The Middle Game. Many of us see Alamaze as having an opening, middle and late game stage, as would a game of chess. We thought it might be informative to have some viewpoints from some of our top ranked players in Valhalla comment on some subjects related mainly to the middle game. All our participants have achieved their victory conditions in one of the first five completed games (DuPont achieved Secret Victory the same turn as Wynand won with more status points). We have The Deliverer, winning as the Red Dragons and also a place and show with other kingdoms. We have Lord Diamond, who won as The Demon Princes and set a record for status points in a single game. And we have DuPont, who achieved victory conditions as The Sorcerer. Here’s how they answered our questions:
1. How do you know when to transition to Middle Game, and how does your strategy change –including how your submitted orders are different from the Opening Game?
a. (Deliverer) Generally at the beginning of the game, I’ll set a goal for the short term and, once that’s accomplished, it’s time to move on to the big part, which is the mid-game. For most kingdoms this early goal would be gaining my region, at which point a turn or two to prepare for a move elsewhere. Sitting around to build up your strength is rarely as fast as expanding via political and military action.
b. (Diamond) The Middle Game, to me, means that I have reached my ESO and can start looking at how I’m going to win the game. I tend to be more cautious heading into the Middle Game, as I don’t want to risk my ESO, but the gloves come off after I do!
c. (DuPont) Usually when I gain control of my region, if that's my goal. If I'm agreeing to split a region, when I take over my part of it, then the middle game starts. It's really a question of picking my target (well, the target has probably already been picked, but now I make sure that's still the person (or persons) I want to attack and go after them. I also monitor who is fighting who to make sure I don't get into a region that is about to be really crowded.
2. Do you tend to favor being the aggressor into the Middle Game, or do you think given how you have built your territory, you have advantages defending first?
a. (Deliverer) I would definitely prefer to be the aggressor, as it gives you two advantages. First, you’re fighting the war on someone else’s territory and second, you have the potential advantage of information. You’ve taken the time to recon the enemy positions, divine pop centers, etc. This gives you at least a turn or two before the enemy can effectively counter, generally.
b. (Diamond) You can’t win on defense. The idea is to attack your enemy a turn before he launches an attack on you! That timing is the tricky part.
c. (DuPont) Totally be the aggressor. Move into the other region and recruit from the towns there, leaving the towns in your region whole. Sometimes with a magic-based kingdom, it might make sense to play defense, but mostly, it's best to go on the offense.
Agent Strategy. As the Underworld can alter things here, let’s just assume you are not the Underworld and the price of training agents remains at 4000 gold, and you start with 3 agents. What do you do Agent wise in the first 10 turns of a campaign?
1. (Deliverer) At least one, maybe two, would go on standing order to train. The other (or other two) I would like to get to level 4 as soon as possible so that they can look for encounters, see through masked groups, etc. I generally try to avoid using agents for anything other than recon until they are level 8 or 9, and then I do my best to protect them as much as I would an emissary, wizard, etc. because at that point I’ve put generally 20k+ and 5+ turns into their development. Sleep enemy emissaries where possible, and aggressively target other kingdoms’ agents. With rare exception, kingdoms generally don’t look to the safety of their agents (except for the UN, of course). Consider warding them or getting them rings of protection, and move them around frequently. Keep to villages where possible as these normally are not looked at too closely (most people won’t “waste” a recon on a village). Lastly, don’t use them on something that you don’t feel is worth the price of failure. Killing that dwarf adept likely wasn’t worth the life of your agent 9.
2. (Diamond) I set up a standing order to train one agent and I train the other 2 to L-4. I’m a freak for artifacts and I use the L-4s the help find them. If I had a low level Fanatic, I might set up a standing order for him to do counter espionage instead.
3. (DuPont) Within the first few turns, put one or two of the agents on standing order to train and try to get them up to about 8 or 9 before using them. But don't use a fanatic. The bonus they get isn't worth the extra chance of getting caught. I never invest money in a fanatic – I just use them until they die. I also like to use agents to steal gold when they get to level 5 or 6 if the price is too high to train them.
