Strategies on Building those Wonders in the Works of Wonder Expansion
Explore strategies for Works of Wonder in Architects of the West Kingdom, where loyalty, resources, and influence shape your path to impress the Princess and King.
The king has given his command, and as we prepare to construct the wonders to impress him, Charles is gearing up to confront the Illusionist(bot).
Here’s a brief overview of the playthrough highlights and some strategies. I typically played with the variable side, where my architect, Charles, began with two wood resources. My strategy was to gain an early edge by building the wooden Wonder. Additionally, I needed to manage Charles’ influence, which started at the base level of two.
Let’s Build Those Wonders
My workers headed to the forest to gather wood, contributing resources to the Princess, which helps advance on the influence track. These resources remain unused until a black market reset occurs, at which point they are moved to their respective Wonder cards. If you decide to contribute resources, make sure to plan for a black market reset by filling the resource markers on contribution cards, visiting the black market, or placing a worker in the Guildhall.
Constructing the wooden Wonder was a challenge as I had to manage the AI’s overzealous workers while simultaneously building my influence. Once completed, I strategically placed it on the mine location to target either the gold or mines wonder. Unfortunately, the AI claimed the Gold Wonder, forcing me to pivot my strategy and focus on acquiring the Mine Wonder which required 15 mine resources.
Prompt a black market reset, typically if the bot has prisoners and workers at the Profiteer’s location. This will impose negative effects on them, such as debts and a loss of virtue.
The tax stand was overflowing with Silver coins, which I raided several times for a decent profit. However, my virtue level fluctuated between six and eight. While maintaining a high virtue score is beneficial for resource and money accumulation, it shouldn’t be the sole focus. I neglected the black market, missing out on potentially valuable resources due to concerns about my virtue level. Incorporating visits to the black market into my strategy is necessary. Sometimes, embracing a bit of evil is essential to gain a quick advantage.
Naturally, the AI sends their workers to multiple locations, such as the King’s Storehouse, which helps them increase their virtue. For some reason, their virtue level soared quickly. I consistently monitored their workers and made an effort to capture them.
Lost in the competitive rush to finish the Cathedral (which I didn’t) and secure workers on the Guildhall before the game ended, I focused my workers on the Mine location aiming for the Wonder. Despite eventually building the Mine, the bot outpaced me by constructing the Clay and Marble Wonder structures.
I enjoyed pursuing the game’s wonders after the initial excitement wore off, but the resources and time required to build them were considerable, much like in reality. I seldom hire apprentices, only bringing on just enough to construct the buildings I want. As a result, I ended up building only one building.
The King Was Impressed
The final result was 48 - 43 for the Illusionist which impressed the king. Illusionist grabbed 3 of the 5 wonders and accumulated abundance of marble with seven points from the virtue track. The king faced a tough decision since I employed some defensive strategies to prevent the AI from accumulating extra points, but in doing so, I lost sight of the main objective: collecting resources.
On my end, I managed to secure just 2 wonders and 1 building. I also finished a few levels up on the Cathedral, earning 7 points. I overlooked that Charles gains one Silver each time he places a worker at the Profiteer’s location. Even though I had 33 silver coins, I deliberately avoided the Profiteer because he imprisons your workers if you have the most workers at his spot.
Overall, the game was quite challenging, with numerous decisions and a tendency to spread focus across too many areas. The new Wonders add an interesting mechanism, though they’re not crucial for victory. Concentrating on buildings and the Cathedral are still essential, but acquiring a Wonder and generating resources more quickly can also provide a significant boost.
Happy Gaming!