Messages - vDiplomacy

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27 Nov 16 UTC	Spring, 1860: GameMaster: Please remember that negotiations before the game begins are not allowed.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Spring, 1860: Info: This is a choose your country game.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Spring, 1860: Just wondering: what typical moves are made in this map? I would just like a brief overview of the strategy on this map, if it's not too much of a bother.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Spring, 1860: So, first thing in this map is working out what to actually build. The default is a fairly solid option - if you're changing from that you'd want to have a very good plan why.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Spring, 1860: So, first thing in this map is working out what to actually build. The default is a fairly solid option - if you're changing from that you'd want to have a very good plan why.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Spring, 1860: Oh. Alright that makes sense.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Spring, 1860: ...gah, I forgot the refresh bug :/ Second thing to start planning immediately is getting builds - you'll usually get three each the first year (capitals guaranteed, inland is usually bounce then take the safe build, and boats generally cut back to secure the build rather than rush) but after that, it becomes a lot more about what units you can spare to actually take centres (slightly easier for Confed, usually) and if you can actually free up your home centres to be able to build (slightly harder for Confeds, usually)
27 Nov 16 UTC	Spring, 1860: Ok.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Spring, 1860: In terms of general overview of strategy: Free up ~3 units to go take centres every year. Starting boats are usually decent for one of those, but then it's a matter of working out when you can actually spare armies. Make sure you can actually build. Ohio, Tenn and NCar will often be blocked by units if you make the 'optimal' play - knowing when to give up position for a turn in order to actually get a build out is a very important skill to pick up (and helps, generally, for judging risk in other games). The sea is more important than you'd think. Enemy fleets in Cape May or East Coast can cause a mountain of trouble - almost all of their retreat options are centres, and while they're there they can be cutting things that you really don't want cut.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Autumn, 1860: In terms of first turn moves, I'd say the Union set is fairly obvious, and because of that, so is the Confederate. If you're not seeing that, ask, or check previous games - anything that's not a swift rout will usually have the same first year moves, or close enough.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Autumn, 1860: Alright.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Autumn, 1860: OK, so first real question from me - why move directly to Mass? There's no way it can be contested. If you move out to sea in spring, then you'll always have the ability to move back to Mass in autumn, but you'll also threaten to move to East Coast if you think giving up the build is worth it.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Autumn, 1860: Oh. I expected that it would make no matter because by then, I would have the proper units to take the East Coast back, correct?
27 Nov 16 UTC	Spring, 1861: It's not likely to matter, but there's always the chance that you could be more aggressive if you chose to. Moving directly to Mass means you can never offer that threat. It's possibly just personal preference - if I can be doing something with a unit, I prefer to be doing it rather than sitting and holding. Even if it's blatantly obvious that I'll be falling back to secure a centre in autumn, if that gain is guaranteed then I'll try to make a more aggressive move in spring, /just in case/.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Autumn, 1861: Alright. That makes sense.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Autumn, 1861: So, where are you expecting to get builds from this year? I can only see two - Phil and Nova Scotia. Meanwhile, Ohio is open - you have to either bounce it, and risk it being blocked for builds, or leave it open, and risk me walking in. On that topic, I've no idea your actual Diplo experience - can you see how I can guarantee that I don't lose Richmond this turn?
27 Nov 16 UTC	Autumn, 1861: Yes I do see. I wasn't expecting your moves - and I'm not that experienced, especially on variants I've never played on before. As for builds, I probably made the wrong moves as well.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Autumn, 1861: I've always been better with more people - 1 vs. 1 is apparently not really my thing, if you've seen my games with Tolkien.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Autumn, 1861: Fair enough. Hadn't checked your games with tolkien. And as you'll see from the mirror game, you chose exactly the same builds I did. Other options were two fleets, or swapping the fleet to NJ. Most important choice I made that turn was if East Coast had to pick up a build (Jacks) or if it was safe to hold/cut. If you'd been threatening three builds, I'd likely have taken the build myself, and thus lost a fair amount of position.
27 Nov 16 UTC	Autumn, 1861: I see.