For context, I am considering a triples games, with no specific settings. But to offer my general game settings: Flat Rate, Chained, No Special settings
1) Maintain Map Presence/Control/Access
Look at the drop for you and your teammates. Look at which players have access to which parts of the board. Is there a part of the board where red has 2 territories, green 1, and blue none? This is a particularly weak part of the board for your team. Consider bolstering these territories to maintain presence, for if you are kicked out of the region, it could be a major burden for future turns trying to fight your way back. Don't lose presence early on in a part of the map. Even more so if these are likely targets. Did you notice that blue can not access the upper right corner, easy job to kick out 1 green, then ONLY red can do an attack up their effectively. And for red, that might be forced every turn and prevent them from playing elsewhere on the map as a result. Perhaps gaining that bonus can wait until next turn. Don't let yourself or your team get kicked out of a given region of the map altogether.
2) Break Opponents Bonus
Self Explanatory. Do not let your opponents get ahead without a fight. If it is your turn, and you are not close enough to do an effective job, split your deployment and help the closest teammate who can do the job effectively. Don't lead a desperate attack trying to break in if the odds already favour another team member who is immediately adjacent. Make his job easier, and give him 1 or 2 troops. If you can do it yourself, do it. Don't think to yourself, I'll let one of the other two do it on their turns, ... do it now. Don't bog down your teammates into a forced move... unless indeed that is the correct choice (i.e. above, they will do it much more easily than you)
3) Gain A Bonus
Find a way to give your team an edge and increase your troop income with a bonus. Or particular territories that offer automatic deployments of +1, +2 etc... Make your opponents sweat it out. Self Explanatory. Gives your team advantage. Target the bonuses that are most easily takable. Do you have 4 / 9 territories in a large bonus, and 1 / 3. It is quicker to take 2 territories, than the amount of turns it may take to get those 5 - oh, and keep them. Does your teammate have 2/4, and you have one of the other 2? Fort to him, let him take your territory and the other one that is your opponents. Giving up a territory in this way in the beginning is easy when everything is comparably even early on. Gaining a bonus is more effective sometimes then just increasing your territory count in general, it gives your team a stronger map presence, and forces your opponents turn, limiting their options. Gaining territories like sweeping one's or taking a bonus is a generally a decision leaning towards the bonus. Elimination of opponent with 1's etc can be important matters, but definitely look to gain bonuses.
4) Lower Opponents Territory count/Troop Income/Overall troops (often opponent who is next to play)
A very straightforward way to maintain a lead or create one. The next opponent to play, is there a way to weaken him by reducing his troop income? 16 territories, take two, lower him from 5 to 4 troops? Or just in general, reduce territory count, and overall troops.
5) Wondering which opponent to target?
If teams are on par or a bit behind, target strongest player and keep any opponent from gaining an advantage. If ahead, target weakest opponent, ultimately for elimination if an option or just to make his turn as meaningless as possible. I.e. take him to three troops due. Then cycle to next opponent, make him due three troops. Once they have all been neutralized, go for elimination. Have you got them all down to 3 troops? Are they just waiting for their next trade in to be helpful? Nicely done sir.
6) Control the Corners
Watch your back, and reduce the number of fronts you are working with. If you control a corner then you can explode outwards in attacks. If your opponents can only attack you from one direction, you can double your efforts and be more effective. If you control corners, you march inwards and take out everything in your path. If you start in the centre, you have a much harder time of attacking outward in all directions, with potential attacks coming from all over.
7) Attack single large stacks, Multiple One's
Once these start to become noticeable, do not let large stacks of 7 - 10 + linger for potential future assaults by your opponents. Also, if an opponent has many one's that can suitably be attacked and taken go for it.
Coordinate with teammates / Support themDo not be silent in team games. (you wanted to play with others.. but not talk to them, ever?) Perhaps your teammates and you are all seasoned pros and don't need to because you all know what to do. Wrong. Keep communication open. Did you reinforce them in territory X for an assault on territory Y, remind them at the end of your turn. Are you wanting a particular reinforcement yourself for help on your next turn? Ask for it. Don't assume every team member has the same perfect ideas. Discuss. If you have two differing views, talk it out. Which is best? Along with communication is the support. Forting and deploying to your teammates on your turn.
9) Do These All Together
Can you gain a bonus, knock them out of a corner, reduce opponents presence in that corner, drop their territory count and troop income, while also being able to provide troops to your teammates at the end? Sounds like a perfect turn to me. Once you begin to look for these things in a turn, they will become the things you automatically notice. Train yourself to think about them - all of them!. Don't mindlessly go for a goal of "I can take that territory and lower his troop income" without considering other objectives as well.
10) Finally, we are back to a generalist point: What are the game Settings again? What is nature of the map?
How do the game settings influence the importance of these objectives? Are there cards waiting for you after you take a territory, or is it no spoils? Is this flat rate or escalating - maybe that mixed set isn't really worth 10, only 4 for first trade in! Are there a lot of neutrals, or just a few? Should you attack them instead of your opponent? Is it worth it? Is there something specific about the map you should be aware of? Is their a winning goal that can end the game, not simple elimination? Learn the map.
If there are two bonuses equally available, one in the corner and one in the centre, in general... which would you take?
Perhaps this was to vague. Perhaps it was somewhat helpful. Again, context is huge. Which goal is most applicable can change. But good to keep these in mind I think. I can expand on any one with a specific question about it. Many of them are probably ubiquitous.
Did I miss a big one in your opinion? Please keep in mind, these were general views about where to focus a particular turn, or series of turns. Some tactics such as how to deploy, use your trade ins etc were not being considered.
Hopefully your leisure time wasn't too much wasted. Do you have a different set of guidelines? Share them! We can all stand to learn something new!
