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Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 3:49 pm
by natty dread
OK, I realize it might be a bit early for this topic... but here we go.

Any hints for nuclear? I have yet to play my first nuclear game so I don't know much, but I'd expect them to play pretty similar to no spoils on most maps, except you'd have to take in account the possibility of losing any of your territories... No stacking all your troops in one place, ever... then again maybe I'm wrong, if so I'd like to hear about it from someone with first hand experience.

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:05 pm
by rockfist
I would say having double borders would be one. Like in W2.1 having Iceland and Greenland to protect North America. The odds of losing both would be low.

I would also say that this form of game favors attack even more than a normal game over defense.

Haven't played it yet just some general thoughts.

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:29 pm
by isaiah40
I would hazard a guess here, when it's time to turn in a set, make sure you move all your men from the territories you hold cards for and pray that you don't get that one card you moved all your men into, that would be quite disastrous for you and leave you open to get taken over!

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 5:10 pm
by ask me2
It's quite interesting, I would say no bunching troops and use the cards to your advantage, wait till you can kill one of your opponents stacks... That's about it. :)

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 5:35 pm
by The Neon Peon
I've not played it on large maps with many players, but I would assume that you do not want to put many troops into keeping bonuses, since any territory in the bonus might at any point be nuked.

On doodle standard freestyle, it plays much like escalating on it. That's the only one I've played so far.

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 6:20 pm
by sheapaul
I agree with most of what has been said ...

no piling troops in 1 or 2 spots
use the cards to your advantage (obviously :mrgreen: )

i think the game play kinda runs more like a no bonus game. since there is no troop bonus. I look at it like a no bonus game with an extra weapon 8-)

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 8:53 pm
by padsta
dont bother with continent bonuses..............and if you want a fast game do not play speed nuclear dubs

[game]6169257[/game]

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 12:30 am
by Woodruff
natty_dread wrote: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.

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 1:38 am
by Prankcall
Try playing on Doodle owning only 2 lands and having to cash a set that is going to Nuke both your lands.Ha,now that is funny shit.Would have liked to see Escalating Nuclear Cards or atleast the option to play as such,now that woulda been sweet and went along ways in preventing Stalemates just my thoughts though.

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:48 pm
by stahrgazer
natty_dread wrote:OK, I realize it might be a bit early for this topic... but here we go.

Any hints for nuclear? I have yet to play my first nuclear game so I don't know much, but I'd expect them to play pretty similar to no spoils on most maps, except you'd have to take in account the possibility of losing any of your territories... No stacking all your troops in one place, ever... then again maybe I'm wrong, if so I'd like to hear about it from someone with first hand experience.


If you have a choice when turning in spoils, pick those that aren't bolded :lol: and try not to take those terrs you have cards for.

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 9:21 pm
by jpcloet
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.

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 11:10 pm
by The Neon Peon
jpcloet wrote: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...

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 11:31 pm
by sheapaul
The Neon Peon wrote:
jpcloet wrote: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...


hmmm ... i did not know that

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 12:51 am
by jackin_u_up
sheapaul wrote:
The Neon Peon wrote:
jpcloet wrote: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...


hmmm ... i did not know that


Yer kidding me right..........thats just F**ing crazy.

I had no idea either #-o

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 12:53 am
by Woodruff
jackin_u_up wrote:
sheapaul wrote:
The Neon Peon wrote:
jpcloet wrote: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...


hmmm ... i did not know that


Yer kidding me right..........thats just F**ing crazy.

I had no idea either #-o


It's really just common sense, guys...consider Doodle with 8 players. Where will the cards come from if not duplicated?

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 3:45 am
by natty dread
The cards are pulled out of random.org:s ass. The point is, you should always fort your troops away from the spoils you have.

OK, what do we have so far?

[*] Don't keep all troops in 1 stack

[*] When cashing, pick unbolded cards if possible (well duh)

[*] Pray (ctrl-P)

[*] Move troops away from spoils you own

[*] Don't take a 5th card if your troops are not safe

[*] Double borders

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 2:35 am
by shadistic
This is purely theoretical, along with much of the rest of my strategies.

Leave 2s instead of 1s on territories you take. Nuclear seems a lot like no-cards games in that there's no real rush to get cards. There's no rush to take bonuses, either. In fact, I don't see much reason to be aggressive at all. The only thing you can defend is a general area, and it takes a couple turns to secure a real cluster of territories.

If someone with 3-4 cards vacates a territory, don't take it.

