I would like to devote this thread to anytime I encounter a unique distribution that I have no idea how to pick, either due to ambiguity or not being traditional. I would like to use it to debate and discuss how to pick these unusual distributions.

The first Picking Puzzle I would like to present is a 1v1 rt ladder guiroma game:

https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=13648804



The guy got booted, so we never see picks. However, this is what I ended up picking:



How would you pick this?

hmmm... i think your picks are good in general.

hard priority call between FTB in france and ponticia, i think i would have placed first pick on the east just to make sure. and if i would lose it then i would have the safe FTB for sure.

then the other hard decision is to ensure position in carthage on next picks or last picks and risk not being there at all. and if you go for carthage with just 1 pick what would be the priority pick? the +1 might end up being the safest but if you opponent cluster picked there 1 2 3 you're likely to miss it. you could also ignore carthage and go for midgame counter from one of the +1 islands in the mediterraneum, which is much likelier to get as a 4th pick. and then you're free to use your other 4 picks for either iberia or north (or try to have one in each.

i think with this strategy i just described you would split a couple bonuses but have options to either storm down into carthage, or try to counter/wipeout france, or just slowly get ponticia and work the faster expansion angle.