BaldAdonis wrote:The opposite is true: on smaller maps, you should get a bonus, even if it means killing neutrals. On larger maps, you shouldn't bother. That's just how the numbers work (taking 3 from your opponent reduces their deployment, but only until they have 11 territories, which happens a lot faster on a smaller map, so the territory gains aren't worth as much).
Your inexperience is showing when you claim World 2.1 games last a long time. With an evenly matched opponent, you might have a longer battle (in your case, where both of you attack neutrals and build up an army in one continent), but most of the time, the winner is determined in the first 4 rounds. Lets play some games and we'll see how well your theory works.
Its your inexperience that is showing here not his.
Your strategy is certainly generally the plan, but ignores most of the real strategy of the board which is absolutely to take bonuses, all while taking territories.
The key to the map and the reason it is better than most mid sized maps is that there is a much larger number of armies to work with, and it is that sheer number of armies, and the number of decisions you can make with them, that allows for a strategic advantage. Further, with two even players, with even dice, the game is hardly always decided on 4 rounds. It can go back and forth for 10 rounds, and Ive had them last 20, though that is rare.
The important thing to know about world is that every game actually is different. In general, you have to play aggressive, and territories are very important on 1v1, however, it is breaking bonuses that is important above all, and by strategically taking a bonus, even for one round, a player can swing the scale of the game. You just have to know which bonus at which time, and it changes on nearly every board. If you get great dice, it wont really matter, but if its even throughout the game, the fighting for the bonuses often is the game, and often the first person to hold one wins.
As far as playing some games and seeing how my theory works...well. we already did that. You lost of course.
My best advice after playing thousands and reading Adonis' advice, is to ignore his advice. Its based on guessing, not playing. He was making up strategy when he had played it a few games as well. Listen to the many players that actually frequent the map, and succeed at it, and there are a great many.