Guderian, are you still trying to go for beating it in the fewest turns?

I also agree with the comment about luck being a huge part of it. 50% luck means you're going to restart a lot of times at the beginning because attacks that shouldn't fail do fail and set you too far behind too early. And there is definitely luck in which AIs pop through which choke points. I had one game when I was going for the fewest turns record where a really weird AI mix that I had never seen before appeared in all the choke points (and it was hugely beneficial to me). I think I was going to beat that one in like 23-24 turns but then my computer overheated on like turn 15...and inside I died a little.

Impaller, I'm in so many tournaments and games right now I can't really devote time to it. 30 is still my best, but I know I could improve some.

Well, I decided to play out the challenge again for old time's sake and I managed to get really lucky with how the AI expanded and beat it in 24 turns.

My first and only abandon was 25 armies (becoming 125) in Svalbard S. This is more than I generally abandon, but the AI had beaten me to Svalbard, and when I captured it, this was how many I had remaining.
My first entry into the South World was into South Africa from Scandinavia.
My 2nd entry into the South World was into South America from Canada
My 3rd entry into the South World was into Australia from East Russia
My 4th entry into the South World was into Canada from South America.
My 5th (and final) entry into the South World was into East Russia from Australia.

That order is generally the same each time I've played it.

The last bonus I took on my home world was Australia.
The 2nd-to-last bonus I took on my home world was South America
The 3rd-to-last bonus I took on my home world was North Africa.
The 4th-to-last bonus I took on my home world was Canada.

That order is always similar each time I play it, although generally Greenland is taken after Canada and North Africa.

The first bonus I took on their world was South Africa.
The 2nd bonus I took on their world was West Africa.
The 3rd bonus I took on their world was Canada.
The 4th bonus I took on their world was East Africa.

Fairly consistent.

Every time I've beaten it, I've abandoned in Svalbard S. and either used no more abandon cards the rest of the game or used my 2nd abandon card in South Africa if/after the AI breaks the first one. I think it's imperative to save your 2nd abandon card to use if the first one breaks, because if that AI gets into Africa with an enormous stack that you can't handle, you are going to most likely lose.

Quite impressive - 24 turns is the new record, with 2nd place (ashmizen) at 26 turns and 3rd place (mor) at 27.

That's really impressive, Impaller. Do you head straight for the chokepoints? I find if I take bonuses all along the way the AI is usually too strong for me to invade immediately. Ditto if I head straight there, then I can sometimes get in but they're still too strong. Depends on who the AI's are at the checkpoints, true, but usually I can't expand into them THAT fast:)

The AI beats me to the Scandinavia chokepoint. I'm not sure it's possible, or if it is it's not worth it, to beat them to that chokepoint as I get there pretty fast and they are always there already. I beat them to East Russia, and Svalbard S. They beat me to South America and Australia, although I've considered trying out a new strategy where I beat them to South America (haven't, though). We usually get to the Canada point around the same time. Sometimes I will let them beat me there and take some Neutrals in Canada and then I'll clean them up afterward, and other times I beat them there and defend it. All depends on how things are going. In my last attempt, they beat me there and made some unexpected moves in Canada, which is why Canada was one of the later bonuses I grabbed, because I incorrectly anticipated their movements in there two turns in a row.

Taking bonuses along the way is a much better strategy than a "rush and defend chokepoints" one, because how are you going to hold the chokepoints if you don't have the income to support it? I feel like my strategy is kind of both...I get to the relevant chokepoints fast, but I take every bonus along the way there.

I feel like I have almost completely perfected my technique for beating the challenge, and 24 turns is probably pretty close to the lowest it's going to get using that method. I think 23, maybe even 22 is doable, but it would take some pretty ridiculous luck, and I had really good luck already to beat it in 24.

However, I think there might be a way to get a lower score trying out a different strategy. The two I'm thinking of are
1. Not abandoning in Svalbard S. and quickly spreading through and smashing bonuses in their Eurasia. This plan may involve an abandon in your East Russia or their South America, as you will probably need to restrict the AI in some location to make up for fighting them in 1 more.
2. Quickly pushing into their Canada from your South America and spreading quickly through the Americas.

