Esca-Lite ... refreshingly different

[Robinette]

There used to be 4, and now we've got 7 options for the number of players
There used to be 1, and now there are 6 options for Game Type
There used to be just a few, and there are now well over 100 maps
There used to be 1 game mechanic, now there are many (bombardment, etc)
We've even added fog, and speed too
But Spoils Have not changed... it's Escalating, Flat Rate, and None


I hear people complain about Escalating that it goes too fast to have "real strategy"
And yet I hear people (including myself) complain about Flat and No Cards lasting forever

So lets bridge the gap...

Try "Esca-Lite", the refreshing new low calorie energy game!

Just like the "Rule Variation for Risk Experts" from the board game,
the sets start at 4, and increase by 1. (4,5,6,7,8,9....)

Let's compare:

......... Esca-Lite .......... Flat Rate ........... Escalating

................. 4 ....................... 8 ....................... 4
................. 5 ....................... 8 ....................... 6
................. 6 ....................... 8 ....................... 8
................. 7 ....................... 8 ....................... 10
................. 8 ....................... 8 ....................... 12
................. 9 ....................... 8 ....................... 15 ____________________________________
................ 10 ...................... 8 ....................... 20 ..marks beginning of 2nd round cashes in 6p
................ 11 ...................... 8 ....................... 25
................ 12 ...................... 8 ....................... 30
................ 13 ...................... 8 ....................... 35
................ 14 ...................... 8 ....................... 40
................ 15 ...................... 8 ....................... 45 ____________________________________
................ 16 ...................... 8 ....................... 50 ..marks beginning of 3rd round cashes in 6p
................ 17 ...................... 8 ....................... 55
................ 18 ...................... 8 ....................... 60
................ 19 ...................... 8 ....................... 65
................ 20 ...................... 8 ....................... 70
................ 21 ...................... 8 ....................... 75 ____________________________________
................ 22 ...................... 8 ....................... 80 ..marks beginning of 4th round cashes in 6p
................ 23 ...................... 8 ....................... 85 ..(as if THAT could ever happen in escalating)



To help you see the low calorie benefits of Esca-Lite another way, lets look at how many armies are added by cards (aka: spoils) through the end of each round of cashes (assuming 6p)

......... Esca-Lite .......... Flat Rate ........... Escalating

................ 39 ...................... 48 ....................... 55 ..end of 1st round cashes
.............. 114 ...................... 96 ..................... 250 ..end of 2nd round cashes
.............. 225 .................... 144 ..................... 625 ..end of 3rd round cashes
.............. 372 .................... 192 ................ (don't be silly) ..end of 4th round cashes

So what we can clearly see, is that Esca-Lite is very similar to Flat Rate until the 3rd round of cashes, making it somewhere around the 10th turn that the focus starts to shift towards the cards.

Of course, what you don't see in these numbers, is the relative effect of the set value to the number of troops on the board. What many complain about in Escalating is that when the cashes get to a certain point, a well timed cash can run the board. But with Esca-Lite, by the time the cashes get big, most players will have well fortified strongholds preventing that type of cascade. And yet, the impact of cashes well into an Esca-Lite game will allow for strong tactics, eliminating stalemates.

It's not for everybody, of course... as stated in the board game, "many experienced players like to reduce the role of Luck in the game", which is why they put this "Rule Variation for Risk Experts" starting in 1980.

I would think this to be a fairly simple coding, and it would make nearly every map play out differently... it could even give another medal opportunity to shoot for.... I'd love to try it...

Anyway, i just thought i'd try to get a sense for what you all thought before considering if an official suggestion should be made of it...

[xelabale]

Good idea, I look forward to discussing this in suggs and bugs.

[the.killing.44]

......... Esca-Lite .......... Flat Rate ........... Escalating
................ 23 ...................... 8 ....................... 85 ..(as if THAT could ever happen in escalating)

Play FS 8p classic speed; cash gets to 100 a fair amount

Good idea though.

[Robinette]

Good idea, I look forward to discussing this in suggs and bugs.

Not ready for that yet...

Just wanted to see how many liked the idea...

Actually, it would be interesting to know how many people have played the board game this way...

[Danyael]

the way I played with friends on a bored
we always all player got 4 for there first cash in
and it increased 6,8,10,12 and so on
but a low cal esc as you have laid out would be interesting

[sailorc]

It does sound interesting. I'd love to see how it'd play.

[notyou2]

I like it, great idea

[Mr Changsha]

I think this would be a great bridge between the escalating and flat/no cards standard players. You might actually get Robinette and I on the same board!

