is only way to play it solo (you can play TM with all expansions)
@@OneStopCoopShop Nice. I think you got some of the power numbers wrong where they built next to multiple buildings. I think you add up all the buildings, not just taking the largest. Sorry, I didn't note the time stamps. I was in the middle of doing the dishes. I only played Gaia once. I like the integration of the cult track with the favours, but I missed the strategic blocking of other players. It's too easy to get around each other. I also prefer the fantasy theme. I really liked the merchant expansion.
Yup you are 100% correct Darren! Someone else told me I am just trying to find the right spot for a subtitle. Thanks! I hear you on the differences of the game, I personally prefer a more open map but that is just me!
@@OneStopCoopShop The merchants adds a different way to unblock yourself. It still makes controlling the area a thing, but it gives an option for when you get totally blocked in.
Great playthrough. I actually never have played neither of the games, but my friends always tell me that I must play either one of them, in the last couple of weeks I've started to get this itching to get a new game to my collection and I said to myself that it's a great time to finally get Gaia project or Terra mystica, that's the reason I've found your first GP playthrough in the first place. So judging only base on playthroughs I would say that I would probably get GP over TM, although I usually prefer the fantasy theme over the sci fi theme, in this case GP seems to be more versatile and to have more of a brain burner than TM, and those are the things I appreciate in games.
Couldn't agree more. Although there are 2 expansions for terra mystica that can change things up. I still would highly recommend Gaia over this one! Thanks for watching!!
I do much prefer the components in terra mystica compared to Gaia just because they have such a tactile presence and so slapping your stonghold down onto the board is a really satisfying action !
I agree, my wife and I love the gameplay of Gaia more, but Terra Mystica still hits the table more due to the components, really wish they would release a component upgrade for Gaia.
@@OneStopCoopShop no it doesn't the way you're doing it you can see the next action the automa is going to take and you aren't supposed see what action they take or if they are passing
@@apaullo94 wow, I just said this! You're right. And he should not have won by 50 points on normal. That's way too wide of a gap for level 2 automa. With all the fast editing involved, he could have known what actions the AI would take next and how to plan around it. Unless he sold this, a do-over is totally required because this playthrough is invalid. I think it's the only invalid one I've seen on this channel actually.
the carboard punch coins are so far off center it was triggering me, can tell that Gaia project is like 2nd edition of this game with all the refinements
So you played on normal mode and wiped the AI by 50 points? I played this 10 times on normal and never had such a wide gap like that. There is a reason why you got that wide of a gap, however, and it's because you drew the automa cards incorrectly the whole game (as someone mentioned previously). Conceivably, this allowed you to know what the automa's next actions would be. You likely took that into consideration with how you played. As a result, this win is invalid and needs a do-over..unless you sold it.
This video makes the automa so much easier to understand. Thanks!
Glad it helped!
To compare this with Gaia Project: With the base game only, I like Gaia Project more, but with the Merchants of the Seas expansion for Terra Mystica, I like Terra Mystica more. I don't own the solo Automa box yet but I'd love to see a playthrough of the solo Automa with the Merchants of the Seas expansion!
It's on the list!! Thanks so much for watching!!
Hey Colin, love the playthroughs. I know this is backwards from most Automa systems. A correction on the AI deck: the play their first card to the right, then place the second to the left. Each consecutive round the new cards are played to the left. This means you never know if the AI will pass and only have a general sense of where they will act (marked vs unmarked buildings), direction, or where they prioritize their cult track advancements.
Thanks Ben! I had a klingon subtitle on that as I mixed it up for Gaia Project as well! Thanks!
Thanks Colin, really enjoyed watching the playthrough.
Going to have to catch up with the Giai playthrough next.
Been struggling to concentrate on a lot of playthroughs lately so it was great to actually sit down and watch one!
Hope you and the family are all doing well!
Paul thanks so much for watching and glad to have you back! Hopefully you enjoy gaia as well as I feel like it's a slightly better game!
Hello Colin. Yes, of course we wanna see you on another playthrough for this. Include all the expansion so we, including you, can get a fulfilling experience with the game. Then we are eager for your inevitable comparison between the (complete) Big Box and Gaia.
Haha! For it thank you my friend for watching!!
