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Anachrony Strategy Tips

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Category: Age: 7+ 30 - 120 Min 1 - 4 Players 2017

If you haven’t played Anachrony, this heavy euro combines a lot of complex structures and it’s worth checking the review rather than trying to unpick the below. However, if you have played it and wonder how to get passed your mates’ point score – then here’s my initial suggestions to try.

During the game:

Buildings – Dual Purpose: Buildings give you extra actions in the game and score you points at the end. This is the dual function item that improves the engine and scores points – always watch for these in euro games and then maximise them as they are self fulfilling prophecies to win the game.

Time Travel: You get points for time-travelling, oh and if you do it right you get a free resource that produces that resource plus more in the future. So again, that builds the again and scores points – do this often. The trick to this one is to balance doing one time travel or two – do two when you think your opponent will do one and one when he does two. This is better for both of you (ironically) but is hard to co-ordinate. Most of all, you care that you don’t risk a paradox on every turn but sometimes you will want the resources!

Genius Grab: When a genius lands in the worker pool, grab them. They are invaluable for bringing the workforce awake, getting more or just giving you options late in the turn. Normally there will be a limited number and so grabbing the early game genius is really helpful!

Mining: You can copy a lot of actions, but you can’t copy mining. If there is a limited resource and you need it for that power plant or that desalination plant, then grab it! Being out of the mines for a turn can leave you short for the rest of the game – a regular and early mining action is going to be key.

Power Cores: These are really hard to get, so if a factory that produces these come up then it should become a priority. You will need to mine, have the right workers, but if you do then this can start to move the game in your favour. Power cores allow more shared actions – importantly gathering water and trading resources, they aren’t the most efficient but they are valuable.

Late Game Water: The thing is, water runs out and it’s quite important. The later in the game the more all players need water to run their factories/wake workers and all sorts of other actions. This trivial resource becomes major and being able to produce it or go in search of it is important within your late game strategy.

Staying Awake: It’s important to get the workforce awake, but once you have that genius then he will do this work for you – just keep them awake between turns!

End Game Bonuses: The biggest mistake I see from new players is to forget what scores at the end. The engine is difficult to build and there is lots going on. Suddenly the final turn is upon you and you are squeezing points out; look earlier (before the disaster event) and start to build towards key winning conditions.

Morale: High morale is great at the end of the game, but you will have time to recover and letting your early game morale drop can save you a lot of water in the long run. Given how precious that resource becomes it may be worth the risk!

Good Luck!

Read Also: Anachrony Review

Anachrony – Strategy Tips and Review articles are from Robert Crowter-Jones, the writer behind Elusive Meeple, a wonderful and very useful site that provides both reviews and strategy tips for a wide variety of board games. 

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