Arms Race!

[n00blet]

Arms Race!
Map by Mibi and WidowMakers
Guide by n00blet and stahrgazer

Click image to enlarge.

Introduction
Arms Race! is set in the heart of the Cold War. With tensions rising between the two remaining world powers, it seems that nuclear apocalypse is inevitable....Just make sure it doesn't happen to you! With low region and usually low troop counts but bountiful region bonuses, quick, decisive, and exciting games are the norm.

show: Classification

Recommended Settings
Two player games are a favorite for Arms Race! Over 77% of all games on this map are two player games, where each player fights to control the US or the USSR. Two player games are more straightforward; and with fog of war there is the added mystery of the Red Scare....who knows how powerful they really are?. Any higher amount of players will eventually degenerate to each team controlling one side of the map and racing to launch nuclear strikes, but in two-player games it happens a lot quicker. This map plays well with many settings, but to quote the poet Robert Browning, "less (players) is more" on Arms Race!

How to play Arms Race!
The main unique point about Arms Race! is that once a player's visa to visit one of the two countries expires (once a player is eliminated from one side of the map) the player will not get a chance to return. Instead, the player must resort to bombarding regions from spies and race for the missile launch to annihilate the opponent.

show: Two Player

show: Team Games

show: Multiplayer Games

show: Manual Deployments

show: Spoils

show: Assassin Games

show: Terminator Games

show: Additional Notes

show: Similar Maps

[AndyDufresne]

===============================
This ends the Official Map Guide.

However, there may be relevant strategy discussion outside the scope of this basic map guide located in the below further discussion.

Please keep the discussion general so it applies to many situations. Guidance about your specific games should go in the main Strategy forum.
===============================

[TheFlashPoint]

First of all, this map is the bomb. Thanks Mibi, WidowMakers, n00blet, and stahrgazer.

I was hoping to see some feedback about possible imbalances between countries and territories and how that affects initial decision-making. Does anyone have a country preference? Does anyone have a favorite starting position?

The strategy guide is very good. The only thing I have to add is that this map is much better foggy than sunny. When I play foggy, I employ a few extra tricks:

At the start, I take note of the visible starting territories and what hidden territories my opponent might have. As the game progresses, by watching the game log and using a process of elimination, I try and pinpoint what territories my opponent started on. Doing this diligently is most useful within the first few turns and can often reveal vital information about an opponent's position and strategy.

Also, I try to keep in mind that the game log is public and get as much as I can from it. When someone deploys all of their troops at once, they are revealing information about strategy/numbers. Deception with splitting up deployments into parts and reinforcing certain numbers of troops can help swing a close game with an attentive opponent.

[rdsrds2120]

First of all, this map is the bomb. Thanks Mibi, WidowMakers, n00blet, and stahrgazer.

I was hoping to see some feedback about possible imbalances between countries and territories and how that affects initial decision-making. Does anyone have a country preference? Does anyone have a favorite starting position?

The strategy guide is very good. The only thing I have to add is that this map is much better foggy than sunny. When I play foggy, I employ a few extra tricks:

At the start, I take note of the visible starting territories and what hidden territories my opponent might have. As the game progresses, by watching the game log and using a process of elimination, I try and pinpoint what territories my opponent started on. Doing this diligently is most useful within the first few turns and can often reveal vital information about an opponent's position and strategy.

Also, I try to keep in mind that the game log is public and get as much as I can from it. When someone deploys all of their troops at once, they are revealing information about strategy/numbers. Deception with splitting up deployments into parts and reinforcing certain numbers of troops can help swing a close game with an attentive opponent.

Thank you for this. Others will see it too as they continue to play on the map, and hopefully come looking for a guide

This question has always daunted me though - is there an advantage to taking USA vs USSR?

[mibi]

Well done gentlemen.

[myfriendkyle]

I could see the U.S. having a slight advantage being that Seaborg and Launch Code will be bombarded, allowing for an open road from the Bunker. This will come into play in foggy setting once its down to 2v2. Since you're starting your attack from a +2 autodeploy, you have a larger amount of troops to take and hold the Launch code with if you're trying for an early +50 gain. This is only really necessary if playing on adjacent or chained reins.

And if playing Adjacent, the U.S. becomes a larger advantage in this way since your other bunker is just one step away from the President, allowing you to gain an extra +2 to that side as well.

The Soviet bunkers would come less into play as they are both 2 steps away from being able to attack the Launch Code and Premier.

[mr. CD]

In my opinion USSR has an advantage due to Uranium being connected to the bunker and more cities are connected there, which means the chance is smaller that an opponent is behind a bonus.