6:54 Thank you so much for explaining how to set up those double-sided automa scoring tiles. The rulebook did a very poor job explaining it. The part that's very hard to understand is, "Place the side face-up that shows the relevant round." They failed to explain what exactly the relevant round is and how you determine that. I now see that the highlighted rectangles on the left-hand side of the tiles tells you what rounds you can place them in. I will have to write to the company about this because it absolutely needs further explanation in the automa rulebook. Thanks for clarifying!!
Hey no problem!!
Thanks for the video! I already own Gaia Project and Terra Mystica but not the solo Terra Mystica box yet and I'm glad to be able to see it being played.
I have a note for the Klingon subtitles: at 30:47, it looks like you spent 2 workers to build a dwelling but they only cost 1 worker.
Thanks so much for that and appreciate you watching!
Thanks for another excellent play through! I recently received the game and went out and bought the solo automa right away. Really enjoying it so far! In fact, this video inspired me to set it up and play again :) Haven’t played Gaia Project but this one works for me!
Super awesome!! So glad you are enjoying this one lots to discover I think!!
I just recently got gaia project but I'm thinking about also getting Terra Mystica. I feel like so much of the strategy is in the building of the map in Gaia Project. I got Gaia Project because it had an AI and TM didn't, but I see they added one now with the big box. So now I'm thinking I might try getting both. I do love Gaia Project a lot. I also Love this and your Gaia Project video and hope you make more with a few more races. I would love to watch more playthoughs from you!
Thanks so much for the kind words!! I get you on what you are saying for gaia project. I think you can certainly own both!!
Thanks another great play through just like Gaia project , so much easier than reading the rules, have you done one with expansions?
1) for round scoring cult bonuses, only collect/realise them when that round ends, e.g. for 1 coin rewarded for every earth cult track step you only collect the coins when that round ends. Not like how you immediately collected the coins when the round began. This is why the final scoring tile has the right hand side (cult bonus) covered, since that side pertains to end of round bonus. Being the final round, you cant carry over any bonuses to a subsequent round after ending that current round, so it's covered
2) power leech (charging when beside adjacent neighbours) works by totalling all adjacently touchung structures' power values. When you pointed out if the AI were a human player, by you upgrading to a trading post, you erroneously said the AI woild charge/leech 1 power because they had dwellings. However, they had two yellow dwellings touching your TP, so that would've been a decision to charge/leech 2 power tokens by paying 1 VP (since you need to total the power values of their two structures that touch your upgraded structure)
3) im still trying to wrap my head around automa mechanisms. correct me if im wrong, but did you miss out on an AI pass here? 29:44 - the right side card showed an end turn scroll in the top-right corner, but you still let the AI upgrade its structure
The rule for passively charging power is different in this game than in Gaia Project. The rule for Terra Mystica, from the rulebook, is:
In order to determine the total number of Power an opponent
may gain, add up the Power values of their Structures directly
adjacent to your newly built Structure.
Oh so multiple structures directly adjacent can let you charge but then you lose more vp right?
@@OneStopCoopShop Yup!
Ok so I will make a note, thanks!!
Loved the playthrough! Thanks a lot. One remark for Klingon (even if it's a bit old) At 30:00 the AI should upgrade the lower dwelling because you "only" generate 3 power. The top one would reward you with 4 power, or am I missing somethging?
Great playthrough Colin and a comprehensive win. I agree that Gaia Project seems better but I played it first and haven’t tried Terra Mystica yet. Looking forward to trying it soon to be able to compare properly. It looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for the video!
Glad to help thanks for watching!!
Fire and Ice expansion gives the optional end victory conditions. I too haven’t got the boats expansion. But it’s on the list. I do like Gaia’s variability and added power abilities but I prefer Terra Mystica. The art, for me, is better. So I’ve stuck with it.
I can see that! And yeah variable end game scoring is a must!
Fantastic playthrough! I really appreciate this and it helped me verify that I was playing most of this correctly. Let me ask, at 43:40 when you placed the Automa dwelling, shouldn't it have been a "marked" structure?
Great question! Since the two structure types combined I didn't think it mattered, but that could be wrong!
Will you be doing a solo game for Age of Innovation? My understanding is that it’s pretty similar.
