What's good maps for beginners?

[Donald Fung]

Any suggestions of good maps for beginners?

[squishyg]

Classic art is a good one. USA is pretty straightforward as well. Make sure you check to see what settings are being used before you join a game. Standard sequential with no fog is your best bet right now.

[ender516]

Classic art is a good one. USA is pretty straightforward as well. Make sure you check to see what settings are being used before you join a game. Standard sequential with no fog is your best bet right now.

And of course, Classic Shapes is the same as Classic Art, so you could join a game on either, and do just as well. I have also enjoyed Australia, NYC, and American Civil War.
I agree with the suggested settings, and use them all the time. I also select Unlimited Reinforcement, and Escalating Spoils. The Unlimited Reinforcement relieves you from too much forethought while you are still getting the hang of strategy, and the Escalating Spoils tend to keep the games from going on forever: eventually, some one picks up enough troops to sweep away one opponent, take his cards, then sweep away another, and so on, like dominoes. Who knows, it might be you! In any event, if you are still a "freemium" account holder, you may appreciate being able to move on to another game more often, rather than being stuck in a slow building game or an interminable deadlock.

[Tupence]

Classic art is a good one. USA is pretty straightforward as well. Make sure you check to see what settings are being used before you join a game. Standard sequential with no fog is your best bet right now.

And of course, Classic Shapes is the same as Classic Art, so you could join a game on either, and do just as well. I have also enjoyed Australia, NYC, and American Civil War.
I agree with the suggested settings, and use them all the time. I also select Unlimited Reinforcement, and Escalating Spoils. The Unlimited Reinforcement relieves you from too much forethought while you are still getting the hang of strategy, and the Escalating Spoils tend to keep the games from going on forever: eventually, some one picks up enough troops to sweep away one opponent, take his cards, then sweep away another, and so on, like dominoes. Who knows, it might be you! In any event, if you are still a "freemium" account holder, you may appreciate being able to move on to another game more often, rather than being stuck in a slow building game or an interminable deadlock.

I'd stay away from NYC for now, it's a pretty big map with lots of bonuses. Classic Art, USA and Australia are all good and relatively straightforward, as is British Isles 2. Then maybe something like CCU if you fancy something a little different. Don't be tempted to try the huge maps like World 2.1, Waterloo and Supermax Prison Riot yet.

[iancanton]

i agree especially with australia for 1v1 games: not only is the bonus structure easy to understand, but the number of regions is 36: whoever goes first needs to take only 1 region from his opponent on turn 1 to reduce the latter's deployment to 3 troops (and u have a 50% chance of going first) - this slight advantage, combined with bad dice for player 2 on his first turn, can often be enough for player 1 to secure a bonus zone.

also consider joining the society of the cooks, where tuition is given in strategy.

viewforum.php?f=341

ian.

[squishyg]

Classic art is a good one. USA is pretty straightforward as well. Make sure you check to see what settings are being used before you join a game. Standard sequential with no fog is your best bet right now.

And of course, Classic Shapes is the same as Classic Art, so you could join a game on either, and do just as well. I have also enjoyed Australia, NYC, and American Civil War.
I agree with the suggested settings, and use them all the time. I also select Unlimited Reinforcement, and Escalating Spoils. The Unlimited Reinforcement relieves you from too much forethought while you are still getting the hang of strategy, and the Escalating Spoils tend to keep the games from going on forever: eventually, some one picks up enough troops to sweep away one opponent, take his cards, then sweep away another, and so on, like dominoes. Who knows, it might be you! In any event, if you are still a "freemium" account holder, you may appreciate being able to move on to another game more often, rather than being stuck in a slow building game or an interminable deadlock.

Except for the fact that Classic Shapes has very confusing territory names. I stand by my original suggestion.

[KoE_Sirius]

Avoid Classic shapes.Apart from the confusing name.Some adjacent territories can't attack each other.Madagascar is a good map for beginners.

[ender516]

Classic art is a good one. USA is pretty straightforward as well. Make sure you check to see what settings are being used before you join a game. Standard sequential with no fog is your best bet right now.

And of course, Classic Shapes is the same as Classic Art, so you could join a game on either, and do just as well. I have also enjoyed Australia, NYC, and American Civil War.
I agree with the suggested settings, and use them all the time. I also select Unlimited Reinforcement, and Escalating Spoils. The Unlimited Reinforcement relieves you from too much forethought while you are still getting the hang of strategy, and the Escalating Spoils tend to keep the games from going on forever: eventually, some one picks up enough troops to sweep away one opponent, take his cards, then sweep away another, and so on, like dominoes. Who knows, it might be you! In any event, if you are still a "freemium" account holder, you may appreciate being able to move on to another game more often, rather than being stuck in a slow building game or an interminable deadlock.

