Mmmm, lets just focus on the argument, and not that "I have played X more game mores than you, so I know better". You really wouldn't know how many games I have played, because to be honest with you, I don't know either. Its countless, and it doesn't really matter.
Anyway, now I understand your argument better. You don't attack to win a country in the beginning for cards. One reason is that all countries have 3 armies to begin with. So you are right to say that its better to avoid the attacks, because they are costly.
I also like the analogy that you use that you expect others to
hold your cards for you. That's a nice way of putting it.
However, I wanted to say that it depends. Kicking a player out of an area may be a much more valuable option than getting their cards three turns down the road. Once they lose hope to share that continent with you, they may leave to go somewhere else and be somebody else's problem. So, it will help you to attack them and make them leave.
Of course as I mentioned, it also depends on card sequences used, and if countries have 1 or three armies in the beginning and also on the calculation I did in my post.
The rule you have setup is simple and perhaps it will benefit many new players. However, it is not a rule cast in stone that you should always miss collecting cards in the first two turns.
I am sure you will agree with me on that, as I take it, you have played many games.