I don't really have any motivation to try those out, though, as I already hold the record by a fair margin :). I was kind of hoping you or someone else was still working on beating it to give me some competition, and thus a reason to bother trying these out.

YAYYYY :) finally did it. 40 turns. when i have nothing to do for a whole week i may try and get it lower

i abandoned 20 in svalbard S and 40 in south africa N and the ai broke through both :|

Question: I'm trying to figure out the Insane level, but haven't succeeded so far. There are still a few things I don't understand about the technique of the game: for instance, when two armies attack each other, what determines who goes first? Or is it completely random?

The most luck so far I've had by completely abondoning the North from the start and heading right into North America (South), to catch them early, so to speak. When I try to take over the North first, they are all huge when they start to appear on all sides of the map at the same time. I can block one or two, but that just buys me a little time...

Congrats, Dave.

Chippie, http://warlight.net/ViewHelp.aspx?s=MoveOrder

Basically, your moves happen in the order you have them arranged on the right. So if you want to make an attack after the computer makes theirs, set that specific order to something much later in your turn and it will happen later.

Well, Impaller, sounds like we do it exactly the same way. You just do it better:)

I was n an epic arm wrestle with the AI when I was called off to bed. My strategy was to get India and Central america first two turns, then West Africa then Caucasus, then spreading to West Europe, running up through West US, Grabbing East China, and getting east Africa next, Typical to my strategy, where I normally lose around turn 15. But, this time I got to South Svalbard and rushed through Greenland to mess with him. He beat me to three bonuses, Canada, which took ages to win back, South America, which I saw him breaking through right as I reached his Canada, and quickly took right back, and Australia, which I failed to ever take. I played very recklessly with no heed to strategy after turn 20, because I am 13, and have a bedtime. I think, with the right moves, this could be a winning strategy. Tomorrow will tell.

A winning strategy indeed. 43 turns, and though I set no speed records, it is a very easy strategy to win with, and I had nearly no problems. I may go for it another time, but for now, I am finished.

I actually beat Challenge 2 on my first try. I didn't know I was supposed to lose! I beat it in 47 turns but I was having fun toying with the enemy, mocking them with my large forces as I slowly surrounded and liquidated them.

Now the last Challenge, "Insane", is just that...insane. I can get all of Africa, South America, parts of North America, most of Europe, most of Asia, Australia, and a few into the other "double" world, but after that I am slowly driven back.

Anyone even come close to beating Challenge 3!?

Charles, this thread is actually about Challenge 3. It used to be called Challenge 2:) If you read through the thread, several people have beaten it.

I read through most of the posts and I am just now realizing that it's about Challenge 3.

This challenge is outta my league. I just don't have the time to do it. But congrats to all whom have done it.

I found this two days ago and its a lot of fun. I have spent about 6 hours trying to beat challenge 2 and with no luck at all I have yet to kill a single AI. Can I ask a few questions of those who have completed it.

Do you give up areas of your own world in favour of entering the other world? (I say this as my most luck has been not building in America at all.)

How many units do you attack the neutral armies with?

What are the first 6 bonuses you gain in an average game, on what turn and in what order?

Thankyou for your help. I just found the forum and realised I have not entirely got the hang of how the AI attacks yet either which I might need to study a bit.

I don't usually give up areas of my own world. The exception is that the AI beats me to Australia and South America (and often takes Greenland before I wrest it back).

I attack the neutral armies with 4 attackers when it's imperative that I capture that spot, and 3 attackers otherwise. If I'm trying to take a bonus, I send in 4 attackers almost all the time. Occasionally I'll attack a neutral spot with like 7 or 8, but that's only when I think that the AI is going to attack that spot earlier in the turn and I want to capture it after they do.

You can actually get away with letting the AI into North America, as long as you balance that by getting into their territory (Usually South Africa) faster. The AI will waste a lot of time in North America, and you can make spoiling attacks to keep them from getting bonuses. The downside is you have a lower income, at least until you have some success on their side. The upside is you can concentrate more on cleaning out the AI in your Europe/Scandavia and getting to their side that much faster.

I'm not sure if I'm missing something here... I have yet to see an abandon card, and when I open the settings window when I start a game, it only shows that Reinforcement cards are available to get. Am I doing something wrong?