PANDEMIC

The QS takes a train from Chicago to San Francisco and then hops onto a commercial Boeing 777 to Manila. She wipes out a bit of Red Death while in Manila and then takes a slow boat to Hong Kong. Using her incredible powers of persuasion, she gets a permit from the Chinese government to set up the most powerful whalesong projection system ever created in the top 10 floors of the 108-story International Commerce Centre, thus protecting the entire region.

Then she draws Baghdad (Black) and an event... Forecast!!

Meanwhile, Blue Fever worsens in New York and more Zombies spread in Baghdad.

The situation:

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PANDEMIC

Forgot it was my turn there for a second.

By the way, Ryan noticed that if we spend Airlift on the Ops Expert's turn, we could end said turn with a research station in Algiers and a Blue cure. Worth it?

If blue was closer to eradication I might say yes, but, as it is, I feel like we might as well save it for something more urgent. However, it is the only way I could cure on my upcoming turn.

If we decide to accept the cure delay and not use Airlift, I see three main Research Station/treatment options for my turn:

1) Head to Algiers, build, and get the 5th blue or treat once (getting the last blue as the Researcher's first action on their turn)

2) Build in Madrid (a bit more connected to elsewhere), head to and build or treat as above

3) Build in Paris and treat Paris once. Paris would be a bit closer for the Medic's movement elsewhere and to cities that are likely to get hit multiple times in the future. It would be easy enough for the Researcher to treat Algiers and head to Paris for the blue exchange (and, presumably, the black exchange with the QS).

So, what do people think, Airlift + Blue Cure, one of the three options above, or something else I haven't thought of?

PANDEMIC

I think definitely build a research station, it'd be good to get some on the map and that's the thing where you excel. If we save the Airlift and you leave the cure until your next turn, you may as well treat a cube rather than grab Madrid. You might draw Blue anyway, in which case the Researcher can use it for transport instead.

I don't have strong opinions about whether you build in Paris, Algiers or Madrid. Maybe a slight preference for Paris or Algiers to space it a bit further from Atlanta, and so you'll start your next turn in a research station for easy curage.

PANDEMIC

br's plan sounds good to me.

PANDEMIC

Ok then, much as I did during my grad school days, I will move between New York and Paris.

Double move to Paris
Build a high-tech yet elegant research station to rival the Pyramide du Louvre
Treat one cube to a cup of Mariage Frères tea and a madeleine
Reminisce about how we'll always have Paris

PANDEMIC

The Ops Expert heads to Paris via a connection in Madrid, and supervises the construction of a high-tech, elegant research station that tourists mistake for the Pyramide du Louvre. Then he dispenses an herbal tea across the city to help with the Blue Fever. Then he sits at an outdoor cafe (socially distancing of course) and reminisces.

Then the Ops Expert draws Johannesburg (Yellow) and Essen (Blue).

At this point the Ops Expert will need to discard two cards. He has:

Blue: Atlanta, Essen, New York, St. Petersburg, and Montreal.

Yellow: Johannesburg and Mexico City

Red: Manila

Event: One Quiet Night

PANDEMIC

Yay blue!

Given the board, and that no one is collecting yellow at the moment, I'm thinking my discard should be one of the yellows (with the tentative plan for my next turn being discarding the other yellow to go to and build in Manila to eventually pass that card to the Medic and give us a station in the red zone). Obviously a lot can happen in the meantime, but given that I will be starting on a station, I should probably take advantage of that to build somewhere on my next turn.

What do people think?

PANDEMIC

You need to throw out two cards at this point, so assuming you keep One Quiet Night, you'll have the five Blue cards and one card for travel. It probably doesn't matter which one you keep in that case. Maybe Manila if it looks like we need it for the Red cure, or Jo'burg - if an emergency arises around one of your cards' cities, Jo'burg will be the hardest to reach by other means. (I lean towards keeping Manila, I think. Especially since you can jump to anywhere with any card if that's needed.)

PANDEMIC

Ah, right, I wasn't reading closely enough, two cards. This is sort of the problem with the Ops Expert collecting cards for curing purposes.

In any case, I say

Discard both yellows

So let it be written, so let it be done.

I will be a little bit delayed as I will be preoccupied with moving the board to the new software.