Conquer Club

Viceroy63
Again,
Ex-Strategy Executive

---The following article is meant for thought provoking and entertainment purposes.

Classic Secrets: Standard Vs. Terminator
by Viceroy63

The question recently came up as it often does among new recruits about the difference between Standard and Terminator games. What is the difference between these two types of game settings; Which is better for play and points and if Terminator games must be spoken or played in a heavy "Austrian" accent (I'll be baack)?

As most of us regular CCer's know; In Standard games, you win all the points of all the players upon winning the game. Yet in Terminator games you only receive the points of the players that you eliminate from the game. Thus you can end up winning the terminator game yet only receiving the total score of only one player if you only eliminated one player in the course of winning the game. If that is the case, is there a different strategy that can best be applied to each type of game?

The answer is yes and no. In either standard or terminator games, you do not want to waste time and energy eliminating other players unless you receive immediate, mid game spoils from their elimination that more than makes up for the time and energy spent in the elimination. But eliminating just one player and then being eliminated yourself gets one nowhere in a Terminator game and is completely unprofitable in a standard game.

You must always be careful of not making too big of a target of yourself in the process of the game. But in terminator games if you get the chance to eliminate at least two players then it may be worth it rather than going for the game win. Other wise you really just want to conserve your troops strength until the spoils trade becomes high enough to win the whole game by eliminating all the other players for all of their spoils in either game.

In Terminator games all you need to accomplish is at least two good kills and even if you are eliminated you still go up in score and eventually rank. This means that in Terminator games, you don't need to win the game to come out ahead in the game. With just a couple of good kills, even if you are eliminated then at least you come out of the game with more points and a higher score. That is the option that one has in Terminator games that one does not have in Standard games.

In summing this up. Standard games are for patient folks who like to think ahead for the possible kills and winning the whole game by preparing for possible contingencies should the win fall upon them. While the Terminator game is the same only with the option to go for just a couple of kills at the end instead of the whole game. This is a good option to have if you find that you may end up being eliminated from the game in the next round or so.

The kind of player that you are will determine which style of game you will enjoy best. If you are sure of your skills and want to play for all the "Marbles" then you go with Standard game settings. If you are not so sure of yourself and want the possible option to go for a couple of good kills and end your game, then you go with Terminator. The options is for how the game will end for you.

And No, you do not have to play with a "Deep Austrian Accent."


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Viceroy63 wrote: Be watching for it.

I will be...

Man, they let anyone comment in here, don't they?

I've sneaked a peek at the new article, viceroy, and I have to say, I like both Standard and Terminator, as long as they're Escalating. =) I love the thrill of going for the kill, the cash and sweep, the running of the bulls, the way you look tonight - excuse me, I'm getting ahead of myself.

But I find that in Standard, players are a little more cautious, a little less likely to take chances, and I love that, because what is our game if not a risk-y affair? (Maybe that's why my rating's dropping like a rock! I think I can actually see the U.S. through my office floor!)

A horrible, horrible thought - the inevitable Marx Brothers movie is going to be just awful, isn't it?

OK; It's out and in the first post. Enjoy!

Read at your leisure and comment at your ease.

This is a discussion forum so let's hear what you have to say.

when i first played terminator games, the obvious detail I didnt think about was that you get more score for killing a higher ranked played. As I said, obvious to everyone but me..... d'oh!

You are not the only one. Everyone goes through that question. But did you know that in standard, the score is the same as in terminator per player? If you win!

If you lose, then depending on who wins determines how much score you lose.

I like both,but with Terminator ,If you succeed in cleaning/mopping one or more player/s (higher ranked helps)most of the times, the mop up isn't always in your favour.

With Standard, Its either try,miss judge the mop up,or wait for someone to miss judge mop up

So,if you manage to eliminate/terminator one player in Terminator(higher ranked) cool,a slight gain in points
but with standard,its the whole hog,to gain points,If you manage the mop up,a very nice rewarding points gain (depending on rank,and rank of players)

LOL; Some people sweep while others mop.

Great article Vice.

When I play terminator I very rarely think of it as a game to gain points. I am now in the habbit of playing to win the whole shebang.

Terminator is such a great great learning tool for those learning the ropes. It builds confidence in playing escalating standard.

One thing not mentioned, when playing both standard and terminator prepare for the inevitable "falling short". LOL nothing like having the best setup and plan thinking your running the board only to miss your pray by one lousy army thereby setting the table for someone else to win. What comes around goes around though. If you play enough games Karma goes both ways.

Iron Butterfly wrote:Great article Vice.

When I play terminator I very rarely think of it as a game to gain points. I am now in the habbit of playing to win the whole shebang.

Terminator is such a great great learning tool for those learning the ropes. It builds confidence in playing escalating standard.

One thing not mentioned, when playing both standard and terminator prepare for the inevitable "falling short". LOL nothing like having the best setup and plan thinking your running the board only to miss your pray by one lousy army thereby setting the table for someone else to win. What comes around goes around though. If you play enough games Karma goes both ways.

+1

Thank you everyone!

Once again I have to give some of the credit to Macbone for his help in certain article suggestion which were better than my own original thoughts. This article would have taken a slightly different course and suffer in quality if not for Macbone's interference. LOL. I actually run everything by the Mac. before it goes to print. =)

A special thanks to you Macbone, for helping me look good.


Oh and sometimes the falling short also works both ways. A game can be won even when almost eliminated from the game yourself. Because usually the reason for eliminating a player is for his killer spoils on hand. If they fail to take one out when one has those killer spoils then it's "Die Hard, with A Vengence!" LOL.

If no one else can take you out that is.

macbone wrote:Man, they let anyone comment in here, don't they?

I've sneaked a peek at the new article, viceroy, and I have to say, I like both Standard and Terminator, as long as they're Escalating. =) I love the thrill of going for the kill, the cash and sweep, the running of the bulls, the way you look tonight - excuse me, I'm getting ahead of myself.

But I find that in Standard, players are a little more cautious, a little less likely to take chances, and I love that, because what is our game if not a risk-y affair? (Maybe that's why my rating's dropping like a rock! I think I can actually see the U.S. through my office floor!)

A horrible, horrible thought - the inevitable Marx Brothers movie is going to be just awful, isn't it?

I was just re-reading this and I'm glad I did. It's very funny! LOL.

You will always rate number #1 with me, Mac. =)


BTW: Are you sure that you can see the U.S. through your office floor? It could be from all that nuclear meltdown situation at your end of the world burning a hole through the earth. LOL.

New players should strive to master standard escalating tactics before playing terminator,too many bad habits can be picked up if you start with the later.

Good article, also it depends if you are interested in having points or in winning. I don't play for points, therefore I play standard and terminator as if they were the same.
If you want to know what you prefer ask yourself if you would rather kill 4 people and then die (in a 6 player terminator) or if you prefer just to kill one person and win the game.