See also: Game Balance

Obtaining Tiles: which to choose

It is surprisingly important to have more smaller tiles early, when you are trying to get bonus goods. Blue tiles are, of course, preferred, but often two green tiles and a coin/ore will nab you the desired bonus square.

The grey pieces in the shapes of U and E are worth rushing for, as they are very useful in getting early bonus goods.

Later in the game, you want tiles that are as large as possible, to cover the most negative squares on your main board. Whale meat (3×3) upgraded to the green robe, or some of the larger blue tiles (9-11 sword values, or anything 2×3, 2×4 or 3×3) are best.

You will need to alternate large blue and green tiles on your main board, so it’s best to have some of each, and the larger the better (in general – but it’s nice to have some smaller ones to fill in the gaps).

Emigration vs. Feasts

It’s quite worthwhile to Emigrate at least once early in the game (turn 2 or 3), because of the food-boost it gives you, since you don’t have to spend those 2 food every turn for the rest of the game.

However, it’s important that you get the most value out of your boat before you do this, so obtain your expansion board first, at the very least.

First-Turn Goal

Your first-turn goal should always be to get income from your main board, preferably a 2-silver income. This means you preferably want a blue or green 2×2 or 2×3 tile on the first turn, and there are many ways to do this.

In some games, especially if you don’t have the mini-expansion of two extra expansion boards (we recommend getting this for game balance), then rushing for Iceland or Shetland might be a better first-turn goal. However, we don’t think this strategy is optimal because of the options that an early silver income gives you (a lot of squares cannot be used without money).

Second-Turn Goals

On the second turn, there will probably be a race for expansion boards and boats, if this didn’t already start first turn. If you don’t already have a boat, you will need one ASAP, and boats also open up other action spaces on the board.

• Get a boat
• Get an expansion board
• Get a bonus tile from one board

You should really try to get some bonus tiles or goods from one of your boards by the end of the second turn. We recommend trying for the 1-ore income on the main board, or a green-or-blue tile from an expansion board (such as the 1×2 green barrel or 1×3 green pelt). See “Obtaining Tiles” above for some recommendations on the early bonus goods to try for.

We haven’t experimented with it a lot, but we’ve toyed with the idea of using a Stable as our first expansion board, and getting an early pelt (1×3 green) with the plentiful orange tiles you should have by turn 2.

Major Path Options

We’ve found that there are three viable “major path options” in Feast. In order of best advantage, they are:

1. Whaling
2. Pillaging
3. Combination of Hunting, Trapping and Crafting

However, what you have to realize is that the more competition you have, the worse each option becomes. Thus, if two people are Whaling, then Pillaging might be slightly better.

In each major path, you need one type of boat. The path you choose may therefore determine which expansion board (island) you get.

Thus far, we haven’t figured out how to go the “animal route” (Cow and Sheep breeding) and stay competitive. It seems that the game rewards the “chance squares” (where you have to roll dice), significantly higher.

Whaling Boat + Occupation Opener

• 1 Meeple: 1 wood (fail at Hunting/Trapping, or Resource tile)
• 1 Meeple: Whaling Boat for 1 wood
• 4 Meeples: Whaling + Play a Card
  • If fail: 2 meeples back + wood + spear
    • 2 meeples: craft blue 2×2 + 1 silver for 1 wood
  • If succeed: Barrel + Whale bones + Whale Meat
• Use green or blue tile to get 2 income from main board

Raiding Boat Opener

This opener requires you to get 2 wood for 1 meeple on your first move.

• 1 meeple: 2 Resources (wood)
• 3 meeples: Longship for 2 wood, get card
• 2 meeples: Pillage
  • If fail: 1 meeple back, 1 stone, 1 sword
    • 1 meeple: use stone to play a card + 1 silver
  • If succeed: use blue tile for income on main board

Turn 2:

• 2 meeples: buy Iceland
• 2 meeples: Pillage
• 2 meeples: Play 2 cards
• 1-2 meeples: (situation-dependent)
• Feast: use 1 silver instead of red goods to feed vikings

Crafting Opener

This opener requires you to get 1 wood/player + 1 ore, or at least 1 ore from the resource tile, on your first turn for 1-2 meeples.

• 2 meeples: 1 wood / player + 1 ore
• 3 meeples: Crafting: 1 ore for 1 metal good. Take E-shaped tile.
• 1 meeple: Upgrade orange 1×3 into green 1×4
• OR
• 1 meeple: upgrade 2 tiles once: Upgrade red mead to green barrel, upgrade an orange to red (for feast)
• Use E-shaped tile + green tile to get 2 income on main board.
• Optional: use 2 silver to get red mead as bonus goods on main board

Blocked Opener

If all your typical moves are blocked, you might try this opener.

• 3 meeples: Products: 3×3 orange, 1×4 red, 1×2 green + 1 silver + draw occupation card
• 3 meeples: upgrade 3 once, 4 weapon cards, draw occupation card. Upgrade all products from above.
• Use 1×4 green and 1×2 blue on main board to get 2 silver income

Turn 2:

• 2 meeples: Play 2 cards
• (Optional): 1 meeple: draw 1 occupation card + 1 silver
• 4 meeples: Pay 3 silver to get sheep & cow + play 3rd occupation card
• 1 meeple: Milk x 1 OR upgrade 2 OR 2 Resources OR upgrade 1 + 1 Resource