Buy river plot first turn?

[Shular]

Pros:

• Will rarely have less than -1 food, so always time to do something on your turn
• Buying auctioned plot for 972 first turn and catching wumpus can still have productive first turn

Cons:

• Can't produce crystite or smithore
• Makes "magic 12" practically impossible

What else?

[Rhodan]

Pros:

• Will rarely have less than -1 food, so always time to do something on your turn
• Buying auctioned plot for 972 first turn and catching wumpus can still have productive first turn

Cons:

• Can't produce crystite or smithore
• Makes "magic 12" practically impossible

What else?

Pros
After buying first round plot you will be last.
Last allows you first choice at plot selection next round. High Crystite or Mountain plot
Being last also gives you first choice to sell and buy at auction.
Last lets you watch others develop first giving you the advantage of changing to what is not being produced.
Last means good events instead of bad

Cons
Poor in money but rich in land.
You will be behind in the number of mules develop for the first couple rounds especially if your opponents spike ore.
If you make a mistake or don't catch the wampus you are screwed and will never catch up in development.

[Shular]

Thanks Rhodan.  However, your points apply to anyone who buys plot first turn.  I'm wondering more specifically about the strategy of selecing a river/valley plot first turn rather than a plain or mountain plot.

Most people I've seen select mountains, then put food or energy on them first turn.  Selecting a valley ensures decent food first turn, but puts you behind in terms of non-valley plots.  The question is, is it a viable strategy, and if so, how does one make IT work?

[Rhodan]

Thanks Rhodan.  However, your points apply to anyone who buys plot first turn.  I'm wondering more specifically about the strategy of selecing a river/valley plot first turn rather than a plain or mountain plot.

Most people I've seen select mountains, then put food or energy on them first turn.  Selecting a valley ensures decent food first turn, but puts you behind in terms of non-valley plots.  The question is, is it a viable strategy, and if so, how does one make IT work?

Production is fixed and if I remember correctly a random factor of plus or minus 3 is applied to each plot.
Example a river plot starts out producing four units vs a mountain plot of one unit.
Then the factors of plus or minus 3, adjacent plot, global events and rule of three bonuses  are applied with max production of 8 possible. So a river plot will produce more food over 12 rounds then a empty or mountain plot. Thereby making recovering from 1st round plot purchase quicker.

The key is making sure you still acquired 9 mining plots in addition to your river plot for the rule of 3 bonuses.
Everyone goes for crystite plots so the only disadvantage to grabbing a river plot is

You don't get a stite plot that round
You make it harder to get the magic 12 mining plots.