Warbaron's Cup 2013

[Igor]

We need first of all to define little group of best players who will show how they are able to play in different conditions. In group rounds it is more interesting to define these best players, using a good known map with middle size, may be a little bigger than High Seas Combat map, which is mostly completed between 15 and 20 turns in round 1st.

[Chazar]

Why not have themed tournaments?

This one is about sea combat (obviously, unless the next round does not stick with it).
The next tournament could be about diversity, with no player playing twice on the same map.
The one thereafter could be a jolly 2vs2 team tournament on winter maps.
etc.
...

Tournaments so much better than laddering, especially for a small community like Warbarons!

Ladder is bad for me because

• I got killed several times in a row by the same player (no fun that),
• players with plenty online time have an advantage (in choosing opponents and adding games if needed),
• there is only some suspense at the end of the season (number of games unknown, so how much does each one cound?)

This does not happen in a tournament: the number of games and the opponent selection is fixed, and there is suspense right away, since one knows that each single game counts. More tournaments please!

[magian]

High seas seems like a bit of a crapshoot for a tournament map. So much depends on your starting units and island defenders. In one of my games we started with a wizard, a couple of scouts and a pikeman(?). Weak start, but decent if your island has flyers. Unfortunately, mine had an elephant, and it killed my Valkyrie and her friends. On turn 3 I had no units XD. I don't think you can really afford to play it safe on a little map like this, those initial turns of expansion are too important.

This map might serve to filter out players of vastly different skill levels with some consistency. But, in a group like mine, where most of the players are pretty evenly matched, I feel like early luck was the decisive factor. I realize that we needed a fast-playing map, but this one is a bit too random for my taste.

[Igor]

Probably all maps has factor of units at start and also of defenders of nearest cities. It's task for a player what tactic to choose for every case.

[magian]

Yes, but most maps don't let you attack 3 cities on turn 1. That makes those starting guys pretty important.

[Igor]

I think it's impossible to attack 3 city in 1st turn on High Seas Combat. Some of start units probably will not have enough points of movement to reach all 3 cities.
Even though you will meet very strong unit which you can't conquer, just don't do this, jump to sea for conquer other cities which are a lot around.

[Moonknight]

Yeah, I was definitely hoping to not see the Mammoth on my starting island, and unfortunately he showed up in two of my games. Had to ignore him both times...

[Tim]

Think the Mammoth is not so bad. Very good defense against Serpents and against Assasines. I have it in one game against magian and it works good!

[KGB]

Yeah, I was definitely hoping to not see the Mammoth on my starting island, and unfortunately he showed up in two of my games. Had to ignore him both times...

Same. He appeared in one of my games and I totally ignored him. That may save your initial units but it costs you the pillage money (800+ gold) and a hero level that otherwise you get from the good city that you can take on turn 1. So it is a fairly big handicap to get the Mammoth.

KGB

[tabanli]

Yeah, I was definitely hoping to not see the Mammoth on my starting island, and unfortunately he showed up in two of my games. Had to ignore him both times...

Same. He appeared in one of my games and I totally ignored him. That may save your initial units but it costs you the pillage money (800+ gold) and a hero level that otherwise you get from the good city that you can take on turn 1. So it is a fairly big handicap to get the Mammoth.

KGB

Same here, ignored the Mammoth. Next island Green Dragon, so I ignored the Green dragon too.

Even Medusa, Elephant, Pegasi, Unicorn are risky. They are all effectively 40/2 without a siege unit (medusa 35/2 but has -5 fear so she is equivalent) and has decent chance to kill your Barbarian or annihilate the entire starting stack. Against Archon, Demons and Pegasi I tent to use Ranger for anti-air and wait for one more turn for additional troops. Sometimes I get another hero, which always helps. But Mammoth and Green Dragon, forget it.

In most strategy games, the opening stage is very important where a mistake can cost a lot. You can split the games in 3 stages, Opening-Middlegame-Endgame for most of the classical games like Chess, Bridge, Go or computer strategy games like Warcraft, Starcraft etc. Middlegame requires creativity and adaptability. Endgame requires precision and solid nerves. On the other hand, opening requires foreseeing and sometimes discipline.