I forgot to mention that there are some path concepts to maximize boosted relics. Some of the advanced Beta players have used this strategy for a long time, and the results are superior. I didn't know about this when I started - wish I had.
Province costs don't increase in direct proportion to the rings. Sometimes if we skip some provinces in a ring, the next ring is a bit lower than it otherwise would be.
Good luck!
This whole concept consumed my thoughts about whether or not this was a good proposition (thanks!
). I started a new city in Khel last night just to test the theory. So today I completely got my geek on, printed out some hexagonal graphs, fully mapped out the repeating province patterns out to 16 rings, and prepared a maze-like treasure map, with a focus on boost provinces. I'll give it a go, but I have a strong feeling I'll end up deviating along the way.
Theoretical results look interesting.... on paper anyway. While obviously it is impossible to scout (and complete) *only* boost provinces, optimal paths can greatly reduce the number of non-boost provinces scouted.
Summary of first 6 rings:
Ring 1 - 6/6 provinces scouted (and taken).
Ring 2 - 4/6
Ring 3 - 5/12
Ring 4 - 14/18
Ring 5 - 11/18
Ring 6 - 15/24
-------------------
Total for first 6 Rings: 55/84
So just in the first 6 rings alone, it appears you can avoid scouting and completing 29 non-boost provinces, helping to keep your scouting costs for increasing, and reducing the collection of non-boost relics.
Comments and observations -
* Total provinces available to be scouted in each ring already removed the city hex's since they don't count for this, for anyone questioning my numbers by using a hex calculator.
* There are some user-level decisions that have to be made along the way, choosing one province path over another and so selection can vary.
* It's actually not strictly necessary to do all 6 in the first ring - at least 1 can be ignored, and possibly 2 depending on user preference - but they're so cheap and you can use the expansions early on that I still took them all.
* It is possible to completely avoid *ever* scouting one (and possibly 2) province type(s) via this method, but this is probably not recommended because of the Wonders requirements for boosted AND non-boosted relics. (Note: I have no personal data regarding Wonders requirements as I have not yet reached that level of play, but I am only surmising from second-hand information).
* This method will require sometimes advancing to a farther ring and then backtracking to a lower ring to minimize extraneous provinces.
* I opted for human for this exercise, rather than elves, because of feedback from others (namely varron) in the forums that human units have the advantage early on for clearing provinces starting at Ring 5.
* I took an old-school approach and did this manually on paper - sorry no spreadsheet available for manipulation for those so inclined (
). But for those that want an idea of the methodology involved I'm including a photo
Disclaimers -
* Just because this
may optimize/maximize the attainment of boosted relics and thus
should result in massive production of goods, I do not, in any way, guarantee results.
* I do not specifically recommend this approach for regular game-play. I expect it to actually be an exercise in patience (expansions will be slow because fewer easier provinces will be cleared, thus fewer earned expansions) and plan to be somewhat frustrated often. Also, great care must be exercised to prevent inadvertently scouting "undesired" provinces.
* Any errors in my math (I can't tell you how many times I got all cross-eyed working on this
) are strictly the fault of the author.