Strategies for nuclear spoils

[natty dread]

You're wrong in that #3 is the only possible strategy, given that nukes removes all strategy from the game. Pray for luck in the cards, and hang on for the idiotic ride.

Some would say the same of escalating cards, or even flat rates.

Why not at least try a game of nuclear before you start with the bashing of new ideas...

PS. There's plenty of strategy. You have to plan ahead, and have plenty of backup plans in case any of your territories get nuked.

[Woodruff]

You're wrong in that #3 is the only possible strategy, given that nukes removes all strategy from the game. Pray for luck in the cards, and hang on for the idiotic ride.

Some would say the same of escalating cards, or even flat rates.

Why not at least try a game of nuclear before you start with the bashing of new ideas...

PS. There's plenty of strategy. You have to plan ahead, and have plenty of backup plans in case any of your territories get nuked.

Because I HAVE played this form of game before. Many times live, as a kid. I am speaking from experience.

[natty dread]

Because I HAVE played this form of game before. Many times live, as a kid. I am speaking from experience.

Perhaps you would get some new POV if you tried the game type now as an adult. You know, the adult mind works differently than that of a child... I know if I had played 6 player escalating classic as a kid I'd have thought it to be a game of luck with no strategy... On to new experiences with an open mind, eh?

Anyway, let us keep this thread on topic please. This is for discussing strategies for nuclear spoils games. I'm sure there are plenty of other threads to voice your like or dislike for the new game type...

[Trephining]

I'd like to add a strategy item:

[*] When games have neutral territories [with more than one army on them] to begin with, nuking the loaded neutral is a far cheaper path to taking it than attacking it conventionally.


That point was inspired by looking at the Supermax: Prison Riot map. Territory [005] starts with 5 neutrals and tends to remain neutral for a while. Now you can nuke it and duke it out over the warden and the prisoners outside the prison much earlier with the right nuke.

And enemies won't be able to plan for that since there is almost no way they can predict your strategy until it is unveiled.

[72o]

My strategy technique:

Find a goat.
Sacrifice it.
Chant prayer to spoils gods.
Repeat.

[natty dread]

My strategy technique:

Find a goat.
Sacrifice it.
Chant prayer to spoils gods.
Repeat.

Do I need to reiterate?

Anyway, let us keep this thread on topic please. This is for discussing strategies for nuclear spoils games. I'm sure there are plenty of other threads to voice your like or dislike for the new game type...

[kazoo]

lol, everyones talking about doodle earth

[Woodruff]

My strategy technique:

Find a goat.
Sacrifice it.
Chant prayer to spoils gods.
Repeat.

Do I need to reiterate?

A quote from one of Jack Nicholson's movies comes to mind. <grin>

[natty dread]

Now that I've played a bit of nuclear, I'd have to say, lots of people are still keeping their troops in one stack... which is dumb. One nuke and you're toast. I've found the best strategy to always divide your troops into as many territories as possible. Yes, the ones on borders can have a few troops more, but you need to have a backup in case they get nuked.

Other than that, you can pretty much use no spoils strategy, with the exception that you will want to attack at least 1 territory to get a card most of the time. There are some situations where taking a card is not the best course of action, though.

[skeletonboy]

My strategy technique:

Find a goat.
Sacrifice it.
Chant prayer to spoils gods.
Repeat.

I lol'd

[obliterationX]

I'm going to have to partially disagree, by keeping men on a card you own but don't intend to cash keeps them safe. Only way to know they are safe.

Other people can have the same card as you...

In smaller games, such as 3-way games, on the Classic map, this shouldn't be the case, right? I'm sure they never duplicate unless they have to. Is this the case? It seemed to be the case when I played nuclear in a 3-way game. If this holds true, stacking on territories of which you have cards, can save stacks (unless you cash in yourself... don't do this on 5 spoils... lol).

[zimmah]

I'm going to have to partially disagree, by keeping men on a card you own but don't intend to cash keeps them safe. Only way to know they are safe.

wrong, it only makes it less likely they will be nuked, because there is always a chance someone else has the same card you have!

[zimmah]

I'd like to add a strategy item:

[*] When games have neutral territories [with more than one army on them] to begin with, nuking the loaded neutral is a far cheaper path to taking it than attacking it conventionally.


That point was inspired by looking at the Supermax: Prison Riot map. Territory [005] starts with 5 neutrals and tends to remain neutral for a while. Now you can nuke it and duke it out over the warden and the prisoners outside the prison much earlier with the right nuke.

And enemies won't be able to plan for that since there is almost no way they can predict your strategy until it is unveiled.

[*] play AoM2
[*] pray you get Sanctuary
[*] take it
[*] pray noone nukes it again
[*] win

[zimmah]

I'm going to have to partially disagree, by keeping men on a card you own but don't intend to cash keeps them safe. Only way to know they are safe.

