Forest Shuffle: Smoky Mountains initial strategy thoughts

Now that Forest Shuffle: Smoky Mountains has been available as a beta release on Board Game Arena for a week or so, here are my initial thoughts on strategy. This is based on ~30 plays (of which I’ve won ~20). This only applies to two-player games. Just one 30-point card – a Bald Eagle – yet still a victory. Main strategies I think Rivers + Fish is the main strategy here. Birds are also strong. I can see how Paws might work, but I haven’t seen that so far, and when I’ve tried it, it has failed. So far I don’t like that strategy. Plants are not a strategy, they’re terrible. Amphibians aren’t great. Insects can be ok side strategy in right circumstances (four copies of Greenside Darter, for example). 30-point cards The big 10/30 point cards are of course the main attraction here. For starters, I don’t think they’re a problem. Yes, they can cause big swings and if you’re lucky to draw many copies of ones that you have already completed, that’s great. However, you rarely go without any,…