random yew
Since yesterday I've been playing ranked again and I actually had some fun.
The secret? I've been playing classic fixed, which remains to be my favorite setting for games with all sorts of skill levels. Maybe I'll keep it going if I find the time.
Here I'll post about my journey, because sharing is fun and might just motivate me to keep going.
My first game yesterday: #risk_screenshots message
I'll also try to capture more of my games going forward, so that I can talk about my strategy. So far I only have screenshots of the post game screens.
random yew
Here I killed Orange in the hopes that the other two would fight (high chance, since they are stacking on their borders)
Tested to see if Black would let me hold Africa after he didn't immediately take it (he didn't let me and finally took it, then let Purple break him for 10 turns before finally defending properly)
This was some time later, Purple had just invaded my Australia, then full stacked against Black. I took back Aus with my second stack.
Aaand, Purple had enough and slammed Black after they failed to open the path. 🥳
random yew
This was some time later, Purple had just invaded my Australia, then full stacke...
Might have been a mistake not to full stack Aus. This tempted Purple to slam half my troops. But in the end this made them give up, so maybe I did play it right.
1st x 16
2nd x 9
3rd x 1
4th x 2
5th x 1
6th x 1
Win rate: 53.3% (16/30)
fierce prawn
Since yesterday I've been playing ranked again and I actually had some fun.
Th...
I thought that’s the setting most people play on?
At least for me, that’s what I’ve always used
random yew
Probably, yes. It's the true "meta setting".
fierce prawn
Probably, yes. It's the true "meta setting".
Yes, caps, fog of war, on Europe Advanced, with fixed is a recipe for meta games 🙌
What a time to be and not to be alive
random yew
Ah, I just got beaten good.
Blue and I had some troops in Africa. I was going right before them and had a bit more than them in there. Allied up, sent friendly signals, they sent some back. Classic. I placed more troops in Africa, took a card somewhere else and ended my turn. What do they do? Slow roll all of their troops into me, then break the alliance.
Luckily everyone else is friendly and I somehow get to see another day. Blue dies and finally I get to take a weak Africa. Then, the next weakest guy comes along and wipes me out of Africa (they have 6 left in there). I have 17 troops and 2 cards left in Asia, but of course get killed first. 5th place. 
fierce prawn
Ah, I just got beaten good.
Blue and I had some troops in Africa. I was going ...
Bro got bamboozled, whiplashed, and slapped in the face all at the same time
Major F 🪦
Today, we honor Silent, and deadly, Legend 🤧
May he forever be in our hearts, the man who was betrayed and bested in Africa, amen. 🙏 😔
random yew
I had 3 wins and 1 loss today so far. The loss was because I got suicided by Red and the Green didn't allow me to get 2nd, even though I offered them my undying loyalty. ;)
random yew
random yew
random yew
Not a great day today: One 4th (with 2 bots, so essentially last), one 2nd and one 1st. I ended up about where I started.
fierce prawn
Not a great day today: One 4th (with 2 bots, so essentially last), one 2nd and o...
F
random yew
Orange got a little too excited and overextended. This was a great game! The players were playing pretty well too.
random yew
I want to share my mistakes as well and this was a big one. Here I gave up my perfectly fine Europe hold and killed the Aus player.
Thought I was real smart for progressing the game and getting the upper hand on an unstable board. That did not work out.
Blue turned out to be an idiot that would let Orange rake everything and White just camped in Aus after I had to have that one up for Africa again.
Still got second, but that hurt (my stupidity mostly, because looking back that was obviously bad)
I guess I had already counted White as dead, Orange as the aggressor and Blue as the other good player that would be forced to do something. But that doesn't work out in the 4 player dynamic. Killing someone to reach the 3 player endgame makes much more sense. I should have just been more patient.
dusky sand
Tested to see if Black would let me hold Africa after he didn't immediately take...
Got me there with the same screenshot twice ^^
random yew
Got me there with the same screenshot twice ^^
oops, lol. This would have been the correct one I think. 
Good catch!
New game and hooray, being brave finally paid off in the 3 player endgame! I might have been a bit too brave, but since Blue didn't punish Black heavily before and because Black didn't play very well, I was thinking this could work out. It didn't work out quite as intended, but we take it. :)
random yew
Great game!
I held Aus from turn one, Pink in Aus and Black in Africa. Orange got Europe fast and Yellow got NA even later. Red pivoted to Asia.
Black surrendered for whatever reason. I killed Yellow. The game then got stale while I was keeping Pink in check and suggesting everyone to attack orange (Pink so they could expand and Red so I could give them 3rd).
Fast forward, Red is making an effort in attacking the neutral territories for whatever reason and eventually takes it. I immediately kill them to get to a balanced 3 way endgame.
I end up holding Asia and Aus for a while, before Orange breaks out into Aus and proceeds to stall for what feels like an eternity. FINALLY their time has run out and their territories turn neutral. Victory!
I killed everyone that didn't surrender, held everyone in check and was the only one that actively progressed the game and on top of that won the game! What a great feeling. 
random yew
Incredible, Experts are losers. 😮
random yew
And masters are amazing! This guy knew exactly how to play and progress a game. I caused them much pain however and they overextended in the end. 
random yew
And an almost similar game right after!
1k to go for GM. I should be able to do it in 1-2 games tomorrow.
fierce prawn
You got this bro 😎
random yew
In this stacked lobby I was trying my hardest to win. Unfortunately Blue didn't know how to play for 2nd and took 3rd instead.
Yellow actually played really well, so they deserve the win more than anyone.
random yew
Not the best day to start the season. I was able to play 3 games:
Got 6th in the first one with a bunch of low ranks (intermediates, it's the lowest rank I'm filtering for)
Then got 2nd and tbh that loss was 100% on me. I misplayed in the 4 player endgame and then got outclassed in the 3 player endgame (both players were doing a great job at not giving up and keeping me in check. I killed the one that broke up every one of my attempts to progress the game to speed it up. Damn...
Then got 1st, but I honestly feel bad for taking it. I had an amazing ally and we eliminated two players together to get to the 3 player endgame. Then he made a big move on the final player but not big enough... probably expected me to just give them the win. In the end the third player was smart enough to take second when my ally didn't want it. :(
Despite all that, I'm up to 27k and will continue tomorrow.
