U bastards :D

What is reasoning behind this? Definitely changes the game

http://blog.warlight.net/index.php/2011/09/upcoming-1v1-ladder-setting-change/

There was a vote

Sorry it took you by surprise. All changes to these templates are announced on the blog at least one week prior to the change taking effect.

This change was voted in by the players. The reasoning is to make it harder to take a bonus on the first turn. It definitely requires an adjustment in strategy!

If you don't like the change, remember you can always create your own games with the old settings. If you save it as a template, you can easily re-create new ones, too.

This is a great change in my opinion. Increased probability of turn-1 bonus annihilation was perhaps the only downside of Medium Earth(as opposed to the old Earth).

Just seen this when I started a game, I dislike it, as it means now if you're as unfortunate in your picks so as to wind up near 2 of the opponent you're a whole more screwed. Hate it.

It was intended to remove the possibility of a single turn bonus gained from a single bonus selection.. it means that you have to either bunch your picks, which has obvious downfalls, or possibly have one less pick... Personally I preferred 5 because 4 is an easier attack to -counter- pick people.. means that if you and your opponent both have 2 spots near each other, it takes them more effort to counter you.. IE, adding in armies that could otherwise be used to gather bonuses in far off ranges

I dislike it. The coveted first round territory bonus is part of the thrill and a huge factor in your starting strategy, which is what the game is all about - strategy. I just don't see the point in diminishing that.

It's still just as strategic as it was before (I'd argue it's more so), it just requires a different strategy, and far less games are going to be decided by the random dice roll of who got their first pick.

Picks are still too important. 4 starting armies of 4 (16 total, 12 movable) would be better I think (old way: 15 total, 12 movable). My reasoning: Players that can't beat me in a pure (no third player involved) and balanced (equal bonuses) 1 v 1 within a 3 v 3 game are able to beat me in the strategic 1 v 1 solely based on the luck and/or positioning of their picks. If an average player mastered the art of picking but still had average strategies, he would be able to beat many better players. In other 1 v 1 competitions (boxing, wrestling, fighting, etc.), the totality of one's skills and strengths matter more than the first step/turn/move of the body or who gets to go first (1 v 1 basketball game: who gets the ball first doesn't matter).

That is why I proposed to add an additional step between picking territories and the 1st turn:

- pick territories, each territory starts with 1 initial army
- wait for all players
- see which territories you actually got and distribute your amount of starting troops (3*3=9 now) freely
- again wait for all players
- continue with turn 1

this would open up a zillion possible outcomes and strategies. Imagine you picked 2 spots adjacent to an opponents starting position - which one do you reinforce? both? only one of them? none? etc... you get the idea

I added this as a Uservoice idea:

http://warlight.uservoice.com/forums/77051-warlight-features/suggestions/2286567-free-deployment-of-initial-armies

After playing a bit with the new template the only downside I see is that it is no longer guaranteed that you can obtain a four-point bonus in two turns.

Basic tactics now strongly favors an early combo of 2 picks around a 4-point bonus. This way there are usually 2 4s launched on turn 1 and even if the 2nd pick uses this turn just to come close to the bonus, it often brings 1 extra troop to start the 2nd extension and finish the job if needed while an encounter by the 3rd pick can be managed in safe to aggressive balance. This way is seems to me South America is usually the best starting point when there is no wasteland from Baja to Scott, because it guarantees an efficient extension + alternate solution + counter-play on the other small bonus.