Which Kingdom? Let’s get your thoughts on some kingdoms that normally can’t rely on gaining control of a region early. What sort of advice on early strategy would you offer:
1. The Trolls
a. (Deliverer) Make a deal with a kingdom (AN, ideally) to allow for you to run amok with your groups and beat up on villages. If possible, make deals with kingdoms in two regions. The strength in the Troll lies in their sheer numbers, and these numbers are amplified with good leaders. Villages are a great way to increase leadership, as is looking for unusual encounters. If you can net some experience and a lucky find for an artifact (standard of valor, sword of alvinitar, great axe, etc.) then you can turn that into something potent by mid-game. Get a p-3 into your main group for benefits of presence (and also so that you can use guarded attack and not lose the wizard) and you can put together a force that most kingdoms can’t manage. With the regeneration order, you can take population centers with zero losses, increase morale and leadership, and end up stronger than when you started. You will want to make nice with at least one of the wizard kingdoms, though, as eventually you will need someone that can counter the regional effect spells and those pesky domes of invulnerability. Don’t underestimate the potential of the Troll as a political power as well, should you invest in it. The ability to buy governors at only a .1 loss of influence is huge and can allow you to build a fleet of governors.
b. Don’t get tangled up with the Ancient Ones. Depending on where you start, move either into Oakendale or Runnimede after negotiating a fair pc-base in Torvale. The AN doesn’t really want to fight you either and will almost certainly cut a deal.
c. The troll needs to attack, attack, attack. Preferably villages, even neutral ones. Build up the morale and leaders. Put a standing order on your two main groups to heal the attrition in the groups. It might be worth using the 2TR to wander around Synisvania and mess with the Ranger. Try to stay in forests so you can recruit and build up strong groups.
2. The Ranger –
a. (Deliverer) You will likely need to make some sort of deal with the Sorcerer early on. If it means that you cede control of Synisvania, then consider looking to the Sands or to Arcania for expansion options, as you start out tolerant in both. Be miserly with your kingdom brigades in the early going and use unusual encounters and villages as a way to bump your leaders. Ranger wizards get the ward spell at power-1, so converting your magi early on will help you politically, as you can use your emissaries to defend any gains you make without fear of sleep spells and with reduced fear of assassination. Consider recruiting (and training those recruits) as the Ranger leaders will make much better use of those troops than most kingdoms… and they will also act as a buffer to limit the losses to your very important kingdom troops. Because your military at the beginning is not large, hit and run tactics are likely the best to employ, as you won’t want to engage a larger group.
b. (Diamond) Either cut a deal with the Sorcerer or attack him with everything you have right away. You can beat him early, but you don’t want him to get his wizards trained up.
c. (DuPont) It's very important to get an early deal with the SO if you are not playing a team game. That's really the key to the RA doing well, I think. If the SO doesn't want to play ball, team up with the BL to take him on – offer the BL substantial in Synisvania if that's what you need to get him on board with you.
3. The Red Dragon –
a. (Deliverer) Because you start out very spread out, you likely need to pick a region to focus on (generally the Talking Mountains or Runnimede) and immediately start the process of getting your other two groups there. It should be fairly easy to arrange with the Dwarf to get his support (money, food, etc.) to attack the Gnome or vice versa. Nobody wants the Red Dragon in their region. Get wyverns into each of your groups and once your groups are in your target region use them *every* turn. These are your most powerful assets and should not sit idle. If you aren’t strong enough to take the enemy capital, attack other things and add wyverns until you are. A Red Dragon group is wasted on a siege. Other kingdoms, even the military ones, are frightened of your troops (and rightfully so). Use this to leverage deals for a pop center here and there. I would advise using political emissaries more for defending than for attack. As you invade a region, attack 2 or 3 pop centers a turn and use the funds from the captured towns and villages to place governors in those locations so that your enemy can’t easily take them back. Once you are financially stable put ‘increase influence’ on standing order just for this purpose. Don’t be afraid to go toe-to-toe against groups that you estimate have even combat values with yours, but make sure you have wyverns to protect your kingdom brigades. You only start with a few and your reinforcements are not heavy. Be aware of the seasons and how that will impact your ability to feed your troops. Did I mention using wyverns to make sure you don’t lose kingdom brigades? Or that you should always be using your groups? Good.
b. Talk both the Gnome and the Dwarf to divide their regions with you. They really don’t want to fight you and will likely agree to concessions in return for peace. Then pick someone to attack from your safe havens.
c. Plan to hit either the GN or the DW and get the other one to help fund you. They should be happy to because it keeps you off of their back and their natural enemy gets taken down.