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 10:55 am
by Georgerx7di
natty_dread wrote:The cards are pulled out of random.org:s ass. The point is, you should always fort your troops away from the spoils you have.

OK, what do we have so far?

[*] Don't keep all troops in 1 stack

[*] When cashing, pick unbolded cards if possible (well duh)

[*] Pray (ctrl-P)

[*] Move troops away from spoils you own

[*] Don't take a 5th card if your troops are not safe

[*] Double borders


I don't think the third one will help at all.

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 10:57 am
by padsta
Georgerx7di wrote:
natty_dread wrote:The cards are pulled out of random.org:s ass. The point is, you should always fort your troops away from the spoils you have.

OK, what do we have so far?

[*] Don't keep all troops in 1 stack

[*] When cashing, pick unbolded cards if possible (well duh)

[*] Pray (ctrl-P)

[*] Move troops away from spoils you own

[*] Don't take a 5th card if your troops are not safe

[*] Double borders


I don't think the third one will help at all.



nor will double borders.............you will just get nuked from the inside. very attacking is the way forward, use those troops before you lose em

also depending on the size of the map holding your troops on cards you own could be a good idea.........large maps will ensure no-one can nuke you. lux or doodle etc is just down to pure luck i would imagine

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 11:16 am
by The Neon Peon
padsta wrote:also depending on the size of the map holding your troops on cards you own could be a good idea.........large maps will ensure no-one can nuke you. lux or doodle etc is just down to pure luck i would imagine

If you hold a spoil for a territory, every other person can have a spoil for that same territory on any map.

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 12:34 pm
by Catarah
padsta wrote:
Georgerx7di wrote:
natty_dread wrote:The cards are pulled out of random.org:s ass. The point is, you should always fort your troops away from the spoils you have.

OK, what do we have so far?

[*] Don't keep all troops in 1 stack

[*] When cashing, pick unbolded cards if possible (well duh)

[*] Pray (ctrl-P)

[*] Move troops away from spoils you own

[*] Don't take a 5th card if your troops are not safe

[*] Double borders


I don't think the third one will help at all.



nor will double borders.............you will just get nuked from the inside. very attacking is the way forward, use those troops before you lose em

also depending on the size of the map holding your troops on cards you own could be a good idea.........large maps will ensure no-one can nuke you. lux or doodle etc is just down to pure luck i would imagine

double borders can save yer life.

i was watching some 4player standard nuclear game, and the guy who had australia kept all of his forces on either siam or indonesia the whole game, got nuked about 5 times there.. rather bad luck, but it costed him the game. had he instead spread his troops over 2 countries, or possibly even 4, he would keep more troops every time he got nuked. plus, australia is small enough that he could keep it most of the time.


but indeed, dont bother with taking europe or anything of similar size, thats just asking to be nuked!

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 1:57 pm
by padsta
The Neon Peon wrote:
padsta wrote:also depending on the size of the map holding your troops on cards you own could be a good idea.........large maps will ensure no-one can nuke you. lux or doodle etc is just down to pure luck i would imagine

If you hold a spoil for a territory, every other person can have a spoil for that same territory on any map.



well there you go, since i joined i thought that the territorys were only duplicated if everyone was taken.........does this mean that i can hold 2 cards with the same territory on?????? i have never seen that

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 2:14 pm
by 72o
padsta wrote:
The Neon Peon wrote:
padsta wrote:also depending on the size of the map holding your troops on cards you own could be a good idea.........large maps will ensure no-one can nuke you. lux or doodle etc is just down to pure luck i would imagine

If you hold a spoil for a territory, every other person can have a spoil for that same territory on any map.



well there you go, since i joined i thought that the territorys were only duplicated if everyone was taken.........does this mean that i can hold 2 cards with the same territory on?????? i have never seen that


Your own cards won't be duplicates unless they are acquired from eliminating another player. But you can have 2 of the same card if you eliminate someone and they had a card you already had.

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 5:19 pm
by nikola_milicki
dont use it in 1on1s if u plan to kick ass, cuz u'll be cashing in too many bold cards

Re: Strategies for nuclear spoils

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:17 pm
by Woodruff
Georgerx7di wrote:
natty_dread wrote:The cards are pulled out of random.org:s ass. The point is, you should always fort your troops away from the spoils you have.

OK, what do we have so far?

[*] Don't keep all troops in 1 stack

[*] When cashing, pick unbolded cards if possible (well duh)

[*] Pray (ctrl-P)

[*] Move troops away from spoils you own

[*] Don't take a 5th card if your troops are not safe

[*] Double borders


I don't think the third one will help at all.


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.