Tips carsoncity

It may be worthwhile to pass early on and not place all of your available cowboys. The more cowboys you have in your personal supply, the stronger you are in duels.

The cash limit of a character represents his or her ability to protect it from different threats (theft, gambling, etc.).

It may be important to finish the game with a character that has a high cash limit (like the Banker). During the last round, only one available action space lets you buy victory points and you will likely fight other players to perform this action.

The Blacksmith's income is strongly linked to Ranches, making it a strongly contested tile by your opponents.

Strategies

Ranches synergize with Drug Stores. This gives you a few guns from the Ranches and income from the Drug Stores boosted by the ranches and adjacent houses.

Mines synergize with Banks. Mines provide guns but are limited in money. Banks pay out $3 per adjacent house and each mine you own.

Hotels synergize with Saloons. This results in the best, purest way to generate money ($5 per adjacent house with the Hotel counting as two houses). The downside is A) all houses must be adjacent to the Saloon and B) you don't get any guns. That means you are vulnerable in later rounds to ranchers and miners. To compensate, either build Prisons and Churches or get a temporary boost to firepower.

Example Strategy

Round 1

1. Take The Settler character and build a land plot next to 2-4 mountains. This gives you an extra worker and a free $3-5 discount for not having to pay for the plot.
2. Use 3 cowboys to:
• Buy 1 Mine ($4)
• 1 Ranch ($3 or $10)
• 1 plot of land with nothing around it ($1)

This gains you +2 firepower/guns so you have 3 firepower. Total income for the round should be $11-$27.

Round 2

1. Take The Grocer to double income from whichever 2 buildings you have later in the round, whether the Mine or Ranch)
2. Use 4 cowboys to:
   • Buy an additional Ranch or Mine (depending on which is cheaper)
   • Get an additional land plot for the Mine or Ranch you bought
   • Take the lowest "$ per VP" space (if anyone duels you for that space and has a high chance of winning, maneuver around them to take the next highest "$ for VP" space or take the +3 gun tile)
   • Get $8 from the Cowboy income space or Gambling income space
3. Buy 8 or 9 VPs

This gains you +1 firepower/guns so you now have 4 firepower. Total income for the round should be ~$40-45

Opponents will likely have more Cowboys than you, which lets you pass first and secure The Grocer again in rounds 3 and 4. If not, pass prematurely and save a cowboy for the next round and hope to make up points later.