3-Person Escalating Strategy

[zarvinny]

Ok, So I've played a few escalating games, and when they come down to 3 player (or perhaps begin so), there seems to be a common theme.

Occasionally, everybody is equally matched, but most of the time, they're not. Usually there is a cripple. He's made his mind to go into a corner and if he dies, so be it, if not, he'll just keep adding up armies in hopes the other 2 will kill each other.

Another guy always there is generally the "alpha dog" This person started off strong perhaps, or maybe just killed somebody. He/she holds generally several continents and is reaping big bonuses. They are either too far away or not yet powerful enough to take out the cripple, but are a growing threat.

Then there is the middle guy. This is where my question comes in. What do you do if you are the middle guy. You can almost take out the cripple, but not yet, and if even if you could it won't be worth it... yet. If you pick on the big guy, you'll both weaken and you'll get the worst of it. If you do nothing, the top power will soon triumph as they are getting the bigger bonus and have already more armies.. So.. what would you do?

[The1exile]

So.. what would you do?

Lose.

[DiM]

well it mainly depends on 2 aspects:
1. the number of armies each set brings
2. how many cards does the cripple have.


if the card rewards are high and the cripple has 3-5 cards then go for the cripple and pray the dice are in your favor.

the math is simple. will the cards i get from the cripple justify my losses to kill him? if the answer is yes then go for it. if it's no then wait.

if the card rewards are low then i guess depending on how strong the big guy is you must survive until the rewards get higher. also you have to ask yourself. is the big guy strong enough to take me out before the card rewards increase? if the answer is yes then try and break his bonuses if the answer is no then wait for the cards.

bonuses don't mean anything when a set brings you 30+ troops.

and one more thing always remember in escalating it does not matter how weak you are you always have a shot at winning. i've seen people to win an escalating game when they were down to 1 terit with 1 army.

[Genghis Khan CA]

Well playing when you are down to 3 players in a 6 player game and playing a 3 player game require very different tactics... In a 3 player game, players will usually get a continent each early - everyone should be reasonably balanced until the cash-ins get high, and the situation you describe shouldn't happen.

In a 6 player game the situation you describe will probably occur when the cards are not set up right for a player to cascade through the whole board. You have to play each situaton on merit. If you have the opportunity to take the weaker player and get a reasonable cash mid-turn I would do that, but you dont seem to be describing that situation.

Say the strong player is blocking the weaker player, there is not much you can do... If you have an opportunity to block some of the weaker player's armies from the stronger player you should do this. Otherwise, if you can easily break some continents without losing too many armies you should do that. Then bide your time and hope you can get an opportunity to strike. Try and position yourself to threaten the weaker player without making yourself a target.

Basically the principle is simple - make it hard for the stronger player to eliminate anyone whilst getting in position to strike when you have a chance yourself. And hope for some good fortune!

[Genghis Khan CA]

well it mainly depends on 2 aspects:
1. the number of armies each set brings
2. how many cards does the cripple have.


if the card rewards are high and the cripple has 3-5 cards then go for the cripple and pray the dice are in your favor.

the math is simple. will the cards i get from the cripple justify my losses to kill him? if the answer is yes then go for it. if it's no then wait.

if the card rewards are low then i guess depending on how strong the big guy is you must survive until the rewards get higher. also you have to ask yourself. is the big guy strong enough to take me out before the card rewards increase? if the answer is yes then try and break his bonuses if the answer is no then wait for the cards.

bonuses don't mean anything when a set brings you 30+ troops.

and one more thing always remember in escalating it does not matter how weak you are you always have a shot at winning. i've seen people to win an escalating game when they were down to 1 terit with 1 army.

Agreed

If the situation looks very dire it is sometimes worth having a crack even if your chances of success are 50% or a little lower - sometimes you can get lucky and it is better to have tried and failed than to die wondering.

[zarvinny]

Thanks folks

[Sgt. Drake]

i've seen people to win an escalating game when they were down to 1 terit with 1 army.

I've done this very thing.