I'm relatively new and still working on strategies so wanted an opinion from the more experienced players.  I understand (and have embraced) truces and creating allies while in-game.  However, I had a situation occur in a game that I thought went outside of strategy and tactics so wanted to know whether there is any underlying etiquette to games.

As background, I'm in a Colossal Crusade game with 15 players and with fog.  In this game, I was able to get the +3 Indonesia bonus, although barely.  It's my only bonus and I'm not showing any strength on it (2-3 armies per territory on borders, 1 on interior) and I only have one other territory.  In short, there's nothing to indicate that I'm the strongest player on the board.  Another player broke my bonus albeit weakly.  He leaves one army on three territories, which I'm able to get back.

At this point, he posts an open, public message that I have Indonesia to all other players and that he can't stop me anymore (he said specifically Indonesia, not incorrectly thought I had Polynesia).  Keep in mind, he goes before me and has one army on Thailand while I only have two on Sumatra so he could definitely break my bonus again if he put his 5 army minimum there.

So, the question is: is posting someone's position to all other players like that in a fog game considered strategy or is this considered poor sportsmanship?

I'm sorry you were on the receiving end, but you should search the forums for your topic, because the question has been discussed before (twice that I know of)

http://www.wargear.net/forum/showthread/1466/The_Morals_of_War
http://www.wargear.net/forum/showthread/2203/warning_in_fog_games ;

I think it's kind of a jerk move, IMO.  But all's fair in love & war, so I don't complain when it happens to me, but I wouldn't do it.

Poor sportsmanship. No-brainer.

Could be part of a bigger strategy or not based on a strategy at all.

The worst part is You'll never really know which.  It sucks but it happens.

Is it a fogged game? If so, you could post something like..

"Are you sure?" or "Interesting Analysis; How is your reputation on this site these days.?"

If not..  You could post. "He that protesteth.."

With stronger players in that area, you probably don't need to do a thing.  They smell weakness, an my guess is it's not you whose the weak one in this case.

Thanks everyone and thanks Boris for the other posts.  It seems like it's generally frowned upon.  I know it's something that I wouldn't personally do and, if anything, to M57's point (and it is a fogged game), will likely come back to hurt the poster since it shows that he is unable to break a bonus, meaning he's not sitting on his own bonuses and likely weak.  

IMO, there should be strategy to messaging army locations and territories and I can't figure out this guy's, besides just feeling like he should get "help" against me.  The downside is that I'll take him out wherever I see him and other players likely will too so that he won't broadcast their locations.

One of the earliest strategies I learned for winning games from this community was to never do anything that makes you a target.  These include talking too much, being too strong, have a high score, attacking all the other players, having the first continent etc. etc. etc.  It took several years for this to sink in for me... and I made tons of mistakes.   I suspect this player is learning that just now...

 

M57, the fact that the game was fogged was a pretty big factor on the OP's point. That's a pretty bad miss on your part.

Ratsy, that having a high score thing, or not, are you saying you DON'T want to have a high score on a map?

Yeah, I've noticed players often react to another players ranking - and sometimes even to their presence. All other things being equal, a savvy mid level player will make the choice to cripple a good player over a noob. It's more predictable - and it makes the good player a target.

ratsy wrote:

... have a high score, ...

 

So, you lose games on purpose to keep your score low?  That's real devious!

Amidon37 wrote:

ratsy wrote:

... have a high score, ...

 

So, you lose games on purpose to keep your score low?  That's real devious!

No, but I seek out and target those that have high scores... #7... 

Ugh...one of those...

The better the player, the more cognizant they are of the different skills and playing styles around them.  I tend to hit the better players harder whenever I can get away with it.  The other side of the coin is that when I lose to lesser players, I lose more points.  So am I doing myself any favors?

Ozyman wrote:

I think it's kind of a jerk move, IMO.  But all's fair in love & war, so I don't complain when it happens to me, but I wouldn't do it.

Take solace in the fact this callout likely won't win THEM the game, either. Instead the win will go to some other, quieter player who just got free intel on two players in the game. There are sharks in these waters... :-)

I just really hate the idea of playing to make someone lose rather than playing to win. IMO, each game should be played in it's own silo, with a 'waryness' to other's map ratings.

I can tell you that if I feel someone is purposefully attacking me at a time when it makes no sense for them to (notice the qualification on the statement), I will do everything in my power to torpedo said player.

Oh, I'm not as bad as all that...  but given an arbitrary choice, being aware of those around you helps.  

...MB's just feeling the underfoot effect cause he's like the 4th most common player in all my games... 

 

pogmahon wrote:

I'm relatively new and still working on strategies so wanted an opinion from the more experienced players.  I understand (and have embraced) truces and creating allies while in-game.  However, I had a situation occur in a game that I thought went outside of strategy and tactics so wanted to know whether there is any underlying etiquette to games.

As background, I'm in a Colossal Crusade game with 15 players and with fog.  In this game, I was able to get the +3 Indonesia bonus, although barely.  It's my only bonus and I'm not showing any strength on it (2-3 armies per territory on borders, 1 on interior) and I only have one other territory.  In short, there's nothing to indicate that I'm the strongest player on the board.  Another player broke my bonus albeit weakly.  He leaves one army on three territories, which I'm able to get back.

At this point, he posts an open, public message that I have Indonesia to all other players and that he can't stop me anymore (he said specifically Indonesia, not incorrectly thought I had Polynesia).  Keep in mind, he goes before me and has one army on Thailand while I only have two on Sumatra so he could definitely break my bonus again if he put his 5 army minimum there.

So, the question is: is posting someone's position to all other players like that in a fog game considered strategy or is this considered poor sportsmanship?

You will encounter all sorts of players here. It's the stupid illogical players that bother me. They attack with no logic not realizing that they leave others open for elimination. It is also stupid to advertise your intentions via messaging attempting is instigate other players. Don't let anything bother you, after all it is a war game. In game alliances are except-able usually against the strong, but collusion going into a game is cheating. As you play more and more games you will understand opponents that you have played against before and hopefully learn to respond to their play. Remember, it's a war game, so don't let the stupid players get to you. You can usually pick them out by their rankings. Welcome to WarGear and Good Luck.

I talk a lot. Some will be truth, some will be false. I keep to my deals as I hope my reputation builds.