Hello,
Recently I noticed there is a considerable number of players, that grasped the combat basics pretty well on Europe map, but are more-less helpless in strategic 1on1. Also, there was a proposition of building a base of high-level games. My idea is to connect the 2 ideas. Why not build a thread that would contain 3-4 20-25 turn games that were strategically sound, with commentary from the winner, discussing basic strategic concepts like cluster picking, counterpicks for cluster picking, consideration of spreadability with picks, trajectory of the attackand blockade, alongside with basic tactical concepts, late attack, losing tempo, use of order delay/priority cards, fake attack, attack from behind etc..

If you are interested in that idea, please post propositions of games you played onvolving the following concepts:
1) winning with cluster picking (domination in early income), doesn't have to be that long
2) counterpicks (preferably longer than the previous one)
3) spreadability and other strategic concepts (has to involve at least one blockade)

As an example I'll post my own games (well, at least 2 of them are) that are close to that concept (of course they are not necessarily good for this due to my lack of strategic skills, but will give a general understanding of what should be included in tutorial).

1) http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer.aspx?GameID=1506554
2) http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer.aspx?GameID=1509920
3) http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer.aspx?GameID=1494083

So guys, tell me what do you think about the idea and would it help the players unfamiliar with Strategic 1on1.

P.S. Since the new format has just been introduced, I had some trouble finding a good example for #3 among my games, keep in mind that if the tutorial is going to help, it must be in the new format (definitely changing the starting picks and the form of cluster-picking)

cluster picking is considered a bad idea due to lack of spreadability.. pre-4armies it was considered by some to be a -slower- early game income -as in first 4 turns, not first turn-

I might go through and try to find some good examples in my games, albiet I am not the greatest on strat 1v1..

http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer.aspx?GameID=1506554
an Example of why cluster-picking is bad, and the counter-picking that bested it.

Uhm, I lost that game and HHH was the one that got close picks...

Would be Awesome to be able to edit games as files where you could add/remove some chat text before posting it on the site, so that the chat could be used as a flowing comment of the game when you shuffle the history. Without this option, the only chat you can find in games is the text actually typed be the very players of the game, and they can't take it back in order to build a complete comment of the game.

I posted a couple ideas about that on UV because the history tool is still suboptimal and widely underrated as a learning device. The game lacks a comment mode of games which would be tremendous for both competent players and players still learning the basics.

Anyway, I'd be thrilled if other players than Your humble Mian opened a so-called "teaching game" once in a while, to play a weaker player and help her/him with some comment afterwhile. I did it a couple times and for now I think it's a great and generous action to help beginners step in and add some level and to the ever-growing WL planet.

What you said is not a problem for creating such a tutorial, both participants can post chat after the game is finished. Of course it's be best if the example would go with an empty chatbox (which would make it a lot more coherent), but it's not necessary. Also guys, waiting for your examples ;)

I consider this a very sound proposition that would provide eager-to-learn newcomers an invaluable resource to hone their game. Personally I would embrace Mian's suggestion of a formatable, coherent turn-by-turn narration of games in order to instruct people upon the importance of strategic positioning and the integral role of cards, especially in regards to strategic 1v1. As owing to a shallow learning curve myself, any formal education in respect to the intricacies of play (beyond the initial one player introduction) would eradicate a substantial amount of "dead games" involved in one's progression towards a full understanding of the mechanics at play. I very much like Mian's expansion on your initial proposal, as making any form of tutorial resource as streamlined and accessible as possible can only increase it's functionality, raising the standard of play in general and possibly "newbie" retention rates due to a greater understanding as to the machinations of Warlight and an expansion of interest on these grounds. A very progressive posting in my opinion :)

http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer.aspx?GameID=1344223
http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer.aspx?GameID=1223238

Let me know what you think of those.

Tutorial-oriented games should be in the new 4-per-pick standard, though, imho. It changes the logic of picks so much that it would be helpful not to explain why picking this or that way can't work anymore.

[http://warlight.net/Forum/Thread.aspx?ThreadID=1857](http://warlight.net/Forum/Thread.aspx?ThreadID=1857)

Ace Windu, I love both of your games (interesting from beginning to end), but I'm not sure if that level of complications would be instructive for inexperienced players. As I said before, the optimal game should consist of +- 20 turns (for the third topic, less for 1 and 2), that'd give inexperienced players to watch everything from start to finish. The other thing of course is what Mian recalled (4 armies per start). I'd love to hear more from you considering that probably it'd be best if those games were ladder games...

Crazy game we just played with Yuanshuai, with a whole hell of a bunch of combinations, anticipations, positional play and patient stack management. And an open-space struggle full of weird things.
Unclear ? Then check it ;o)

[There you go !](http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer.aspx?GameID=1520065)

Enjoy ♫
Your Mian

Fun game! I couldn't help but laugh at the 27 armies trapped in the Taiwan prison between two blockades - I like that move!

Yeah ! We did talk about this one, it's a nice way to plug the stack off for a while. Although in that situation I guess I'd have tried waiting like one more turn and cracked the box on the other side to be already on the mainland. Would have been bold but efficient for sure.

yeah, i liked that trapping move too. i laughed when it happened! too funny. it's like in weiqi when you capture the other player's stone

an even funnier move i noticed when watching the history: mian was prowling in east china like a pervert lurking in the shadows, patiently waiting to pounce on my innocent large army (the remains of the 70 army that took him out off japan's coast)

Then my stack wandered north and south to serve different potential purposes and ended up countering in Indonesia...
But it's nice to see how this stack distantly affected my positional play.