How To Solo: Wingspan - The Mill

[@DStudley]

Great job, Dusty. Thank you for doing this! I noticed one small mistake for endgame scoring. When calculating scoring at the end of the game, when player and Automa tie for an end-of-round goal, add the points for first and second next place, then divide by 2 and round down. In player vs. Automa, this won't impact who wins, but it will change both of your scores (and I enjoy seeing how good a score I can get). Cheers!

[@TheMillShow]

Thank you for the clarification, David. Yes, for recording scores, that's absolutely of utmost importance. Particularly for those of us who like to compete against ourselves and others on BGG. :)

[@TheMillShow]

To emphasize the importance in end game scoring. In that final round scoring where the Automa and I tie for goals, instead of saying "We both got 7." We're in a two way tie, so we'd add first and second place totals up. 7+4 = 11. Divided by 2. 5.5. Rounded down. 5. So we'd both walk away from that End of Round 4 scoring with 5 points, not 7 points. :)

[@thegolfgypsy9138]

Thank you for this - I was about to ask the question. 2 player and you tie bonus - you just add first 2 places (not all 4 places) and divide by 2 and round down.

[@veronicavincent9274]

There’s many tutorials out there, but yours was by far the most well done. Not too long, not too short. Clear visuals and explanations, VERY well done.

[@maryboettcher1647]

I believe playing a bird does not activate the brown row power.

[@AppleZaider]

Man you totally cleared up the cube on the round goal tile! I was so confused on that, couldn’t figure out the verbiage on the rule book no matter how many times or how slowww I read it lol. Thanks so much! Great video.

[@TheMillShow]

N G I’m so glad to hear this helped! I’ve been there before. Some rulebooks, I swear, are written in a foreign language to me. :)

[@yanvaillancourt5797]

So if it's 3 sets of eggs, Automa starts with -1 sets so it would take 2 to count as 1?

[@veronicavincent9274]

Well done video! I’ve been a long time Wingspan lover! However, I only JUST realized there’s a one player option!!!!!! I always thought the extra pieces had to do with playing online. Your instructions are clear and basically go along with the written instructions, but give a great visual! Thanks and happy gaming!

[@TheMillShow]

Thank you kindly, and I hope you enjoy your plays (solo and otherwise) of Wingspan.

[@5000karen]

Thank you so much for the video. My copy of wingspan just came yesterday and I am so excited to start playing!

[@TheMillShow]

You're very welcome for the video. Wingspan is a great game and I really enjoy the solo game too. There are several great apps that help run the solo game too. One is a website that functions like an app. You can find it here: myautoma.github.io/#wingspan

[@WouterCordewiner]

Nice overview. I appreciate the clear visual overview and the pacing of your voice.

[@TheMillShow]

Thank you for the kind words, Wouter. I hope you found it helpful and enjoy Wingspan too!

[@stogrady]

Thanks for the amazing walkthrough of solo play, really enjoyed the video! Stonemaier Games should really include a 'Dusty Crane' as one of the expansion cards :)

[@TheMillShow]

Hey, thank you so much, Sean. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the video. I hope it helped. As a joke someone actually mocked up a 'Dusty Crane'.. lol. Here's a link if you want a chuckle: facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1385143221622446&set=gm.277442092959400&type=3&permPage=1&ifg=1

[@stogrady]

@@TheMillShow Haha! that's fantastic. I'd definitely order the expansion pack if that was included.

[@TheMillShow]

@@stogrady I'd buy one for everyone in my family. lol. I realize it is very unlikely, but I'd love if I could buy a one-off from a print on demand service or something.

[@stogrady]

@@TheMillShow Yeah you could easily print a sheet of them on heavy card stock from somewhere like Staples. Would only cost a buck or two. Need to have someone make a proper artistic rendering of a dusty crane though haha! Only $7! :) www.fiverr.com/talizmora

[@eilidhmcnab7802]

Thanks for this excellent, clear video. Made my first automaton game much easier to get going!!

[@TheMillShow]

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to say so. I'm very glad that the video helped. If you're not opposed to using technology with your board games, it might be worth checking this out too. It'll run the Automa and let you focus on your game. :) myautoma.github.io/#wingspan

[@CitrusArchitect]

Very nice! I didn’t care much about solo gaming before, but recently it’s become so much more relevant, and this looks really fun! Too bad Wingspan is impossible to get these days..

[@veronicagonzalez-jc6ob]

Loved it! The only thing I still don't understand is the end of the round goals that the automa has. :/

[@TheMillShow]

Thank you, Veronica. Have you sorted the end of round goals yet? If not, comment and I'll do what I can to explain it. :) Or join us on the Wingspan group on Facebook, and you'll get assistance super quick.

[@Stephen-Fox]

That sounds like a return to Viticulture level of ease of running the automa to me - Definitely not a bad thing. (I don't mind the more complicated to run automas, but when they're not needed to replicate human interactions they're not needed)

[@TheMillShow]

You are exactly right. This is positively a return to Viticulture's ease of running the Automa. I mentioned in my 'games to play when you just need some alone time' that I think Viticulture was my favorite Stonemaier game to solo. This most likely takes its place.. but man do I like Viticulture's Automa. This is tough one.

[@DStudley]

It definitely is. As you suggest, different styles of complexity require different levels complexity in the Automa. Wingspan's challenges come largely from how you build and then execute your tableau (in the way Viti, you worked a good deal on your own winery). This frees us to ease up on the complexity of the Automa and let the game shine through. We always try to focus solely (sololy) on how the core interactions feel against other players, and replicate those as simply as possible.

[@Blaze575]

Thanks for the video and easy to follow steps!

