Compass Point: West - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Staking a Claim on the Frontier

[Wondering if it's worth dramatically pushing the swinging doors open on this saloon? Check out our review]

You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you if you want to turn your little patch of dirt into a bonafide frontier town, and Orville Driller and his cronies aren’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat. But don’t worry, even the toughest hombres need help every now and then (okay I’m done with the old west jokes, I swear).

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Getting Started

• Be mindful of Gold and Goods limits - Starting out, you’ll only be able to hold a maximum of 2,000 of either resource. It sounds like a lot, but it’ll fill up quickly. Try not to let your earnings go to waste.
• If you’re about to exceed the limit, spend it - Successful attacks on Orville’s occupied territories will always yield Gold and Goods, so if you’re really close to the maximum you should try to spend some of either (or both) before continuing on. Build or upgrade stuff if you can, but if that’s not an option you can also clear out trees and rocks.
• Watch videos when able - There’s a covered wagon with a film strip icon over it that sometimes appears on the road. Tap it and you’ll be prompted to watch a video. You definitely want to watch, as once you’re finished you’ll be able to pick a random card from a group of four. These can include diamonds (used to speed things up), sidekicks, workers, or even piles of resources.
• Use Jakob Ammann to keep things moving - The basic version of his card will take up to 15 minutes off of one upgrade, which is great for when you’re starting out and things don’t take hours to finish.
• Use William Wealth when you need a cash boost - The basic form of William nets you 500 Gold, so use it if you’re a little short. Make sure you remember that resource limit, though!

It’s in the Cards

• Know when to hold ‘em - It’s tempting to immediately merge four sidekicks into a more powerful character, but don’t rush it. Oftentimes sheer numbers are more important than one sidekick’s potential damage output.
  
• Know when to fold ‘em (into one another) - It’s tempting to use workers like William Wealth and Jakob Ammann whenever you need a little boost, but one high-end card is actually more valuable than four low-end ones. So if you can, hang onto them and fuse them when possible.
• Draw with a plan - Since you can choose between three cards every time you draw a pack, try to plan ahead. If you have a bunch of Gunslingers, will one more give you what you need to fuse a Rugged Gunslinger? Is it more important to have two TNT-flinging Forty Niners?
• Upgrade the saloon - The higher the level of your saloon, the more powerful cards you’ll have a chance to earn through card packs. And more powerful cards are always good.
• Save up and buy the Extra Draw booster - When you’re looking at the card pack screen, tap on the Boosters button in the top-left to check out the Extra Draw. It costs 400 Diamonds, which will take time to earn (although you start with 200), but getting to choose between four cards instead of three can be a big deal.

Tactics, Tactics, Tactics

• Always use Rally Flags - Sidekick AI is a bit short on the “I” part, so in order to keep them from wandering off and getting wounded you’ll want to use your Rally Flags to guide them step-by-step or assign priority targets if you can.
• Deployment costs matter - At first you’ll have more than you know what to do with since Gunslingers only use one Battle Point each, but once you start getting special sidekicks like the Tin Man or Forty Niner you’ll end up maxing out your points if you’re not careful. You can increase your limit at the Fort.
• Diversify your forces - Having a swarm of Gunslingers descend upon your enemies might look funny, but don’t ignore the more specialized sidekicks. Each one has a particular focus that can make a huge difference in battle - like the Forty Niner’s area-effect dynamite throwing that’s great for groups of enemies and against buildings.
• Plan your routes - All the sidekicks in the west won’t make much of a difference if you walk headlong into a group of enemy Forty Niners. Scout out the area first, then try to find the easiest route to your target. Sometimes this will mean taking the long way around, so have those Rally Flags ready.
• Keep trying - Even if your forces are wiped out in a raid, all you really lose (aside from face) is a bit of time and some Gold. So keep at it. Try a different path or strategy next time. It just might surprise you.

Compass Point: West

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Released: 2015-03-25 :: Category: Game

FREE!