[notyou2]

I think this would be a great bridge between the escalating and flat/no cards standard players. You might actually get Robinette and I on the same board!

I think she is spoken for Mr C

[Mr Changsha]

I think this would be a great bridge between the escalating and flat/no cards standard players. You might actually get Robinette and I on the same board!

I think she is spoken for Mr C

Oh don't worry, I meant it in a purely sexual sense.

[notyou2]

Oh, that's OK then. Carry on.

[Foxglove]

Just wanted to see how many liked the idea...

I like the idea! I would play it.

[Mr Changsha]

Could I just admit to having this strange urge to put Foxglove over my knee and give her a good spanking?

Is that wrong?

Oh, esca-lite...top stuff.

[lord voldemort]

it would be different...prolly needs to be moved to sugs and bugs though

[captainwalrus]

I like this, I stay away from escalading usually, since it makes it more about the cards than about the map, but this the cards bonuses aren't that much more than territoriy bonuses on a lot of maps.

[Blitzaholic]

I suggested this option over 2 years ago and no one did anything with it and it kind of irritated me

I agree with it as another option 100%


I named it esc. + 1 but I could care less what they call it, just add the dam thing as another option already, geez.

[Foxglove]

Could I just admit to having this strange urge to put Foxglove over my knee and give her a good spanking?

Is that wrong?

Not always.

[Georgerx7di]

I hate it.

Furthermore, there is strategy in escalating games as im sure you know robin. Lets just put it this way.

Standard, terminator - escalating

1v1, 2v2, trips and quads - no cards

Assasin - any

Flat rate is just for when your board, or want more luck in your dubs games. Esca-lite would play like flat rate build games with std. 6 player settings. You must realize that the reason you can take someone out is that when you cash your cashing 25 more than the guy who cashed first from the group, whatever the round may be. If we all have 60 armies, and I cash for 18, 5 cashes later you're cashing for 23, you still can't take me out. It would just be another build game. And I don't think build games test your strategy, they just test who feels like playing longer.

Btw, I agree with mr. chang about foxglove

[Mr Changsha]

Btw, I agree with mr. chang about foxglove

Freestyle or standard spanking? I'll toss you for it if its standard.

I think we can both agree on escalating...but foxglove would probably prefer this new escalating-lite option Robinette is so into.

[mibi]

its crazy this great idea hasn't been added already.

[finchboy]

I like it a lot, escalating is great but it makes the bonuses on maps fairly redundant pretty quickly, just think of all those poor dears in the foundry! "All they want is corners and narrow routes I tell you!" It needs a better name however.

F

[72o]

I like it, but I think i like the "individual escalating" idea better. That is, i get 4 for my first cash, and 6 for my second, and so on. Opponent X also gets 4 for his first cash, 6 for his second, etc. This ends the turn skipping, deploying and not attacking, and letting time run out that always happens during round 5 and each cashing round after that in escalating games today.

[stahrgazer]

Anyway, i just thought i'd try to get a sense for what you all thought before considering if an official suggestion should be made of it...

Flat rate isn't a consistent 8, so your numbers are off; you may say that's an average, but you can't count on an average in any specific game.

However, for the suggestion itself: as an option, why not?

[Robinette]

I like it a lot, escalating is great but it makes the bonuses on maps fairly redundant pretty quickly, just think of all those poor dears in the foundry! "All they want is corners and narrow routes I tell you!"

It needs a better name however.

F

without hyphen? Escalite

with an -ing? Escaliting? Escalighting?

all together different? Graduated? Progressive? Ascending? Developing?

[Robinette]

I hate it.

Furthermore, there is strategy in escalating games as im sure you know robin.

Well of course... there is strategy in all of the game formats... this would just be something different...

Flat rate is just for when your board, or want more luck in your dubs games. Esca-lite would play like flat rate build games with std. 6 player settings. You must realize that the reason you can take someone out is that when you cash your cashing 25 more than the guy who cashed first from the group, whatever the round may be. If we all have 60 armies, and I cash for 18, 5 cashes later you're cashing for 23, you still can't take me out. It would just be another build game. And I don't think build games test your strategy, they just test who feels like playing longer.

aww george... you disappoint me... the early rounds would be more likely to have many skirmishes which would hold those #'s down a bit as players go for continents... you're only seeing this through escalating tinted glasses, where continent bonuses mean nothing, and blocking rules (i just had to throw that in, hehehe).. i take it you've never played the board game this way, y'know, there is a reason the rules called this a variation for Risk experts... give it another look, but with an open mind.