[@TheMillShow]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for checking out the video!

[@antgerfitz]

Nice solo video Dusty.

[@TheMillShow]

Thank you very much! Thanks for checking it out.

[@buzz864]

Is it possible to put a cube in the "Play a bird" row in a column where a bird has already been placed this turn, when there is already a cube there? Example: on round 1, for my first action, I place my action cube in “play a bird” on the wet lands. For my second action, I “gain food.” Then for my third action, I place my action cube in “play a bird” on the wet lands AGAIN. So I would be placing 2 birds in the same habitat in the same round. Is that possible? Or would I have to complete the whole column (forest, dry, wet) down FIRST, before playing a bird in that column from right to left? Hope this makes sense. Thank you.

[@TheMillShow]

You can definitely play multiple birds in the same habitat in the same round. What you've described is totally alright. Remember the cube is only in place when you take the turn, then it slides to the left. As it relates to 'play a bird' though, that row really only exists to remind you of what the egg cost of playing a bird in that column is. So in a round, you could hypothetically play 2 birds in the grasslands, 1 in the forest, and none in the wetlands. There is no requirement to complete a column before moving on. In fact, some of the highest scoring games have been getting the right bird in a single habitat and just spamming that habitat. I've played games with a full grasslands, but nothing in wetlands or the forest.

[@buzz864]

@@TheMillShow awesome! Thank you for a detailed answer. This makes sense! Also, great videos. Subscribing now!

[@Alex-dk1um]

Very very good job my friend

[@TheMillShow]

Thank you, Alex!

[@jcgsovereign]

Very helpful, thank you

[@TheMillShow]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheReggaesunshine]

When you played the second forest bird, why didn't you activate the blue jay?

[@TheMillShow]

Thanks for asking, Carrie. Playing a bird into the forest or any habitat does not activate that row. If I had taken a gain food action, then I could have activated the Blue Jay. When I'm playing a bird, what I'm actually taking is the tippy-top row action which is "Play a Bird". There are no birds to activate on that action row.

[@gnysek]

Not sure about English rules, but mine says that I shouldn't use Bonus Card with percentage sign on bottom for Automa. Yours have some caption on bottom.

[@TheMillShow]

Hey there.. First, thanks for checking out the video. The English rules actually state to give the Automa 1 Bonus card. If it's Breeding Manager or Backyard Birder, return it to the deck. The line you're referencing though says if you draw a bonus card that does NOT have a percentage at the bottom of the card to return it to the deck. So your bonus card SHOULD have a percentage (X% of cards) at the bottom. Here is the exact words from the English rulebook: "Before dealing bonus cards to yourself, draw and reveal one for the Automa. If the bonus card is Breeding Manager or Backyard Birder, or if it does not show (X% of cards) at the bottom of the card, return it to the deck and select another. Repeat if necessary and then reshuffle the bonus deck before continuing with setup."

[@gnysek]

​@@TheMillShow That makes sense and now I know why I have problem during my first play, as bonus card required to compare habitat color, so I drawn too many cards (on first turn Automa got 0 cards, so every habitat was lowest one) :D Thanks for clarification. I took this rule wrongly.

[@TheMillShow]

I hope the next play through goes smoother! Good luck!

[@davidpepin3017]

Thank you for the clear explanation. I just finished reading the automa's rules in my native language (french) but could not understand the scoring part, bad traduction. But after watching this video, everything is crystal clear, thanks again!

[@TheMillShow]

Sorry for the delayed reply.. KZbin!! But I thank you for the very kind words. I hope you're enjoying Wingspan.

[@giacomobreschi2316]

Have you ever try to play vs 2 or 3 Automas?

[@TheMillShow]

I have not. Have you? How'd that work out?

[@giacomobreschi2316]

@@TheMillShow I'm trying to see if it should be possible cause I usually play solo. I use 3 automas(a1, a2, a3) ad give them 4 Automa cards to a1, 3 to A2 and 3 to A3. Then A1 cards go to A2, A2 cards to A3 and a3 cards to a1 as a circle to complete a playable ten cards deck for every Automa. Maybe it's a little bit predictable and I'm searching answer from players like you that are more professional than me.

[@Avionauta]

The person with most points wins, so in solo I'll be always the winner :D

[@TheMillShow]

You got to play a game that hopefully you enjoyed very much. Regardless of score, you won! :)

[@jakubfigiel3197]

Thank you!!!

[@TheMillShow]

You're welcome!!

[@byuju]

Can I play with two players + automa?

[@TheMillShow]

Sorry for the delayed response, but the official response from Stonemaier is always going to be "You can, if you'd like. However, it wasn't playtested that way." Personally, I don't see a reason why you couldn't, if you want to. The Automa for Wingspan plays very easily, in my opinion, so I could see folks interested in adding another player to their game.

[@rebeccasmoments]

Seems like it would be easier and, more fun to play regularly against an imgainary player.

[@TheMillShow]

Having a solo mode definitely allows folks who can't play a game as often as they like to get more games in. There are multiple difficulty levels if you find you win too often and want a challenge.

[@pinchopaxtonsgreatestminds9591]

You didn't say how to set the game up. It's very confusing expecting people to have already played the game.

[@TheMillShow]

Thank you for that feedback. In later 'How To's' I include setup, but didn't go back through and remake videos. Perhaps a 'How To Setup Wingspan for Solo Play' video is in order.

[@pinchopaxtonsgreatestminds9591]

@@TheMillShow Thanks! Well I found the app, and got some idea from that.

[@menopriezvisko1381]

7:09 tie ryby sa nemali brat.precitaj si pravidla.cele zle.