What Worries You Most – A Kingdom, or A Persona? Let’s not hang up on which kingdom or persona, but when you have your new setup in a game, how much of what you do is directly on your own kingdom, how much on a kingdom you are concerned about, and how much on a particular persona, and maybe with a particular kingdom? I know it’s a tough question but just generally, how much does it matter to you who is controlling what kingdom?
1. (Deliverer) I don’t think it is a huge factor in how I will try to lay out my strategy for the game, but I would say that it is tougher to play to a persona than it is to play to a kingdom. Each persona will have a general style of play – aggressive, conservative, favors magic, loves agents, etc. After a few games you have a feel for who does a lot of recons and who does not, who will build up a huge army group regardless of what kingdom they are playing, and other little tidbits that can help you play against them, but there are always those players that are very adaptable (typically the ones you see that play a different ‘type’ of kingdom each game – magic, military, balanced, etc.). The kingdoms themselves are balanced enough that there is no need to fear any one kingdom more than another overall (though I am more afraid of the red dragon on turn 3 than I am the Underworld)… but certain personas have the ability to do unusual , out-of-character things with a kingdom that you just can’t prepare for… and of course those with more experience are naturally more intimidating to me as they’ve likely thought of and/or done things that I have not, yet, and therefore I won’t know what to expect. They’ll also tend to know how to extract every last advantage out of most positions, as well as know where others are weakest.
2. (Diamond) It matters a great deal. Every kingdom is capable of winning and every kingdom is capable of being eliminated. It’s the player who brings life to the kingdom. Is the player someone with a glass jaw who will drop if they lose their best wizard, capital, king, or fail to get their ESO? If so, smash him early and watch him run away with his tail between his legs when the game doesn’t conform to his plan. Is the player known for sticking it out as long as he has a single agent, wizard, or small division just with which to annoy you? If you can’t follow through on eliminating him, you might be better off cutting a deal or attacking someone else.
3. I don't really worry about other people. I look at my kingdom and decide how I want to play it and then look around and see who my neighbors are. I don't usually seek out the same people to team up with each time – I mean, I'm aware when a very good and dangerous player is near me, but I don't much worry about it – they could be going somewhere else! Certainly, I will do my best to steer them away. The AN is the one kingdom I really worry about – I'm coming to the conclusion that they are overpowered.
Thanks to our participants! We have attached the article in Word format which is easier to read.
1. How do you know when to transition to Middle Game, and how does your strategy change –including how your submitted orders are different from the Opening Game?
a. (Deliverer) Generally at the beginning of the game, I’ll set a goal for the short term and, once that’s accomplished, it’s time to move on to the big part, which is the mid-game. For most kingdoms this early goal would be gaining my region, at which point a turn or two to prepare for a move elsewhere. Sitting around to build up your strength is rarely as fast as expanding via political and military action.
b. (Diamond) The Middle Game, to me, means that I have reached my ESO and can start looking at how I’m going to win the game. I tend to be more cautious heading into the Middle Game, as I don’t want to risk my ESO, but the gloves come off after I do!
c. (DuPont) Usually when I gain control of my region, if that's my goal. If I'm agreeing to split a region, when I take over my part of it, then the middle game starts. It's really a question of picking my target (well, the target has probably already been picked, but now I make sure that's still the person (or persons) I want to attack and go after them. I also monitor who is fighting who to make sure I don't get into a region that is about to be really crowded.
2. Do you tend to favor being the aggressor into the Middle Game, or do you think given how you have built your territory, you have advantages defending first?
a. (Deliverer) I would definitely prefer to be the aggressor, as it gives you two advantages. First, you’re fighting the war on someone else’s territory and second, you have the potential advantage of information. You’ve taken the time to recon the enemy positions, divine pop centers, etc. This gives you at least a turn or two before the enemy can effectively counter, generally.
b. (Diamond) You can’t win on defense. The idea is to attack your enemy a turn before he launches an attack on you! That timing is the tricky part.
c. (DuPont) Totally be the aggressor. Move into the other region and recruit from the towns there, leaving the towns in your region whole. Sometimes with a magic-based kingdom, it might make sense to play defense, but mostly, it's best to go on the offense.
