#blocking ir hindrance strategy

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

vast sierra
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What is with some players?
Several times had a player which instead of capturing their block and getting bonus armies they hit my block which stops me getting controlling of a whole block and they load there capital with a huge army. They could have so easily taken their block and progressed to win but just seemed intent on disrupting my block when they had a better block strategically.

limber oriole
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Are you talking about the placing Capitals stage of the beginning of a game?
Part of playing Risk is assessing... well, Risk.
Don't get me wrong, some players are just dumb.
But often they might block you over their own gain either because:
-they view you as a bigger threat(you play well/have a dangerous strategy or you're aggressive when other players are turtlers),
-they view your continent as a bigger threat,
-or they view competing with you over said continent as worth it.
-Also, can they hold a continent they have an opportunity to get? If the choice is between blocking you from getting a really powerful continent, vs getting my own continent that has like, 7 border territories, I'd definitely block you instead.
Also note the player turn order, that can come into threat assessment often too.
-Are you the only player in their way of getting first or last in the turn order? That can make you a target.
-Are you in the turn order relative to them that you become a threat?(i.e; only one turn before them)

Being able to read opponents is a big part of Risk.
My general favorite strategy is to ensure I'm always outproducing other players by at least 1, and then turtling.
I know that if I outproduce by too much, I then become a huge target.
I also know that if I'm too slow to produce/too weak, that also makes me a huge target.
I know that if my continent is in a spot where another wants (i.e; they have their own continent but I have the only/best chokepoint) that makes me a target to them. Same if I'm the only player flanking them and if they eliminate me, they get to close a front, that definitely makes me a target.

Best way to start reading opponents is to analyse what you would do if you were in their position. Figure out what they would gain by either blocking or eliminating you, then figure out if that gain would be worth sacrificing securing their own continent.

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Also, note: In Capitals with progressive cards, stacking on Capitals while card blocking everybody else is a very good strategy.

vast sierra
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No, they had an end continent, their capital blocked it off but they left me with an army of one in one corner territory so they didn't have the whole territory. They never hit that army for a lot of moves, its happened sev times. They take one territory per move so don't max out taking a choke point strongly... strange

limber oriole