[AslanTheKing]

The map is well writen,
in the game itself, there are questions coming up, which could be helpfully answered here.
I experienced that if you go up the missile, from that moment on you can not attack anymore from anywhere else.
That means youre stuck to the missile, and if you have only 10 troops up there, youre not able to take missile launch and attack your opponent anyhow.
Question is, if u hold president, launchcode and the entire missile ( except the neutral 15 missile launch) can you still bombard from your spy to the other country or not?

another question is, if my opponent bombards through launchcode may missiles stage one,
and i have a stack of troops up on the missile head, can i go for the missile launch, or do i have
to take my missile stag 1 back?

Of course with experience this questions will be answered itself,
just to start a tourney and looking for help is risky.
But i believe such information would be very helpful for not making mayor mistakes
which are in a tourney of upmost importance.

Still it helped me to get a overal view on this game, and i like it.

[nippersean]

The map is well writen,
in the game itself, there are questions coming up, which could be helpfully answered here.
I experienced that if you go up the missile, from that moment on you can not attack anymore from anywhere else.
That means youre stuck to the missile, and if you have only 10 troops up there, youre not able to take missile launch and attack your opponent anyhow.
Question is, if u hold president, launchcode and the entire missile ( except the neutral 15 missile launch) can you still bombard from your spy to the other country or not?

another question is, if my opponent bombards through launchcode may missiles stage one,
and i have a stack of troops up on the missile head, can i go for the missile launch, or do i have
to take my missile stag 1 back?

Of course with experience this questions will be answered itself,
just to start a tourney and looking for help is risky.
But i believe such information would be very helpful for not making mayor mistakes
which are in a tourney of upmost importance.

Still it helped me to get a overal view on this game, and i like it.

Yeah it's a great map.

Question is, if u hold president, launchcode and the entire missile ( except the neutral 15 missile launch) can you still bombard from your spy to the other country or not?
Yes you can but hopefully the +50 that you drop on warhead to take missile launch - and bombard his whole map may make this unnecessary. From spy you can only bombard scientist, premier, launch code - if you get +50 don't even consider anything else than dropping warhead and having some auto- attack / bombard fun.


another question is, if my opponent bombards through launchcode may missiles stage one,
and i have a stack of troops up on the missile head, can i go for the missile launch, or do i have
to take my missile stag 1 back?

He bombards through missile launch not launchcode of course, but got you. No you need entire missile to go for the +50, with pres + launchcode. If you got a stack on warhead you can still go through missile launch and bombard other half of map. But of course it resets back to 15 neuts after you've taken it, so you need plenty of damage / KO - because with the gaps you cannot fort yourself on warhead

[AslanTheKing]

thx for the questions,
i dont know what happened, but if you have troops on your missile stage,
then you can still attack from spy to the other country, above i stated wrongly, my mistake,
maybe i had only 1 troop everywhere except on my missile, thats why i couldnt attack anywhere,
apologize, my mistake
if questions arouse, can i post them here?

[nippersean]

thx for the questions,
i dont know what happened, but if you have troops on your missile stage,
then you can still attack from spy to the other country, above i stated wrongly, my mistake,
maybe i had only 1 troop everywhere except on my missile, thats why i couldnt attack anywhere,
apologize, my mistake
if questions arouse, can i post them here?

maybe questions and answers thread is better, but for sure ask questions, if you want to ask me then pm game numbers and specific questions, thats fine too. But the questions thread is best

[stahrgazer]

another question is, if my opponent bombards through launchcode may missiles stage one,
and i have a stack of troops up on the missile head, can i go for the missile launch, or do i have
to take my missile stag 1 back?

He bombards through missile launch not launchcode of course, but got you. No you need entire missile to go for the +50, with pres + launchcode. If you got a stack on warhead you can still go through missile launch and bombard other half of map. But of course it resets back to 15 neuts after you've taken it, so you need plenty of damage / KO - because with the gaps you cannot fort yourself on warhead

This answer is deceiving; simplifying should help:

1) Yes, you can go for your missile launch warhead without holding the entire missile.

2) You will NOT get the +50 bonus unless you hold the entire missile.

And for those asking about what happens if you hold the missile: If all you have is part of the missile, you will not be able to go backwards. If you have missile and other regions on the map, you do not have to put your troops on the missile; if you have a spy, certainly you can bombard from your spy. If you have regions still on both sides of the map, certainly you can assault on both sides of the map.

For those encouraging fog of war? So do I, it's why I mention it in the introduction part.

For those who have other questions, if you ask them here I can't guarantee I'll be monitoring to respond, but as you can see, others are.

For those who complimented the guide? I'm sure I speak for all those who contributed to this latest guide version: thanks, we're glad you like it and hope you find it helpful.