Advice to people who are new to this game

[Pedronicus]

...

[johnnyrotten]

Ok I know I'm not new but I'm crap so i need all the advice i can get lol what's the best strategy for no card games?

[AndyDufresne]

A good number of the newer players do try to play with the less experienced some, but there are always a few games where a Captain feels obliged to hop in with a bunch of privates...

--Andy

[Marvaddin]

No cards game? Hold a continent quickly And spread over the map when you can, specially in games with less than 4 players, you will gain armies for 1/3 of your countries.

[cheese man]

i think taking oceana is a good way to start then slowly spread into africa

[moz976]

to me south america is better less people go after it than oceana

[AndyDufresne]

My best advice....Take things slowly--don't rush and spread yourself thin--always be thinking a few turns ahead and have multiple plans.

Edit: There's a lot of advice for the classic map, but how about Canada, Asia, and Europe?

--Andy

[Pedronicus]

just bumping this thread for any new players who have never seen this

[kingwaffles]

Might not be a bad idea for a sticky... It could be very useful for players just starting up.

[Jolly Roger]

Dumb luck is essential - try and incorporate it into as many games as possible

[agarvin]

* Have a good feel for odds when you go into battle. Consultation of a risk odds calculator can be helpful. Here's one on the web: http://bartell.org/cgi-bin/risk.cgi.

* Keep careful track of how many reinforcements each player will get, and how many cards they have. Keep an eye out for weak players with lots of cards, because everyone will want to take that player out. In games with 5 or 6 people, and escalating cards, you often see games that suddenly end when one player wipes out another, takes their cards, cashes them, and continues on with each subsequent player falling like dominoes.

* In an escalating game, try to be the last person to cash in cards (unless you REALLY need them earlier). In a flat game, try to hold out for red-blue-green cards if possible; also in flat games, it's often (though not always) a benefit to be the first to cash them in, to make the first big expansion.

* In cards games, try to grab a card every turn. It can be useful to make an alliance where you agree to leave a bordering country with only 1 man in it, and then each of you take turns attacking the country, getting a card with minimal danger. In No-Cards game, realize there is a diminished benefit in attacking another country every turn. Try to build up strength instead, if possible.

* If possible, try to grab a continent out of the way and unthreatened at the start. Avoid continents in the middle, between two opponents. Continents with the least number of access points are also good. North America is worth the same as Europe, but Europe has 5 access points (or maybe 6 depending on how you count),whereas NA only has 3. Keep the smallest border possible (if you have Europe, you should try to hold North Africa if at all possible, because of its two entries into Europe. The Middle East is also a key.

* Don't forget that the bonus you get for every 3 countries you hold above 9. In some of the big maps, you can get a huge bonus from being spread out widely. In some of the big maps, it can be a great alternative to owning a continent, because people don't view you as much of a threat.

* Avoid making other players think you're the biggest threat until you can fend off all attacks. Taking a big continent too soon should be avoided, except perhaps in 3-man games with unlimited fortifications, since you can shore up the defenses.

* Make alliances if possible, or at least try to focus attention on another player. Offering to make one border a DMZ is often appreciated early in the game. Later on, cooperation to stop a juggernaut can be possible, if you're in a weak position. Suggest that other players have grown too strong. And if possible, let other players do your work for you in taking down a dangerously strong opponent.

* If you make an alliance, set a limit on how long it'll last (for instance, to round 4), or a condition for it ending (examples: when one or the other's turnwise reinforcements are greater than 6, when one or two other players have been wiped out, or when any of the allies has more than one continent). Never be the first to break it. You can also generate good will by promising not to attack a certain player, without asking anything in return.

[Pedronicus]

There's a lot of advice for the classic map, but how about Canada, Asia, and Europe?

Don't play them untill you have grasped the game, then when you have grasped the game, don't play them.

[qeee1]

Ignore Pedronicus.

On other maps, generally look to start in the small continents, the ones with 2 or 3 army bonuses. However don't engage in a war for a continent early on, unless you're pretty sure you can win.

If you can't find a continent easily, try to consolidate some of your troops, in some reasonably non-threatening location, so you can have a large attacking force to either:
a)Grab a continent once somebody else has done the hard work of cleaning it out.
or
b)Eliminate someone for cards...

Oh and one more thing about the clasic map... stay away from trying to hold Africa, it's a death trap. You're always crushed between whoever holds South America, and whoever holds Australia, so unless you've got some nice diplomatic skills, or happen to be the lucky owner of one of those continents stay away. That's just my experience though. Oh and it's grand for storing troops, just not for a continent to hold.

[agarvin]

[quote="qeee1"]

If you can't find a continent easily, try to consolidate some of your troops, in some reasonably non-threatening location, so you can have a large attacking force to either:
[/pquote]

Yes, that's a good point. If you start with a weak position, with few adjacent countries (ie, a position that looks hopeless), a good thing to do is sit in one non-threatening place and just build up armies. A frequent good place is in the middle of the largest continent, because most players will be trying to grab the smaller or medium-sized continents, and won't want to risk taking one country with 7 or 8 or more men. Grab a card whenever possible, but never when it risks too many men.

Keep an eye out for weak adjacent continents, or especially for weak players whom you can swoop in, wipe out, and grab their cards. But mainly, bide your time and under no circumstances let anyone think you're a threat. Short alliances where you promise support in attacking another player might be acceptable, but avoid entanglements.

[Pedronicus]

BUMP

[joeyjordison]

oceana is the easiest continent to hold and is best at the start but south america is just as gd coz it lets u expand later on

[KoolBak]

Dumb luck is essential - try and incorporate it into as many games as possible

Nothing else need be said; JR again comes thru with the wisdom of the ages......

[wicked]

There's a lot of advice for the classic map, but how about Canada, Asia, and Europe?
--Andy

It doesn't take any skill to take Canada.

[eye84free]

dont drop the soap....cause when u bend over to pick it up.whappppppp....so always watch ur back.....

[hawkeye]

play tamriel and get summerset isle.

[Vader_09]

I have found that if u are playing a classic map that the best way to go is to take S. America and move to take over North Africa. North Africa is the key. With N. Africa u cn break up europe and if u have Egypt too, then u cn break up Asia also.

[swdragon12]

how do you turn your status to "ready to play" in a game???

[AK_iceman]

you wait until it is your turn and it does it automatically

[gavin_sidhu]

If u start with countries widely spread and seem to have no continent that you can take, build up an army in a country like North Africa or Middle East, which gives you access to at least three different continents. When u find a weak spot in one of the continents, take it.

How do u get the large map in each game to be your default?

[Mysteron]

The best advice I could give right now is very fundamental. Please don't enter a game unless you intend to play it.

Game 37148 (still current) is a cliche example of three different new players (in their first game) all failing to play and getting kicked out.

Myself and craigcar78 were left in game that was pointless and decided to both deadbeat it ourselves.

The majority of people on this great site treat every game as serious fun and get irritated when this sort of thing happens.

I have heard of one or two who avoid playing "newbies" for this reason, however, the only way to learn the strategies of this fine game is to play good players and it would be sad if all the new players struggled to find a game, or were left to play amongst themselves.

Please, don't be a deadbeat and have the courtesy to play your turn.

I'd like to welcome any new members reading this and look forward to meeting you on the battlefield.