Princes of Florence 1.0 - Solution
The challenge is to calculate the highest possible individual score in a four player version of the game. Obviously, you may assume that all players are working together to achieve this goal and will make decisions based upon this fact. Once you've figured this out you then have the much harder task of calculating the highest possible combined score for a four player game. That is, if you add all four players' scores together, what is the highest possible total?
Doug Orleans contributed the following description that results in a high score of 110 points for a single player:
(Passed auctions and actions are omitted. Note that players 2 and 4 do nothing for the entire game.)
Initial professions:
Player 1: bell-maker, sculptor, astronomer
Player 3: alchemist, cartographer, composer
Round 1
Auction phase:
Player 1 acquires a forest.
Player 3 acquires a jester.
Action phase:
Player 1 takes the jurist card.
Player 1 builds a workshop: +3 PP = 3
Player 3 builds a workshop: +3 PP = 3
Player 3 introduces freedom of religion.
Round 2
Auction phase:
Player 3 acquires a recruiting card.
Player 1 acquires a jester.
Action phase:
Player 1 takes the goldsmith card.
Player 1's goldsmith completes a work (WV 11): +5 PP = 8
Best work: Player 1, +3 PP = 11
Round 3
Auction phase:
Player 3 acquires a recruiting card.
Player 1 acquires a jester.
Action phase:
Player 1 takes the watch-maker card.
Player 1's watch-maker completes a work (WV 14): +7 PP = 18
Best work: Player 1, +3 PP = 21
Round 4
Auction phase:
Player 1 acquires a recruiting card.
Player 3 acquires a jester.
Action phase:
Player 1's jurist completes a work (WV 14): +7 PP = 28
Player 1 introduces freedom of religion.
Best work: Player 1, +3 PP = 31
Round 5
Auction phase:
Player 1 acquires a recruiting card.
Player 3 acquires a jester.
Action phase:
Player 1's bell-maker completes a work (WV 22): +11 PP = 42
Player 1 acquires an each-works bonus card.
Best work: player 1, +3 PP = 45
Round 6
Auction phase:
Player 1 acquires a most-works prestige card.
Action phase:
Player 3 recruits player 1's bell-maker.
Player 3's bell-maker completes a work (WV 18): +9 PP = 12
Player 1's astronomer completes a work (WV 18): +9 PP = 54
Player 1 recruits player 3's bell-maker.
Player 1's bell-maker completes a work (WV 22): +11 PP = 65
Best work: Player 1, +3 PP = 68
Round 7
Auction phase:
Player 1 acquires a fewest-empty-spaces prestige card.
Action phase:
Player 3 recruits player 1's bell-maker.
Player 3's bell-maker completes a work (WV 18): +9 PP = 21
Player 1's sculptor completes a work (WV 18): +9 PP = 77
Player 1 recruits player 3's bell-maker.
Player 1's bell-maker completes a work, using the each-work bonus card (WV 30): +15 PP = 92
Best work: Player 1, +3 PP = 95
Prestige cards:
Player 1 plays the fewest-empty-spaces prestige card: +8 PP = 103
Player 1 plays the most-works prestige card: +7 PP = 110
Note: Player 1 spends the following amount of money:
1400 (7 auctions)
700 (1 building)
900 (3 profession cards)
300 (1 freedom)
300 (1 bonus card)
A total of 3600 florins but notice that Player 1's goldsmith completes a work with an odd work value, so he gets 100 florins in change, which gives him just exactly enough to afford everything!
Congratulations Doug on a job well done!
Adam Smiles contributed the winning entry for the highest total combined score which was 332 (broken down into individual scores of 86, 86, 83 and 77). We'll detail his entry next month.
- Greg Aleknevicus