I'd stay away from NYC for now, it's a pretty big map with lots of bonuses. Classic Art, USA and Australia are all good and relatively straightforward, as is British Isles 2. Then maybe something like CCU if you fancy something a little different. Don't be tempted to try the huge maps like World 2.1, Waterloo and Supermax Prison Riot yet.

I suppose you may be right about NYC. I may be just partial to it because it was the map where I got my first win, and I still do well on it.
And yes, CCU is fun.
I've never tried Waterloo or Supermax, but I found I enjoyed World 2.1 right off the bat. I think the number of players affects that a lot. Early on, I had a really good 4-player game on it with a group where we were pretty evenly matched. But being dropped as a new recruit into an eight-player game on that map might just make you the first victim.

And of course, Classic Shapes is the same as Classic Art, so you could join a game on either, and do just as well.

Except for the fact that Classic Shapes has very confusing territory names. I stand by my original suggestion.

Funny, I find the straightforward letter-number combinations very clear, whereas trying to remember which artist belongs to which continent holds no appeal for me. To each his own. As long as Donald Fung understands the similarities, he can choose the one that appeals to him.

[ender516]

Avoid Classic shapes.Apart from the confusing name.Some adjacent territories can't attack each other.Madagascar is a good map for beginners.

On Classic Shapes, the possible attacks are all shown explicitly by lines connecting the territories. No line => not adjacent => no attack.
Yes, I had forgotten Madagascar. I have only played it once, but it is a nice small map, suitable for 3 or 4 players, which keeps the game moving.

[Caymanmew]

I suggest Circus Maximus, Supermax: Prison Riot!, WWII Ardennes, WWII Gazala, and Poison Rome.

everyone agree

[safariguy5]

I enjoy San Francisco personally. It has well defined borders and straightforward bridges.

[Donald Fung]

lol I joined a Australia game before and this guy won on his second round. I want to try out NYC cause tahts where I live

[Donald Fung]

I think the Classical Maps, Canada, USA, Australia, and NYC maps look pretty easy. I should try these out next. I also like the World Map (it’s a bit confusing) but dominating Asia should br easy if you have China right?

[Crazyirishman]

I think the Classical Maps, Canada, USA, Australia, and NYC maps look pretty easy. I should try these out next. I also like the World Map (it’s a bit confusing) but dominating Asia should br easy if you have China right?

Tamriel is also pretty simple, other than the little kink with the embassies. as for World 2.1 the first thing you should learn is than you can win from anywhere, and that it is rarely easy in a big game.

[squishyg]

I suggest Circus Maximus, Supermax: Prison Riot!, WWII Ardennes, WWII Gazala, and Poison Rome.

everyone agree

naughty boy, no doughnut for you.

Tamriel is also pretty simple, other than the little kink with the embassies. as for World 2.1 the first thing you should learn is than you can win from anywhere, and that it is rarely easy in a big game.

I loooove Tamriel. I never win, because philjbond pwns me, but it's a fun little map. And World 2.1 is hands down my favorite map. I agree that it's good for beginners because there's ample room to make mistakes and still catch up. I started to disagree with you about being able to win from anywhere, but thinking back on all my games on that map, it's actually pretty true. Heck, I've even managed to maintain the Asia bonus on that map!

[Caymanmew]

I suggest Circus Maximus, Supermax: Prison Riot!, WWII Ardennes, WWII Gazala, and Poison Rome.

everyone agree

naughty boy, no doughnut for you.

there easy i just dont know how to play them and ive play 1500+

[evil genius]

is doodle earth a good map? the reason i might be losing there i think is because if it's easy for me it's an easy map for everyone.

[squishyg]

doodle earth is so small that a lot of it depends on luck. I saw you played an assassin doodle freestyle. That setting is near impossible to win anyway, let alone with 8 players. I would stay far away from games like that until you get some more experience.

your win ratio is perfectly respectable, and winning isn't everything. some people play a variety of maps and have average scores. If that's fun for them, great! some players only play one map so they can get tons of points. If that's fun for them, great!

[Georgerx7di]

Here are some basic maps, similar to classic.

Classic art(of course)
France
Canada
Australia
Germany
Tamriel (there's a little twist with the embassies or whatever they are called, but its pretty straightforward)
Midgard
Asia
Arctic
Brazil
South america
Indonchina
soviet union
triple alliance
citadel
Philipines (Sea ports are only minor confusing element here)
Portugal

And there are more. These all have basic colored bonuses, where you can tell when you have a bonus. No rail or high way bonuses, everything is within a certain border. I would stick with these for my first 30 or 40 games at least.

Doodle earth
Luxemberg
Circus maximus
San marino

Are all very small bonuses and tend more towards luck.

