by WhatAChamp
Ranior is quite the beast when it comes to the game so definitely go with his recommendations for filling it. But if you're ever able to score a Knarr and your opponents aren't going for grey tiles, you can fill it pretty efficiently with this setup below.
I've found that overplaying this game solo has given me better insight into strategy than my friends who have only played 2-5 times so I'll often try out less potent strategies like grabbing Faroe Islands or going for breeding while letting them take key actions and islands. I find that I have far more enjoyment going for an odd strategy that links into my professions. Often, the bonuses provided by an island can be incentive to go down that route (bean farmer --> grab Shetland for example). If you're looking for a way to just beat your opponents, though, I wouldn't really recommend the island.