More T&E principles

[mattlistener]

-Four temples of protection for a leader is too much. Aim for three temples protection for a leader with a good kingdom, leaving no two-temple places where you can be attacked. Reason #1: major risk of eventual external conflict kicking out that leader, followed immediately by a devastating internal conflict attack using its vacated position. Reason #2: you want to accumulate red tiles in your *hand* rather than play marginally-useful reds on the board.

-Don't place all four of your leaders in the early game. Reason #1: your kingdoms will be weaker than those of a neighbor who placed two leaders and two tiles instead of four leaders. Reason #2: you want to be prepared for the opportunity to claim some free supporters, the other half of someone's monument, or to make a promising internal attack. Everyone can expand at the same rate; these are the moves that give you an advantage over the gradual-builders.

-Don't place two same-color tiles in a row early, figuring to make a monument in a turn or two. Better to play them to block internal-conflict spots, so that you're closer to bulletproof.

-Don't be in a rush to claim treasures. If you just make and hold the largest green kingdom, they will fall into your lap. How to have the largest green kingdom: place your green leader on one of the middle three starting temples. Put all the green tiles that come into your hand onto the board, rather than starting a green external conflict and spending them. Since you're not going all spindley to get treasures, you can afford to grow disaster-proof.

-If someone has gained a growth advantage (monument or best kingdoms), interfere with them. Target them with internal conflicts. Expand your strongest kingdom in their direction. If it takes two disasters to break their monument juggernaut, just throw one and rely on a co-opponent throwing the other. If you don't have red tiles, make a new one-supporter kingdom near their weakest leader. Seek to deny the color they're weakest in. This all seems obvious, but T&E tends to encourage non-aggressive thinking. If you and I slow each other down with disasters, we're both worse off than those still growing on the sideline. Worse, if I attack you and lose, I've awarded you points on my turn and gained nothing for myself. All true, but growth is king. If the applecart is going the wrong way, you've got to tip it over somehow.

-Contrariwise, if you have the growth advantage, leave people alone until you're good and ready. Early conflicts are risky. And why kick out a one-supporter leader now when you can grow as peaceful neighbors and later kick out the same leader with four supporters at the same cost?

-Tactical plays that get you a bunch of needed points but leave you in an indefensible position are for the end-game, not the beginning-game.


Of course, the only people who'll read this are folks who already clobber me in person...

Comments

[zmook.livejournal.com]

Never underestimate the power of Google, man.

Does LJ let paid users see their referral stats?

[zmook.livejournal.com]

Of course, looking at your post, I see you haven't made proper obeisance to Great Lord Google, that it may shower you with bounty. You need to include the following phrases somewhere in there:

"Tigris and Euphrates Strategy Guide"
"Euphrat & Tigris" "E&T" "player guide"

This comment may suffice, though it would be better in the title.

[mattlistener.livejournal.com]

Google, good point. A couple months ago I got a random email from someone who found I'd posted elfenland/elfengold for sale in my journal last year. He bought them from me.

Referral stats: not that I'm aware of, or can find in a quick search.

Referrals...

[dalek.livejournal.com]

If you mean referral stats by who got to your LJ by what means, simply put an image into the post to a web server you control, and you'll see who's viewing what. I discovered this accidentally on a few posts that I've put pictures into...

[randysmith]

Of course, the only people who'll read this are folks who already clobber me in person...


Or who are looking forward to the opportunity to see if they have any chance of clobbering you in person now that you've got so much online experience. I appreciate the strategy tips, though; they all make sense (though I can't imagine I'm going to beat you just playing your strategy against you).

The aggression/non-agression thing is probably affected by whether or not you're playing open scoring. At least, I have a hard time being sure I know the weak colors of a player who's doing well. Have you done much work on the memory aspect of the game?

[mattlistener.livejournal.com]

>memory?

I'm sure that's one of the differences that favors me in online play. We've tried open scoring in person and it doesn't work as well (analysis lock).

My method of tracking of my opponents' scores in person is just to keep a strong/weak idea for each color. If monuments and conflicts have been shaken and stirred, I usually don't have a sense if I'm winning.

[sionnagh.livejournal.com]

Good advice! randysmith, moechus, and I played T&E today and randysmith kicked our butts using these strategies. It was great fun, though, and taught me a trick or two.