This is Mike, not Colin, but possibly. My buddy bought it at GenCon but I haven’t tried it yet
Thx for this video. I need to learn how to play Automa because there is no TM app with Merchants of the Seas expansion and this is only way to play it solo (you can play TM with all expansions)
Thanks for watching!
Ohh exciting.. can't wait to watch this one. I got the automa for Father’s Day, but I haven't broken it out yet.
Thanks for watching!! Give it a go!
@@OneStopCoopShop Nice. I think you got some of the power numbers wrong where they built next to multiple buildings. I think you add up all the buildings, not just taking the largest. Sorry, I didn't note the time stamps. I was in the middle of doing the dishes.
I only played Gaia once. I like the integration of the cult track with the favours, but I missed the strategic blocking of other players. It's too easy to get around each other. I also prefer the fantasy theme. I really liked the merchant expansion.
Yup you are 100% correct Darren! Someone else told me I am just trying to find the right spot for a subtitle. Thanks! I hear you on the differences of the game, I personally prefer a more open map but that is just me!
@@OneStopCoopShop The merchants adds a different way to unblock yourself. It still makes controlling the area a thing, but it gives an option for when you get totally blocked in.
Great playthrough.
I actually never have played neither of the games, but my friends always tell me that I must play either one of them, in the last couple of weeks I've started to get this itching to get a new game to my collection and I said to myself that it's a great time to finally get Gaia project or Terra mystica, that's the reason I've found your first GP playthrough in the first place.
So judging only base on playthroughs I would say that I would probably get GP over TM, although I usually prefer the fantasy theme over the sci fi theme, in this case GP seems to be more versatile and to have more of a brain burner than TM, and those are the things I appreciate in games.
Couldn't agree more. Although there are 2 expansions for terra mystica that can change things up. I still would highly recommend Gaia over this one! Thanks for watching!!
I do much prefer the components in terra mystica compared to Gaia just because they have such a tactile presence and so slapping your stonghold down onto the board is a really satisfying action !
I get that!
I agree, my wife and I love the gameplay of Gaia more, but Terra Mystica still hits the table more due to the components, really wish they would release a component upgrade for Gaia.
Cant get enough GP and TM. And yes, you can have both in your collection.
Haha yes!! Thanks for watching!!
When your race terraforms instead of transforms land, you know you're from outerspace. 👽
Hahaha!!!!!! So good!!
30:45 Why did you pay 2 workers and 2 coins for Dwelling? The cost is 1 worker + 2 coins. Am I missing something?
I believe I was transforming the land which takes workers!
@@OneStopCoopShop You got the spade from Power Ation so I guess you don't need to spend any workers for transforming.
Thanks for the catch!!
the new automa card is supposed to be on the left you are doing the wrong actions
Yup still works just the wrong way
@@OneStopCoopShop no it doesn't the way you're doing it you can see the next action the automa is going to take and you aren't supposed see what action they take or if they are passing
@@apaullo94 wow, I just said this! You're right. And he should not have won by 50 points on normal. That's way too wide of a gap for level 2 automa. With all the fast editing involved, he could have known what actions the AI would take next and how to plan around it. Unless he sold this, a do-over is totally required because this playthrough is invalid. I think it's the only invalid one I've seen on this channel actually.
the carboard punch coins are so far off center it was triggering me, can tell that Gaia project is like 2nd edition of this game with all the refinements
Haha! Didn't even notice that and yes to me if you had the choice Gaia all the way!
better terra mystica or gaia?
Gaia no doubt! The tech tracks is the biggest reason for me!
@@OneStopCoopShop tnx dude love ur contents!! ❤️🍆
Thanks for watching!
So you played on normal mode and wiped the AI by 50 points? I played this 10 times on normal and never had such a wide gap like that. There is a reason why you got that wide of a gap, however, and it's because you drew the automa cards incorrectly the whole game (as someone mentioned previously). Conceivably, this allowed you to know what the automa's next actions would be. You likely took that into consideration with how you played. As a result, this win is invalid and needs a do-over..unless you sold it.
I sold it haha - and invalidates it. . really? WOW. . .
@@OneStopCoopShop it's true! This was a great video to learn the rules, minus the incorrect card drawing, but it can't be considered a win.
I could care less on the win it's about playing and having fun!
@@OneStopCoopShop yes, and learning!