Clever died forearmed

Village is a game for experienced players. People who like Puerto Rico, Pillars of the Earth, Agricola or Princes of Florence will have their fun.
All information exposed. Even the next customer can be seen. Thus, I can "pre-produce" goods. I see what manner of stones and what what are stones and goods have my team-mates. This is always a strategy to pursue. The possibilities of my teammates can and should I incorporate in my decisions. There are no excuses for failure. Herrlich.

Class and the opportunities that are offered to the player:

Seeking happiness in the far distance. Up to 24 victory points + 2 Gold + any 4 stones are to pick up). However, one needs to "travel policy" very many stones that are missing one elsewhere.

I drive my career progress in the town hall. Very strong are the last two stages, the penultimate stage is very effective to get with little effort on high value goods (ox plow). The amount of stones is minimal when one has advanced to the penultimate or final stage. This person should, however, be saved from death, because a rise in the Town Hall expensive, but is especially time-consuming. 18 Victory Points + some valuable tiles you can create with this strategy. 4x 3 victory points through gold sales + 6 points for the final stage.

I strive for the majority in the church and promote my climb with grain. Those who manage to get the majority often, collect a lot of points (4x majority = 8 points). In addition, it still haunted points for each own villagers standing when the game ends in the Church, even in the 1st stage. This is not to be underestimated. A teammate managed 21 victory points with the Church strategy. 3x majority plus 15 points for people in the church at the end of the game.

I focus on the miller's trade. Who ever produced with oxen and plow the maximum grain, has many opportunities to use this grain strategically: An ox / horse costs 3 grain. For 2 + 2 grain time I get 2 gold. Cereal I need also to ascend or to sell it on the market in the church.

I focus on the market: Who specifically produces the goods that are in demand in the market, will buy one-point advantage over the other players. However, whether this is enough to compensate for the points the other through travel, Town Hall, Market and History, to be seen. In our games has been found that you can not win if you do not bring at least 10 points higher than the market. The projection of the players who use the market often is no longer compensate. Who often trying to sell on the market, thereby creating loose 20 points and more. Without a single market sale you can not win. Impossible.

I die clever. This strategy is completely new and innovative. Kudos to the authors. You have to watch carefully where to place his first 4 citizens with the number 1. These are most likely during the game shortened lifetime. Brings you all four 1er people and a 2er person in the village chronicle under, one gets thus 12 VPs. Create the opponents only 2 or 3 persons to be detained in the Chronicle (which often happens), so "dies" to get a head 8 - 12 points. So Clever dying is a real challenge :-). Not to be underestimated is the control of the end of the game when you're the one who most often die leaves his people. The game ends namely when the village chronicle is full or provide arms graves no more room. Whoever fails in the village chronicle, the only remains of the cold place in a pauper's grave. Nameless and - even worse - no victory points.

These lines can be seen that a lot of fun is in Village. If you like very well made strategy games with little luck factor needs to access here. Contingencies is only for distributing the colored stones. However, this distribution is not very important, because you always have the right stones with gold and good planning. Even the random drawing of their own churchgoers out of the bag can be influenced by gold. The winners were always 55 - 60 points. The difference between the players was often only 1-2 points.

To pursue only one strategy can not function. One should know from the start where you want to put his 2-3 priorities. Sudden opportunities, mainly on deployment of the market, it is sent to use or let targeted. These decisions are often decide the game. Small mistakes and wrong decisions at the beginning of the game forgive.

With our high volume players round the game was the ideal candidate. I see it on a level with Puerto Rico. And Puerto Rico is one of the best strategy games ever.

Finally, a point of criticism:
The instructions are not clear enough in a few points. That you may have to send in the handicraft business producing goods with stones without people, has not opened up to us immediately. We thought at first that you always have to have a person in jeweilgen operation. But that is not so!
Even if one is not explicitly mentioned (allow 3 identical stones to make an action that is not really accessible) while taking advantage of the well is allowed to use gold. We play it without the use of gold by the fountain.