Across the Imperium (Heroic)

[MattyRasker]

Out of all the challenges, this is the one that is stumping me the most. I eventually completed the normal challenge, and it is the last one that I need to complete for heroic.

I consider the character to be of upmost importance with this one, as well as the first few stages. This is because if you leave the challenge too late, there is little chance of landing on the tiles that you need to complete the challenge.

i've tried Richese, thinking that because she can land on Blue and Green tiles even if those tiles are taken, you stand better chances of getting what you need, but I didn't find her Signet Ring bonus any real help.

I've tried going all out with Beast on combat to get combat bonuses to aid with getting that much needed spice to get Conspire, Heighliner AND Selective Breeding. This was my closest, only I couldn't focus on alliances which meant I lost out right at the end.

I love a good thinking challenge, but I know when I need to ask the community for a bit of guidance too, and hopefully if anyone else has had the same issues with this challenge as I have, maybe something helpful will emerge below!

Who has had some success with this challenge? What worked for you?

Thank you in advance!

[The Selfish Meme]

I'm trying that now too, 3 or 4 failed tries. I still think Helena is a good choice, but you need Quisatz to spawn in the first couple of turns and buy it with the help with your ring. Then you'll have much better chances.

[hogany]

Helena is prolly the best, get your swordmaster asap and plan your moves for future rounds. Buy cards with good access and card draw, and you should be ok.

[MattyRasker]

good tips and yes agreed, Quisatz and Helena good shouts. I guess the lesson here is mobility. thanking you!

[Zaptagious]

Really struggling with this one too. It's mostly about luck with this one I think.

Btw I don't think you need to have hit all the tiles before you reach 10+ VP, so you don't need to hold back on getting VPs.

[The Selfish Meme]

Originally posted by Zaptagious:

Really struggling with this one too. It's mostly about luck with this one I think.

Btw I don't think you need to have hit all the tiles before you reach 10+ VP, so you don't need to hold back on getting VPs.

Yeah, if you have 10 VP and haven't visited all spaces, it won't end. But as soon as a bot gets 10 too, its over.

[MattyRasker]

also helpful to know, thank you

[MattyRasker]

Completed it last night. As above, mobility is very much key. Here's my tips:
- Helena - blue and green spots accessible all the time, able to reserve cards that will become super helpful.
- At the start, I played for Solaris early - Wealth and then Contract on first turn, followed by High Council in turn 2. This gives access to those important cards before anyone else.
- I also played for Heighliner early too - spend your first 2 water on great flat (no matter the bonus), obtain difference in spice by other means (possibly through combat), get 2 water with Heighliner and get Reseach Station. That means your 6 spice and 2 water tiles are done and you don't have to worry about them later.
- As you need to spread around the board, playing for alliance is tricky. Therefore, Power Play comes useful as it can be used on any faction space and push you up two levels so you stand a better chance.
- I only really played for combat if I felt I needed resources, and then only once for VP from turn 7 onwards.
- Obtaining Quisatz is amazingly helpful, as is Lady Jessica. CHOAM Directorship for better chance of alliances. Guild Administrator as you can remove rubbish cards to get through the good ones quicker. Aim for cards which allow for 3 or more spaces, 2 minimal. Avoid ones which just allow for one space.

That seemed to work for me, good luck!

[The Selfish Meme]

Originally posted by MattyRasker:

Completed it last night. As above, mobility is very much key. Here's my tips:
- Helena - blue and green spots accessible all the time, able to reserve cards that will become super helpful.
- At the start, I played for Solaris early - Wealth and then Contract on first turn, followed by High Council in turn 2. This gives access to those important cards before anyone else.
- I also played for Heighliner early too - spend your first 2 water on great flat (no matter the bonus), obtain difference in spice by other means (possibly through combat), get 2 water with Heighliner and get Reseach Station. That means your 6 spice and 2 water tiles are done and you don't have to worry about them later.
- As you need to spread around the board, playing for alliance is tricky. Therefore, Power Play comes useful as it can be used on any faction space and push you up two levels so you stand a better chance.
- I only really played for combat if I felt I needed resources, and then only once for VP from turn 7 onwards.
- Obtaining Quisatz is amazingly helpful, as is Lady Jessica. CHOAM Directorship for better chance of alliances. Guild Administrator as you can remove rubbish cards to get through the good ones quicker. Aim for cards which allow for 3 or more spaces, 2 minimal. Avoid ones which just allow for one space.

That seemed to work for me, good luck!

Good tips.

Finally got it today as Helena. I prioritised Swordmaster over HC to have more agent turns early.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3151133704

I also think visiting Foldspace with your Seek Allies is a good idea. You cross that one off the list and still get a card with faction access in your deck.

The deck wasn't really good:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3151130680

Ilban beat me the good cards from the row: Jessica, Thufir Hawat, etc.

But I was lucky with resources and also had 1 or 2 Power Plays.

Visited all spaces by round 9 but noone had 10 points. In the last round I managed to buy two TSMF with Liet Kynes and barely blocked Paul from getting 2 points in the conflict.

[MattyRasker]

Thats amazing, and well done - big relief huh?

[Konstantinos]

I was banging my head against the wall with this one. I tried so many times with Helena and just could not crack it. By the time I got the points to actually win, everyone else was on the verge, and would either get there first, or steal it from me at the last possible moment with a plans within plans or corner the market.

The problem I found was that you cannot possibly run interference on alliances while spreading yourself so thin across the board, so you can't deny your opponents points that way. Helena doesn't lend herself to winning frequent combats, so I decided to switch tacks and tried it with Beast. I didn't find it a huge hindrance that I was blocked out of green/blue tiles. If that happened, I just changed goals and returned to it another turn. What I did find was his signet ring ability helped immensely to be able to contest most of the combats. To be able to win, you're guaranteed 4 points by getting to second position for each alliance track, so if you can pick up another 6 points from combat while spreading around the board, you are golden.

I ended the game on 11 points, and the closest opponent was 7. I managed this without the need for Kwisatz Haderach (though I did win the mentat through combat, and bought it a few times). Could have also just been luck of the draw at play, but with Helena I never got to the end game without all three opponents being on 9+.