Missed turn strategies

[PLAYER57832]

I have read again and again in the "Suggestions" Forum that Lack/ many other experienced players feel it is possible to predict/plan for the reinforcements that come from missed turns. HOW? Virtually every game I have played with someone missing a turn and then coming back has resulted in a win for that person. Either Lack is wrong or I am doing something very wrong. What do I need to do?

(oh, and I did a quick search and was not able to get any truly ready answers, but if they are out there, please advise me of the thread).

[MeDeFe]

You (and the other players) don't keep track of who misses how many turns. Apart from that you're doing everything right.

[rebelman]

for a combination of reasons I have missed a large amount of turns lately i am certain these missed turns caused me to lose games and not the other way around.

[remydog]

Forgive me if this is already discussed elsewhere, but I am getting pretty frustrated with people missing turns. I am finding the worst offenders are the newer players (duh, really?!?). I wish that there was a way to filter who could join a game. I used to be part of an online backgammon game where the person creating the game could decide how tough or easy an opponent (based on rank) he was willing to face.

I realize we can use the invitation system and private games, but that narrows the field of potential players too much.

At the very least, perhaps noobs should only be allowed to play other noobs until they complete a certain number of games. Or better still, a missed turn should be a true forfeiture of the armies that you would have collected. A missed turn when you have a card set should be penalized, also -- perhaps not being able to play the set on your next turn, losing one card, or something else.

MSK

[edbeard]

the person creating the game could decide how tough or easy an opponent (based on rank) he was willing to face.

not a bad idea to be able to have a public game only available to certain ranks

you should put it in the suggestions forum if it's not already there

[PLAYER57832]

There are several threads on this in the suggestions forum, and a response in the sticky about posting therein.

One of the arguments is always that one can defend agianst these extra armies... I was hoping to get a better explanation of how, because I have too often failed. I have lost several games for this very reason. Some folks do use it as a strategy, [particularlt in the "Doodle" boards.

[kingpin01]

The most important strategy is to break their bonus, if they have one. If they are getting 6 armies instead of 3, you cant do much about that. If they have North America and are going to get 16 armies, then do your best to break their bonus.

[Herakilla]

they dont get any more armies than if they had played out their turns, in fact they usually get LESS armies if people see it coming, losing a bonus hurts really badly when you want it multiplied

[PLAYER57832]

in most games, bonuses were not involved. In a couple of Doodle Games, I have been the one with a bonus, though usually not for more than a turn, and the other player pounces in just in time to break my bonus AND then go to conquer me. Soemthing similar happened in the rail game. Two of us had most of the board, then the third player came back after missing one or two and was able to break some of our biggest bonuses, and reinforce his own position making it very difficult for either of us to come back.

[Catawbain]

From the strategy that Wacicha told me, he advises NOT to attack on your first turn, but to place your units and wait. Perhaps in missing your first turn, you can wait for others to duke it out, place your DOUBLE units in a weakened area and take advantage of it, otherwise I see no strategic value.

[Piestar]

In a game with escalating cards, missing your first turn also allows you to go a bit later before being required to turn in your first set. Actually, missing any of your five turns does this, but I think holding back your first turn isn't a bad option, if all your potential targets have three armies. 6-on-3 rarely turns out well for me...

[remydog]

A more troubling situation is where a player has a 5 cards in an escalating game. He sees his position is reasonably secure from elimination for one or two turns. He chooses to miss so that others cash in and add value to his cards. Not only does he come in with a higher value set, but because he already has two cards, he will likely hit another set very soon. This, combined with the extra armies for missed turns, makes him a very tough opponent to beat.

MSK

[PLAYER57832]

Peister and Remydog, you each have great points for why missing turns is used as an advantage, but my question was how to prevent it from being an advantage, because Lack has said again and again that there is NO advantage to missing a turn.

Thank you everyone who commented

[Herakilla]

you prevent it by minimizing the troops they get. every 1 troop you normally would take out is actually 2 or 3 (depends on how many turns they missed) so taking out a couple of armies is actually taking out double or triple that

[remydog]

Peister and Remydog, you each have great points for why missing turns is used as an advantage, but my question was how to prevent it from being an advantage, because Lack has said again and again that there is NO advantage to missing a turn.

Thank you everyone who commented

Well, in the case of one of the games I am playing right now, a player has missed his turn twice and has five cards. He has not lost much, if any, territory at this point because we are stillearly enough in the game that most of his countries have multiple armies on them. Those that have small numbers are protected by larger numbers and he has Oz.

