I tend frequently to run into scenarios where I meet another player early. Usually, I try to play defensively and try somewhat to keep the threatened pick alive while expanding elsewhere. Sometimes, it seems I end up using too many armies expanding to be able to defend properly. However, other times I am defending too much, and my opponent outclasses in in armies per turn quickly. What is the most effective way to maintain a good balance of expansion and defending?

Here are a couple of games below where I have a scenarios related to these:

Overexpansion:

https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=11922113

https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=11664164 (Note the northern area of my territory near the end of the game. I was stretched thin)

Where it feels I reached a balance:

https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=11982334

Overdefending:

https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=11635168

https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=10789170 (older game)

Edited 9/21/2016 00:51:48

I tend frequently to run into scenarios


as an alt, or as your main? Either way everyone would know it was you.

Hello

Where it feels I reached a balance:

https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=11982334

What you call balanced is in fact to much expansion and this in quite a bad way. You keep opening up bonuses, and the turn after your open up a bunch of other bonuses while just ignoring the bonus you openeed up previously.

Ok, how could I have expanded better? I'm trying to improve myself here, and learn how to balance and such.

https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=11635168

Picking this game as I much prefer MME to the map in the other game:

Turn 1: Hitting CA is stupid. Hit Brazil.

Turn 2: You have to deploy 5 to finish South America. Do so. You then deploy 3 and hit South Australia.

Turn 3: Finish Australia.

That puts you at 17 income after turn 3.

You instead end turn 3 on 11 income. Play turns 1-3 like I outline and you have a 4 income lead and you border Cata, you head from Australia towards Russia, find him in East China, break him and win the game.

Take 1 bonus at a time. Do not deploy into multiple bonuses at once except in very specific circumstances where doing so allows a bonus to be taken sooner than otherwise possible. