From a newb, to fellow newbs.

[AMPhibian]

Hey, fellow newbs. Nice to play with you. I'm pretty new here too, but I've been trying to study the game because I've fallen in love with this site. I'll share some hints I've picked up in my 70+ games, in order to maybe help spare you from some of the frustration I've been going through.

Most things you can get from the wiki, but I'll just hammer down what I consider the main points.

If you want to take a region, have over double the armies of the defending region.

1v1 you can't allow your opponent to keep a command bonus unless you can get an equal or higher command bonus in the same round.

Before your first turn, mull over the map and the brief, and and the record of players moves before yours, if necessary. Although adjustments will have to be made, formulate a plan that is the most promising and pragmatic of all your perceived options.

Stay very prudent with your use of Diplomacy. Offers are rarely looking to make a perfectly fair deal, and making a deal puts a target on your back, especially newbs like us.

Hypocritical as it may be--since I first shared these simple ideas on the chatter tab--don't chat much either. In a multiplayer game, if you ask too many questions, you're too nice, or you're talking nonsense, it puts a target on your back. In your early 1v1 matches even, I wouldn't reach out much during the match, unless they reach out first in a genuine manner. Chatter is a great way to build and feel community, but it also is a window for manipulation for the more savvy, cutthroat players you'll come across.

That brings me to the last unrequested advice I'll give you: Choose your early matches wisely. It's admirable to want to challenge yourself against, and learn from the best, but being defeated continuously in a whirlwind of confusion is disheartening for even the most intrepid and determined. If you create a game, put a NOTICEABLE note on it about wanting a challenger of only up to a certain modest rank or number of games played. Sadly, you'll still get a few poachers, but it gives you a better chance of facing a more equal competitor, which keeps you interested and invested.

Sorry, I forgot one of the most important rules, that of course has one of the most common exceptions. Super important fundamental in my eyes, as of under 100 games played so far. . . Never attack neutrals. Only in the rare case when it makes too much sense and does something magically destructive to any other game plan your opponent might have going. If you can use taking 1-2 neutral regions to force your opponent into a necessary and predictable pattern, you are the puppet master.

These "rules" I'm giving you are like any other rules when it comes to a craft: there are exceptions. We are still both new though, and we should try to master the rules before we start practicing the exceptions.

Good Luck!

(P.S. I'm welcoming to correction/addition from other players. Before I started on this site, I'd only played Risk and Axis & Allies a couple times in my life, although I've always loved the Civilization video games.)

 

[AMPhibian]

Oh snap, and I shouldn't forget: don't complain about your bad dice unless you're playing with friends. It seems that most people hit a few rolls of ice dice in a row at least one round every game. Shit happens. Handle your bad luck stoically if possible, and if not possible, walk away and put on some tea or something.

The reasons are simple again. Don't be annoying and put a target on your back, and don't give away what you were trying to do, even if it you think it's obvious to your opponent(s).

 

[Sebrim]

Hiya AMPhibian!

Good advice all round. Are you playing mostly Real Time or also Casual games? Real Time is where all the crooks hang around - Casual games tend to be much more relaxed and easy-going, with nice, friendly chatter. Moreover, most players here (if you look at their 'honor' score, they tend to be above 70 %) do not overrun newbs, but are happy to share their experience and tricks with you. however, this only works in casual games, because there's no time for it in real time. And, obviously, there are always exceptions....

However, as you said, there are always exceptions.

 

[AMPhibian]

Hey, Sebrim!

I've mostly been playing casual games. I don't find the RT crowd very much different overall than the casual gamers I've come across, but the casual game better fits my schedule and personality. I've really found most people on here pleasant, but I'd be interested to see the average honor score of all players on the site. I'd bet more players are below 70% honor.

I've created 2 or 3 "1v1" games with loud notes about them being for players with under 100 games played, that got accidentally overlooked by high ranking, experienced players with under 50% honor. Those games were huge downers at the time because I'd almost exclusively been joining games with big dogs and getting my lunch handed to me. It seemed like those were the only casual "1v1" games available every time I had a chance to play, and I wanted a break from the beatdowns, and a decent chance of scoring some points.

Anyway, no big deal. Lumps are lessons, and there's always a few not so tasty apples in the barrel.

 

[Chilly]

That was a whole heck of a lot of good advice. So much so that I think if you worked with Beanz, he might want to add it to the wiki.

On another note, I'm creating a 2v2 game and will invite you to it.

Then we will look for a second newbie and another vet to join.

 

[Sebrim]

I'll join as a vet, if I may

 

[Dalinar]

Glad to have you AMPhibian, pretty good guide. The only thing I felt really differently about was breaking commands 1v1. Breaking your opponent's command is almost always more important than taking your own command because they can come at you the next turn with those extra troops - your chance of holding a command is normally very bad when they have a command.

