If the crappy MS Paint job isn't obvious enough, this was very likely never an actual scenario. It was designed to be tough to pick.



I would go (Forgive me, I suck):

1. East China
2. South East Asia
3. Central America
4. South America
5. West Africa
6. North Africa

Edited 9/8/2015 01:44:01

West Africa, Scandinavia, West Russia can be a good combo.


Or triple Antartica. It is near Africa. Plenty of bonuses to expand.

So the point of this scenario is: What if there are 5 FTBs on the board? What do I pick then?

I would've liked it more if West China pick was at the territory under it. The answer is that this scenario is complicated.

For example in the picks you suggested, you never touch the FTB at Scand. So an opponent who gets Scand FTB + a pick with access to either CA or your combo FTB will win the game immediately.

I think something could be said for picking something like

1. Scand
2. East China
3. Antarctica
4. Central America
5. East US
6. South America

Basically 1/3/6, 2/3/6 are really strong.

1/2/3 is no info, but East China is relatively safe to start with 0 info.

Anyways I can see multiple approaches to this depending on your opponent, but I think info is highly valuable in a game like this because it tells you where you can expand.

Also, West Russia is an FTB that is worth thinking about due to Iran being a wasteland. That's why I think Scand is probably the most valuable bonus on the map. You stop a lot of things with Scand.

Edited 9/8/2015 02:30:43

On a map with this many options it seems stupid to worry about being counterpicked the old fashioned way, counterpicks happen when an option is obvious, but there are no obvious anwers here. If you pick east china, SEA and something else and the other guy picks a FTB and then east china, SEA, West china then fuck it, he either got very lucky or is timi/gnuff.

Becuase of the no. of picking options its very unlikely Ill know what the other person has got and what theyre doing for the first few turns, so I want to end up with picks that are adaptable and straight forward to play from. For this reason I like scand/Wrussia. I have my back to the wall in greenland/europe and there is only one way for me to be attacked from so after I finish taking my starting bonuses i can just go all in towards china. Middle east is wasted so its pretty safe and if i dont find anyone in SEA I can take caucasus. My next picks want to be in south somewhere. Ant is a real mess and I dont much want to go near it. West africa is good, efficient expansion, easy to defend or expand from. CA is much uglier but allows me to pick east US 4th and get a FTB incase i split the scand/russia FTB. Shrug.

Edited 9/8/2015 15:26:16