I have now completed 60 games, won 35%. The more I play, the more disapointed I become. This game has just too much luck involved! Please consider these ideas.
1. Can 7 sided dice be used? There has to be some way to reduce the rediculas dice results. Even if the results are statistically accurate, losing 22 in taking 4 has nothing to do with stratagy.
2. Do away with the wild card. It is nothing but a luck item. Try to eliminate as much luck factors as possible.
3. Consider the idea of eliminating sets of cards. Just allow a trade with three cards. It would then be more of a choice to wait to make a trade after you had the first three.
4. How about starting the game with only one troop on each territory, and allowing the players to take turns placing there remaining troops where they choose. This would promote stratagy and reduce the luck factor of beginning placement. We all know a game can be lost from the beginning based solely on poor initial troop placement.
5. Have a limit on how badly a dice lose can be. How many Thermopaly's have there been?