Agent Strategy. As the Underworld can alter things here, let’s just assume you are not the Underworld and the price of training agents remains at 4000 gold, and you start with 3 agents. What do you do Agent wise in the first 10 turns of a campaign?
1. (Deliverer) At least one, maybe two, would go on standing order to train. The other (or other two) I would like to get to level 4 as soon as possible so that they can look for encounters, see through masked groups, etc. I generally try to avoid using agents for anything other than recon until they are level 8 or 9, and then I do my best to protect them as much as I would an emissary, wizard, etc. because at that point I’ve put generally 20k+ and 5+ turns into their development. Sleep enemy emissaries where possible, and aggressively target other kingdoms’ agents. With rare exception, kingdoms generally don’t look to the safety of their agents (except for the UN, of course). Consider warding them or getting them rings of protection, and move them around frequently. Keep to villages where possible as these normally are not looked at too closely (most people won’t “waste” a recon on a village). Lastly, don’t use them on something that you don’t feel is worth the price of failure. Killing that dwarf adept likely wasn’t worth the life of your agent 9.
2. (Diamond) I set up a standing order to train one agent and I train the other 2 to L-4. I’m a freak for artifacts and I use the L-4s the help find them. If I had a low level Fanatic, I might set up a standing order for him to do counter espionage instead.
3. (DuPont) Within the first few turns, put one or two of the agents on standing order to train and try to get them up to about 8 or 9 before using them. But don't use a fanatic. The bonus they get isn't worth the extra chance of getting caught. I never invest money in a fanatic – I just use them until they die. I also like to use agents to steal gold when they get to level 5 or 6 if the price is too high to train them.
Which Kingdom? Let’s get your thoughts on some kingdoms that normally can’t rely on gaining control of a region early. What sort of advice on early strategy would you offer:
1. The Trolls
a. (Deliverer) Make a deal with a kingdom (AN, ideally) to allow for you to run amok with your groups and beat up on villages. If possible, make deals with kingdoms in two regions. The strength in the Troll lies in their sheer numbers, and these numbers are amplified with good leaders. Villages are a great way to increase leadership, as is looking for unusual encounters. If you can net some experience and a lucky find for an artifact (standard of valor, sword of alvinitar, great axe, etc.) then you can turn that into something potent by mid-game. Get a p-3 into your main group for benefits of presence (and also so that you can use guarded attack and not lose the wizard) and you can put together a force that most kingdoms can’t manage. With the regeneration order, you can take population centers with zero losses, increase morale and leadership, and end up stronger than when you started. You will want to make nice with at least one of the wizard kingdoms, though, as eventually you will need someone that can counter the regional effect spells and those pesky domes of invulnerability. Don’t underestimate the potential of the Troll as a political power as well, should you invest in it. The ability to buy governors at only a .1 loss of influence is huge and can allow you to build a fleet of governors.
b. Don’t get tangled up with the Ancient Ones. Depending on where you start, move either into Oakendale or Runnimede after negotiating a fair pc-base in Torvale. The AN doesn’t really want to fight you either and will almost certainly cut a deal.
c. The troll needs to attack, attack, attack. Preferably villages, even neutral ones. Build up the morale and leaders. Put a standing order on your two main groups to heal the attrition in the groups. It might be worth using the 2TR to wander around Synisvania and mess with the Ranger. Try to stay in forests so you can recruit and build up strong groups.
2. The Ranger –
a. (Deliverer) You will likely need to make some sort of deal with the Sorcerer early on. If it means that you cede control of Synisvania, then consider looking to the Sands or to Arcania for expansion options, as you start out tolerant in both. Be miserly with your kingdom brigades in the early going and use unusual encounters and villages as a way to bump your leaders. Ranger wizards get the ward spell at power-1, so converting your magi early on will help you politically, as you can use your emissaries to defend any gains you make without fear of sleep spells and with reduced fear of assassination. Consider recruiting (and training those recruits) as the Ranger leaders will make much better use of those troops than most kingdoms… and they will also act as a buffer to limit the losses to your very important kingdom troops. Because your military at the beginning is not large, hit and run tactics are likely the best to employ, as you won’t want to engage a larger group.
b. (Diamond) Either cut a deal with the Sorcerer or attack him with everything you have right away. You can beat him early, but you don’t want him to get his wizards trained up.
c. (DuPont) It's very important to get an early deal with the SO if you are not playing a team game. That's really the key to the RA doing well, I think. If the SO doesn't want to play ball, team up with the BL to take him on – offer the BL substantial in Synisvania if that's what you need to get him on board with you.