Other people can have the same card as you...

In smaller games, such as 3-way games, on the Classic map, this shouldn't be the case, right? I'm sure they never duplicate unless they have to. Is this the case? It seemed to be the case when I played nuclear in a 3-way game. If this holds true, stacking on territories of which you have cards, can save stacks (unless you cash in yourself... don't do this on 5 spoils... lol).

has to be tested, anyone up for a few open nuke games (where we tell each other exactly what cards we have) just for testing purposes?

[The Neon Peon]

I'm going to have to partially disagree, by keeping men on a card you own but don't intend to cash keeps them safe. Only way to know they are safe.

wrong, it only makes it less likely they will be nuked, because there is always a chance someone else has the same card you have!

Still partially wrong. Cards are completely separate per player.

Meaning that no matter what your cards are, they will never affect what your opponents are.

So it's not less likely to be nuked... it's just "There's no way to make your troops safe. Deal with it!"

[stahrgazer]

Only move troops from spoils you own when you know you're about to cash them; that way, you'll know they're safe, so that IS where you can stack until you need to move out...although that means you should only stack on regions you own for a couple rounds where you have an attack-path to extricate before your own cash.

Which is a strategy other than, "pray."

[Woodruff]

Only move troops from spoils you own when you know you're about to cash them; that way, you'll know they're safe, so that IS where you can stack until you need to move out...although that means you should only stack on regions you own for a couple rounds where you have an attack-path to extricate before your own cash.

Which is a strategy other than, "pray."

But as Neon Peon has pointed out, not really any more effective.

[natty dread]

The strategy I've used succesfully in nuclear games: DO NOT STACK. Divide your troops... if you have all your troops in one stack, you will be sorry when it gets nuked and you're left with nothing but 1:s.

In nuke games, dividing your troops becomes a form of art... check out this Game 6185768 for an example.

[General Roy]

OK, I realize it might be a bit early for this topic... but here we go.
Any hints for nuclear?

Pray. That's the only strategy involved. It's like Russian Roulette with cards instead of bullets.

I have played a few nuclear games now, and my conclusion it is mostly a question of chance and little strategy. One obvious pointer is of course: Avoid stacks. Spread out your troops over a larger area.

But the larger your area is, the more sure you can be that you will be nuked. I.e. a no win situation here.
Also, when you nuke one of your opponents, you may not get the advantage of it yourself, but rather one of the others, who may be better places just then.

I've just finished a nuked Circus Maximus game, and we were 2 players in the end, and we chased each other around the field for a lot of rounds, until the other player got sufficiently better dice than I and, therefore, was able to eliminate me. At least here it was totally a question of dice and not strategy at all.

So my advice is: If you like strategy: Stay away from nuked games.
General Roy

[Rakio]

Is it legal to attack and run out of time to not get 5 cards and thus avoid nuking your stacks?

The part about people being able to have duplicate cards seems very odd.
I have played plenty of nuclear games with 1 stack, it never got nuked...maybe the chance is very small?

[Jatekos]

I have played plenty of nuclear games with 1 stack, it never got nuked...maybe the chance is very small?

Depends on the number of players and the size of the map. If you are building on a region that you also have as a card, and the # of regions > # of players * 5 then the chance of your stack being nuked by others is zero.

[Rakio]

I have played plenty of nuclear games with 1 stack, it never got nuked...maybe the chance is very small?

Depends on the number of players and the size of the map. If you are building on a region that you also have as a card, and the # of regions > # of players * 5 then the chance of your stack being nuked by others is zero.

That isnt what others are saying in this thread?
Hence my confusion.

[Jatekos]

On small maps with many players you (or others) may very well receive duplicate cards, but otherwise only one card will be distributed of each region at a time. If it is in your hand then only you can nuke that region.

[Rakio]

I'm going to have to partially disagree, by keeping men on a card you own but don't intend to cash keeps them safe. Only way to know they are safe.

wrong, it only makes it less likely they will be nuked, because there is always a chance someone else has the same card you have!

Still partially wrong. Cards are completely separate per player.

Meaning that no matter what your cards are, they will never affect what your opponents are.

So it's not less likely to be nuked... it's just "There's no way to make your troops safe. Deal with it!"

Neon amongst others says different from you Jatekos

[Jatekos]

I'm going to have to partially disagree, by keeping men on a card you own but don't intend to cash keeps them safe. Only way to know they are safe.

wrong, it only makes it less likely they will be nuked, because there is always a chance someone else has the same card you have!

Still partially wrong. Cards are completely separate per player.

Meaning that no matter what your cards are, they will never affect what your opponents are.

So it's not less likely to be nuked... it's just "There's no way to make your troops safe. Deal with it!"

Neon amongst others says different from you Jatekos

Well, then you will have to test it yourself.
I am quite confident as my strategy worked in the last couple of nuclear games I played.