Wingspan

[@studleygamer]

Thanks for doing this, Mike. It's a joy watching you run through one of our projects. Cheers!

[@solomodegames]

You're so welcome! It's a joy to play! I saw your name get top billing on the Automa rule book for this, so kudos. Even if it's a group effort, this iteration of the Automa system is one of the best, so you should be very proud. Truly well done.

[@mortenmdk]

@@solomodegames , thank you for making this video and for the kind words. They're much appreciated. While all our Automas are team efforts, this is most definitely David's baby with the rest of us being his assistants.

[@solomodegames]

You’re very welcome! Thanks for watching, and thanks for all of the great work the Automa Factory team has put into solo gaming!

[@jhkerby]

Just a quick strategy observation, at 17:40 you mention you would never use the activated power to move the bird around but because you hadn't played another bird next to it you could still move it. For instance this could have let you move it to the second slot in the forest habitat, thereby gaining an extra food token on your following turn. You then can continue to move it around, planning out your next move until eventually you would play a bird to the right of it.

[@solomodegames]

You bring up a good point! Thanks for watching and thanks for pointing this strategy tip out!

I had the exact same thought. This is an extremely powerful power in a bird. You can even use it to win round end points. Eg. “Have must eggs in forest” then you just fly the bird to the forest in a late turn

[@holttd]

Strategy Observation: Instead of caching the grain on the acorn woodpecker at the beginning, you probably should've just added it to your food supply. The Acorn Woodpecker says you "may cache" it, which means you have the option of caching it or adding it to your food supply. Would've helped you play the Juniper Titmouse earlier.

[@bladioYT]

Thanks for taking the time to do this playthrough, Mike. Really well done

[@solomodegames]

Thanks for watching! I appreciate it.,

[@ChristopherBrunsdon]

Thanks Mike. Just picked up my copy today and played my first automa game while watching this. Great video as it actually helped me and played at same speed. First impression is that this is a keeper.

[@solomodegames]

That's great to hear, Christopher! I'm really glad the video helped.

[@keithturner5741]

That was fun to watch and a nice warm up for when my copy arrives. Thanks Mike!

[@solomodegames]

You're welcome! I'm really glad that it helped!

[@DotDorte]

Always nice to see a solo playthrough, can’t wait till my copy gets here. At 35:06 you could just take one food from the bird feeder, roll all the dice in hopes of a seed coming for you to cache.

[@michaeldilisio557]

Good catch. Thanks for watching!

[@GamesOffTheShelf]

Thanks for the video! Just received a copy and can't wait to get it to the table for a solo game. This will make my play through a little easier making sure I'm playing it right. Thanks again for the break down on your game play.

[@solomodegames]

You're very welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@boardgamerants]

Thanks Mike, my copy should arrive in a week or so, looks like great, quick play! Appreciate you showing the ropes...

[@solomodegames]

boardgamerants you're welcome! I'm glad it helped!

[@waynec7740]

Great video. Hopefully you did a solo play through for Viticulture so that I can learn that solo mode next.

[@brentgold2848]

If you're dealt either raven, or if it becomes available in the first round or two, PLAY IT IMMEDIATELY! You get eggs and food with it which you can use to fill your goals later. I've gotten 107 with it playing solo, and if you get the killdeer or Franklin's gull as well, play it too. At that point the sky is the limit, and scores of 130 or more are possible.

[@bookaddict777]

I am anxiously awaiting my copy. Thanks for the play through, Mike!

[@solomodegames]

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@tonyrago1730]

A quick observation: at 13:35 you did not give the Automa it’s card from the face down bird deck per the Automa card. Great play through of what looks to be a huge hit in 2019! Thanks for your time!

[@solomodegames]

Hi, Tony! Could you double check the time stamp? I'm not seeing this issue there. There was definitely one time that I forgot to do this, but I annotated it in the video.

[@tonyrago1730]

My apologies in advance for the this incorrect time reference. It is 16:35 where this occurs. Thanks for the follow up!@@solomodegames

[@solomodegames]

Tony Rago You're absolutely right! I thought that I had annotated that, but it guess it didn't take. Thanks for the heads up!

[@Pennywise326]

I noticed a couple of times when the bird feeder was empty and you tried to do the bird that lets you get a seed from the feeder(if there is one) and you didn’t re-roll all the dice. If i recall from the rules, whenever you have to gain food from the bird feeder for any reason (and it’s empty) you can re-roll all the dice and try and get your seed from there.

[@tsimpkins43228]

Mike, thanks for doing a solo playthrough of this game. Can't wait, it looks great.

[@solomodegames]

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@tonybowers9490]

"Eggs are points." Well, if it isn't a saying somewhere it should be! :-) Great job. Thanks for sharing.

[@Vivames1975]

At 14:40 the actual play should be to first reroll the dice (if the automa picks food and there is only 1 type left all dice get rerolled first) and then take out the rodents.

[@marcvwest]

Does the automa needs to take food for the food dice, that was taken out?

[@tiagoazevedosoares]

Really cool video! :) Rules question: can you spend the food that you put on birds or does it stay there until the end of the game?

[@solomodegames]

Thanks! The cached food stays there until the end of the game, and counts as 1 point each during end game scoring. I suppose there could be a bird power that allows you to spend cached food, but if there is, I haven't come across it yet.

[@paulopinheiro1949]

From the rulebook: WHEN ACTIVATED: Gain 1 grain from the birdfeeder (if available). You may cache it on this card. My interpretation is that You MAY cache it on the bird and stay there until game end (Scoring 1 point each) or insted you can just gain the food has a normal resourse.

[@solomodegames]

Paulo Pinheiro I agree with your interpretation. I was under the impression that they were asking if you could spend cached food later to pay for a bird later. My understanding is that when you activate the bird you have to choose whether to take the food into your supply (which you could spend later), or cache it on the bird for end game scoring. If you choose to cache it, it would stay there until the end of the game and couldn't be used on a later turn to spend for a bird.

[@bethanypetersen7005]

Anyone know how to get this before like June??? Lol

[@TimboCanada]

You're a super nice dude! Just wanted to say I'm pretty sure that automata is pronounced "ah-tom-ah-tah".

[@solomodegames]

Yes, I've never felt confident in the pronunciation. Thanks for watching!

At 40:42 a machine? stops and your sound improves a lot

[@liamtaylor9647]

At about at 14 mins the automa got the rodent food. The rules say that if the automa only has side with one face you must re roll first. Also if the dice tray is empty you roll the dice immediately

[@solomodegames]

Good catch. Thanks for watching!

[@sigururkristmundsson479]

Nice video to get to know the automa better. But in your efforts to teach the game you accidentally cheated a fair bit =Þ. Forgot to give the automa a cube here and a card there, haha but its all good.

[@junepaologuarin8762]

Not many birds. ( I might do worse when I get the game)