This probably makes it too complicated but I'll also give the exceptions that come to mind:
1. It might be better to take a command if it's really isolated - they have to attack through a neutral region or a bunch of your regions to get there.
2. You can split the deploy and still have a good chance of both taking and breaking the command - I often deploy something like 6 troops to break a command and 1 troop elsewhere to make a 4 stack (you shouldn't 2 troops with less than 4 on a region) and achieve a strategic objective elsewhere. I actually did that in a game this morning.

Oh, and sign me up as vet too Chilly if you need one for any of those matches

 

[AMPhibian]

Thanks for replies and support everyone.

Your advice rings true to me, Dalinar. I would love if you could link me that game so I can take a look because I'm still struggling with when and how to split my deploy properly. I usually shoot myself in the foot, even when I crunch the numbers beforehand.

Oddly enough, I just used the "take a command to break a command" tactic today to great success, but I was playing against another Cadet so. . . grain of salt.

The scenario boiled down to this:

I would have to have good dice to break the +4 command he just secured, and if I did break it, I would be weak in both those regions afterwards, which would create a weak path for him into a +5 command I had patiently been building up to take (I only needed one more region).
If I just took that +5 command, which was a safer bet, I knew it would force him into a certain action that I would be in a good position to counter.

I knew I wouldn't have the +5 bonus by the time my next turn came, but I guessed that he was going to break my command from a recently stacked region in his recently won command. Now I think that gives me two good things: a slightly watered down path into his command, and once again I'm kind of dictating the game. Also, I knew I would be able to play my cards next hand if I won even one region, that at least two of my cards would be bold, and that I had some relatively strong regions in my former/future command to stack them on. (He only had two cards at that point after playing his cards earlier, while I had built up to five.) He ended up giving me the slightly watered down path into his command after he broke mine, and next turn I walked into his command where there used to be a stack of 6 enemy armies, and planted 8 of mine. My command was secure, and his was broken.

I'm not trying to stroke myself off here, I know I was a little lucky and still have a lot to learn, but I'm just trying to share an example of another exception to the rule of trying to break your opponents commands right away, for fellow rookies.

A couple more newb tips for newbs:

Sometimes in casual games you'll find that you and your opponent are online at the same time. Maybe after 1-2 quick rounds you'll start to feel a pressure to keep your adversary's pace. Quell your urges to rush your game. It's okay to play slow and think about things for 10 minutes, or to go into the forums for 20 minutes to look for insight into the map or situation you find yourself in. You signed up for a 24-hour turn, don't rush just because someone else is being speedy. Be courteous and let your opposition know that you'll be taking your time.

Reading through the Wiki's before you get started is a great idea, but you should revisit them every 10-20 games or so. They really start to make more sense and sink in better after you've had some experience/mistakes under your belt.

 

[LordAdef]

Welcome AMphibian,
Nice tips you have there!

Just one note: it is trendy here to complain about bad dice ..... pun intended
I am sure you are going up the rank really fast. Just stick to Chilly's invitation and you will get a super intense MC course, he is great and he also helped me a lot

 

[Bluebonnet]

For what its worth...

In team games. Reinforce your partner for their attack. And don't attack your partner. It is a team game, not a individual game. Only do it if it is better for the team.

In team games, you have 24 hours to make a turn. If you are unsure of the best attack, ask your partners advice. We have a working email system where it is real easy to send off a message to your team. Waiting an hour or 2 waiting for feedback often results in a lot better strategy and everyone being on the same page for the win.

In Real Time. Don't go AWOL, if you had time to finish the game if you were winning, you have the time to finish the game while losing.

In 1v1. If you dont get a card on your first attack, dont go for the long shots. 3v3 is never a good idea and not worth a card. STOP! Just reinforce and wait til the next round. All you end up doing is weakening yourself for your opponent. It is possible to win going 2nd, it is not possible to win after blowing your troops trying to get a single card.

And a repeat on whining. Life is to short, dice come and go. Often times in a single game. You want to complain about your luck in life, go to a priest, no one here cares. We all deal with the same dice equally.

 

[Dalinar]

lol, I'd have to have to seen the exact board and your cards to know if it was right thing to do, but it sounds like it was a smart move. It's pretty rare, but there are exceptions of course.

The game where I split my deploy to take a command while using the other 5 or 6 to break one is this one:
https://www.majorcommand.com/games/286079/
Had a good back and forth, there might be something to learn from the record tab.

 

[empirejeff]

Hello green frog guy.

 

[AMPhibian]

Hi Jeff!