Usa, is simple, but I beleive tends toward unbalanced play. Perhaps its just because i've had bad luck with it, and therefore do not like the map.

[Caymanmew]

doodle earth is so small that a lot of it depends on luck. I saw you played an assassin doodle freestyle. That setting is near impossible to win anyway, let alone with 8 players. I would stay far away from games like that until you get some more experience.

no doodle earth freestyle assassin speed is great for new players or low rank players (under privet frist class) becuase it give more points for them

[PLAYER57832]

Here are some basic maps, similar to classic.

I almost completely disagree. This is the typical advice, but it is given from the perspective of someone who has already developed their style of play and succeeds. It is NOT from the perspective of someone new who has never played any of the variations.


Further, you have to look at more than just maps!
1. Enroll in cooks forum. They will guide you through the Classic map, with help. (exception to below!)

2. READ! LOOK at the map before you play, study the legend that explains bonuses, etc.

3. Play 1 vs 1 to learn the "rules" with less "commitment" than larger games. However, DO be aware that 1 vs 1 strategies differ from larger games AND that many games are decided largely by dice/drop vagaries.

4. Stick mostly with Terminator (in 3+ player games) if you worry about points, BUT the real advice is to NOT worry about points right off. Learn. The only way to really learn is to take chances, try different things and that will mean losing.

5. AVOID Freestyle unless you don't mind sitting at your computer until the game is over, know the map well AND don't mind aggressive competition. THREE and FOUR player games can help you learn multiple player strategies, BUT a lot of multis use them (that is, cheaters -- 2 usernames that are really the same player). A lot of people like no spoils, but they can be very, very slow.

Classic art(of course)

no, No, NO, NO!!!!!
Sure, you recognize it, but so does everyone else in the world! Those who play it regularly tend to be very, VERY good.
If you do wish to play, stick with those who are corporals or below. (The exception is the Cook's Forum training grounds.)

I advise people to try some of the maps that look strange, but are rarely played. BUT, here is the thing, picking them out is hard because almost inevitably, there are a few farmers who like to wait for someone such as yourself to start a game or to join one they started and then POUNCE! I did well with Crossword at first, but now don't do so well. Circus Maximus has long been dominated by Farmers. On the other side is Age of Realms 2. (not 1 or 3) It is not difficult to play at all, BUT the play is different and so many people just don't like it. Arms Race, particularly since the strategy guide is now out, is a decent choice, but again, you HAVE TO READ!

The other option is to go for newer maps, those still in Beta, BUT wait until new ones come out, because right now, everyone knows those maps pretty well already.

I have grouped all but the most recent maps in the following link:
viewtopic.php?f=58&t=78766&p=1868221#p1868221


Ultimately, other than avoiding the plain comlicated maps (big maps with lots of different bonuses), the only REAL answer is to just play, play, play. EXPECT to lose at first, but learn. You will find plenty of players who will help you along while you discover what maps you like.

[RjBeals]

Iceland

Charleston

Brazil

Midgard

Italy

Dustbowl

[mpjh]

Check out the society of cooks, they teach the classic maps. You can pick up some basic skills, and confidence with them.

[ender516]

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2. READ! LOOK at the map before you play, study the legend that explains bonuses, etc.

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.
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Ultimately, other than avoiding the plain comlicated maps (big maps with lots of different bonuses), the only REAL answer is to just play, play, play. EXPECT to lose at first, but learn. You will find plenty of players who will help you along while you discover what maps you like.

Forgive me for trimming the quote, PLAYER57832, but I wanted to add my voice to yours about the two best things you said.

In addition to reading the map, looking at the discussion topic (which you can find from a link on the map once you pick it from the Browse Maps page) is a good way to see a lot of in-depth discussion about gameplay, since this is where the folks in the Map Foundry pounded out the details which brought the map to its final form. The talk about which territories are key to holding which bonuses can be very useful.

And you're right, the best teacher is experience. Sometimes new recruits are looking for the royal road to the position of conqueror, but they should expect a lot of falls before they rise very high. You know what? There's nothing wrong with losing a game like this if you learn from it. You can enjoy a game where you get creamed if you have the right attitude and pick up some pointers. As Yogi Berra said, "You can observe a lot just by watching."

[squishyg]

doodle earth is so small that a lot of it depends on luck. I saw you played an assassin doodle freestyle. That setting is near impossible to win anyway, let alone with 8 players. I would stay far away from games like that until you get some more experience.

no doodle earth freestyle assassin speed is great for new players or low rank players (under privet frist class) becuase it give more points for them

meh, I disagree. Sure, the points are great if you luck your way into a win, but you'll quit cc out of frustration in the meantime.