Shanty Town
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Shanty Town (Intrigue)

Cost: $3

Type: Action

Text: +2 Actions\nReveal your hand.\nIf you have no Action cards in hand, +2 Cards.

Strategy Review

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Shanty Town:

Shanty Town Strategy Guide

Introduction Shanty Town is a $3 Action card from Intrigue that offers an interesting decision point: do you want the +2 Actions, or do you want to draw cards? The card's unique mechanism forces players to consider both deck composition and hand management in new ways. Understanding how to maximize Shanty Town's potential is crucial for success in games where it's available.

Basic Mechanics Let's break down how Shanty Town works: 1. You get +2 Actions immediately 2. You must reveal your hand 3. If your revealed hand contains no Action cards, you draw 2 cards 4. Note that Shanty Town itself is no longer in your hand when checking for Actions

Key Strengths 1. Village Effect - Provides +2 Actions, making it a "village" card - Enables multi-action turns - Relatively cheap at $3 - Can potentially draw cards as well

  1. Card Draw Potential
  2. Can draw +2 cards under the right conditions
  3. Doesn't require discarding like many other drawers

  4. Can provide both actions and cards in a single play

  5. Cost Efficiency

  6. At $3, it's one of the cheaper village options
  7. Can be acquired early in the game
  8. Competes well with Silver in many situations

Key Weaknesses 1. Conditional Draw - Card draw isn't guaranteed - Requires careful hand management - Can be awkward with other Action cards

  1. Reveal Requirement
  2. Opponents see your hand
  3. Can provide strategic information to others
  4. May influence their decisions

Strategic Considerations

  1. Deck Composition

A. Action Density The key to maximizing Shanty Town is managing your deck's Action density. You want: - Enough Actions to make use of the +2 Actions - Few enough Actions that you can still trigger the +2 Cards - Typically aim for 25-35% Actions in your deck

B. Sweet Spot The ideal Shanty Town deck often contains: - 4-6 Shanty Towns - 3-5 terminal Actions - Remaining cards as Treasures and Victory cards

  1. Timing Considerations

A. Early Game - Can compete with Silver as an early buy - Works well with early terminal Actions - Helps establish engine potential

B. Mid Game - Becomes more complicated as deck grows - Need to carefully balance Action density - May need to trim Actions to maintain draw potential

C. Late Game - Can become less reliable as Victory cards dilute deck - Still valuable for +2 Actions even without draw - Consider stopping acquisition when deck becomes too tight

Playing Techniques

  1. Hand Management

A. Order of Operations - Play Shanty Town first if you have multiple Actions - Consider whether to play other Actions before Shanty Town - Save non-Action cards for after Shanty Town when possible

B. Multiple Shanty Towns With multiple Shanty Towns in hand: 1. Play first Shanty Town 2. If no other Actions, draw 2 cards 3. Evaluate new hand for next Shanty Town 4. Repeat as needed

  1. Deck Tracking
  2. Keep mental note of Action density
  3. Track shuffle timing
  4. Monitor Victory card dilution

Combo Potential

  1. Strong Combinations

A. Terminal Draw - Works well with cards like Smithy - Provides needed Actions for multiple terminals - Can chain together for big turns

B. Treasure-heavy Strategies - Natural fit with Big Money variants - Works well with cards like Market Square - Synergizes with Treasure-focused cards

C. Victory Card Gainers - Cards like Baron or Embassy - Helps maintain functionality as deck gets diluted - Provides Actions for multiple gains

  1. Anti-Synergies

A. Action-heavy Engines - Too many Actions reduce draw potential - Can become purely a village - May be outclassed by other villages

B. Deck Inspection - Reveals hand to opponents - Can give away strategic information - May influence opponent's decisions

Common Use Cases

  1. Big Money Variant
  2. 4-5 Shanty Towns
  3. 2-3 terminal draw cards
  4. Focus on Treasure acquisition

  5. Minimal other Actions

  6. Hybrid Engine

  7. 3-4 Shanty Towns
  8. Mix of terminals and non-terminals
  9. Balanced Action density

  10. Careful monitoring of deck composition

  11. Support Role

  12. 2-3 Shanty Towns
  13. Primarily for +2 Actions
  14. Draw bonus as occasional benefit
  15. Works with other engine components

Counter Strategies

  1. Opposing Shanty Town
  2. Rush strategies can outpace setup
  3. Heavy Action strategies can deny draw

  4. Alternate villages may be superior

  5. Attacks

  6. Discard attacks (like Militia) can disrupt timing
  7. Deck inspection becomes more powerful
  8. Junking attacks can affect Action density

Kingdom Considerations

  1. When to Buy

A. Strong Indicators - Few other villages available - Terminal draw present - Treasure-focused kingdom - Few competing $3 cards

B. Weak Indicators - Better villages available - Action-heavy kingdom - Strong alternate $3 cards - Rush potential exists

  1. How Many to Buy

A. Primary Engine - 4-6 Shanty Towns - Build around its constraints - Carefully manage Action density

B. Support Role - 2-3 Shanty Towns - Focus on +2 Actions - Less concern about draw potential

Tips and Tricks

  1. Advanced Techniques

A. Deck Tracking - Count Actions in deck - Track shuffle timing - Monitor Victory card dilution

B. Hand Reading - Predict likely hands - Plan multiple turns ahead - Adjust strategy based on deck composition

  1. Common Mistakes to Avoid
  2. Over-buying Actions
  3. Ignoring deck composition
  4. Playing Actions before Shanty Town
  5. Failing to adjust strategy as deck changes

Sample Strategies

  1. Basic Shanty Money
  2. 4 Shanty Towns
  3. 2 Smithies
  4. Silver/Gold focus
  5. Minimal other Actions

Goal: Consistent $8+ provinces while maintaining functionality

  1. Hybrid Engine
  2. 3 Shanty Towns
  3. Mix of terminals/non-terminals
  4. Balanced Action density
  5. Careful monitoring of deck composition

Goal: Build engine while maintaining Shanty Town draw potential

  1. Support Strategy
  2. 2-3 Shanty Towns
  3. Focus on +2 Actions
  4. Other engine components
  5. Draw bonus as occasional benefit

Goal: Provide Actions for larger engine strategy

Conclusion

Shanty Town is a fascinating card that rewards careful deck management and strategic planning. Its dual nature as both village and potential drawer makes it versatile, while its constraints require thoughtful play. Success with Shanty Town comes from:

  1. Understanding deck composition
  2. Careful hand management
  3. Strategic timing
  4. Appropriate kingdom evaluation

When used correctly, Shanty Town can provide both the Actions and draw needed to build powerful engines or support strong money strategies. Its low cost makes it accessible early, while its potential for both Actions and draw makes it relevant throughout the game.

Remember: - Monitor Action density - Plan hand management - Adjust strategy as deck evolves - Consider kingdom context

With practice and attention to these principles, Shanty Town can be a powerful addition to many strategies and a key component of successful decks.

Final Thoughts Shanty Town exemplifies Dominion's depth, requiring players to balance multiple considerations and adapt their strategy as the game progresses. Its unique mechanics create interesting decisions and reward skilled play, making it a valuable addition to many kingdoms.