So, when he comes back, he gets his 5 armies, multiplied by 3 to make up for the two missed turns. And because he did not cash his cards as required, while others have cashed, his set is worth much more than it would have been. So, he'll come back to a game where he gets 30 armies when everyone else is getting just a small number each turn.

I do not think this player is doing this intentionally. I looked at his other games and he has missed turns in every one. In the others, he might not have a card set or any significant territory. My guess is he is just not able to play presently. Nevertheless, if he does come back to my game, he will probably win in the next move.

MSK

[EmperorOfDaNorth]

You should separate deadbeating (often new players) with intentionally missing turns by experienced players.

Indeed if you miss turns because you couldn't make it to the game then indeed this rarely happens at good times and as a result the missed cards/bonus will hurt you.

However missing a turn in Escalating when sitting on 5 cards that you need to cash can be HUGELY benefitial, when the circumstances are right. It could make the difference between getting like 6 armies for your cards, or 20.

[Adino]

Is missing a turn good or bad? Well that depends alot on the game settings and the current condition of the board. But their are clearly times where it is benificial. How do you defend against it? The best way is by spending your turn fortifying against them so that when they spring out your just as strong as they are. If someone misses a turn assume that they will go all out against you next turn and defend yourself.

I am very much against delibrate missing of turns but I think this set up is necessary. I miss turns every now and then when I go out of town. If i lost my troops my team would loose as it is things are fairly ballanced and missing a turn isnt death for someone.

[codeblue1018]

Missing turns solely to attain additional armies is nothing more than pathetic play. It's not a strategy; it's a legal form of cheating. Anyone that I encounter that utilizes this form of play goes directly to the ignore list, however, that's just me. I can win without sinking to this level.

[Herakilla]

Missing turns solely to attain additional armies is nothing more than pathetic play. It's not a strategy; it's a legal form of cheating. Anyone that I encounter that utilizes this form of play goes directly to the ignore list, however, that's just me. I can win without sinking to this level.

\

its not additional armies they actually get less armies more often than not, at least in games im playing since i hit them HARD if they miss a turn

[codeblue1018]

Missing turns solely to attain additional armies is nothing more than pathetic play. It's not a strategy; it's a legal form of cheating. Anyone that I encounter that utilizes this form of play goes directly to the ignore list, however, that's just me. I can win without sinking to this level.

\

its not additional armies they actually get less armies more often than not, at least in games im playing since i hit them HARD if they miss a turn

Not always the case. I've seen it where a particular player has a bonus / set and doesn't start his turn. To maximize the sets armies, a player waits until others cash, if they don't, they will miss the turn. When the new round starts, they have double armies, including their bonus. Example; holding aussie in the class map, will give them 10 armies to start that round instead of 5 without using the set. This occurs more often in freestyle games. So, unless you are referring to sequential games, this is an obvious advantage and as I previously stated, legalized cheating!

[Herakilla]

Missing turns solely to attain additional armies is nothing more than pathetic play. It's not a strategy; it's a legal form of cheating. Anyone that I encounter that utilizes this form of play goes directly to the ignore list, however, that's just me. I can win without sinking to this level.

\

its not additional armies they actually get less armies more often than not, at least in games im playing since i hit them HARD if they miss a turn

Not always the case. I've seen it where a particular player has a bonus / set and doesn't start his turn. To maximize the sets armies, a player waits until others cash, if they don't, they will miss the turn. When the new round starts, they have double armies, including their bonus; example; holding aussie in the class map, will give them 10 armies to start that round without using the set. This occurs more often in freestyle games. So, unless you are referring to sequential games, this is an obvious advantage and as I previously stated, cheating!

ya i was refering to seq games and your point is true, i hate people who skip turns as a strategy believe me, i have a few of them on my ignore list but i just want to say you can hurt them far more than they can hurt you coming back is you do things right

[sting5]

i personally think that missing a turn is an okay strategy, but i dont like it because it slows the game down. If it didn't slow the game down i would personally use it.

[Herakilla]

i personally think that missing a turn is an okay strategy, but i dont like it because it slows the game down. If it didn't slow the game down i would personally use it.

and i would personally hate you so lets not go there lol

[sting5]

The thing that i really hate is when some one waits untill the last moment to make their move. that just wastes everyones time.

[Herakilla]

The thing that i really hate is when some one waits untill the last moment to make their move. that just wastes everyones time.

now that freestyle has been fixed i have a feeling that those people only log on once a day and that happens to be close to the end of their turn