3. The Red Dragon –
a. (Deliverer) Because you start out very spread out, you likely need to pick a region to focus on (generally the Talking Mountains or Runnimede) and immediately start the process of getting your other two groups there. It should be fairly easy to arrange with the Dwarf to get his support (money, food, etc.) to attack the Gnome or vice versa. Nobody wants the Red Dragon in their region. Get wyverns into each of your groups and once your groups are in your target region use them *every* turn. These are your most powerful assets and should not sit idle. If you aren’t strong enough to take the enemy capital, attack other things and add wyverns until you are. A Red Dragon group is wasted on a siege. Other kingdoms, even the military ones, are frightened of your troops (and rightfully so). Use this to leverage deals for a pop center here and there. I would advise using political emissaries more for defending than for attack. As you invade a region, attack 2 or 3 pop centers a turn and use the funds from the captured towns and villages to place governors in those locations so that your enemy can’t easily take them back. Once you are financially stable put ‘increase influence’ on standing order just for this purpose. Don’t be afraid to go toe-to-toe against groups that you estimate have even combat values with yours, but make sure you have wyverns to protect your kingdom brigades. You only start with a few and your reinforcements are not heavy. Be aware of the seasons and how that will impact your ability to feed your troops. Did I mention using wyverns to make sure you don’t lose kingdom brigades? Or that you should always be using your groups? Good.
b. Talk both the Gnome and the Dwarf to divide their regions with you. They really don’t want to fight you and will likely agree to concessions in return for peace. Then pick someone to attack from your safe havens.
c. Plan to hit either the GN or the DW and get the other one to help fund you. They should be happy to because it keeps you off of their back and their natural enemy gets taken down.
What Worries You Most – A Kingdom, or A Persona? Let’s not hang up on which kingdom or persona, but when you have your new setup in a game, how much of what you do is directly on your own kingdom, how much on a kingdom you are concerned about, and how much on a particular persona, and maybe with a particular kingdom? I know it’s a tough question but just generally, how much does it matter to you who is controlling what kingdom?
1. (Deliverer) I don’t think it is a huge factor in how I will try to lay out my strategy for the game, but I would say that it is tougher to play to a persona than it is to play to a kingdom. Each persona will have a general style of play – aggressive, conservative, favors magic, loves agents, etc. After a few games you have a feel for who does a lot of recons and who does not, who will build up a huge army group regardless of what kingdom they are playing, and other little tidbits that can help you play against them, but there are always those players that are very adaptable (typically the ones you see that play a different ‘type’ of kingdom each game – magic, military, balanced, etc.). The kingdoms themselves are balanced enough that there is no need to fear any one kingdom more than another overall (though I am more afraid of the red dragon on turn 3 than I am the Underworld)… but certain personas have the ability to do unusual , out-of-character things with a kingdom that you just can’t prepare for… and of course those with more experience are naturally more intimidating to me as they’ve likely thought of and/or done things that I have not, yet, and therefore I won’t know what to expect. They’ll also tend to know how to extract every last advantage out of most positions, as well as know where others are weakest.
2. (Diamond) It matters a great deal. Every kingdom is capable of winning and every kingdom is capable of being eliminated. It’s the player who brings life to the kingdom. Is the player someone with a glass jaw who will drop if they lose their best wizard, capital, king, or fail to get their ESO? If so, smash him early and watch him run away with his tail between his legs when the game doesn’t conform to his plan. Is the player known for sticking it out as long as he has a single agent, wizard, or small division just with which to annoy you? If you can’t follow through on eliminating him, you might be better off cutting a deal or attacking someone else.
3. I don't really worry about other people. I look at my kingdom and decide how I want to play it and then look around and see who my neighbors are. I don't usually seek out the same people to team up with each time – I mean, I'm aware when a very good and dangerous player is near me, but I don't much worry about it – they could be going somewhere else! Certainly, I will do my best to steer them away. The AN is the one kingdom I really worry about – I'm coming to the conclusion that they are overpowered.
Thanks to our participants! We have attached the article in Word format which is easier to read.
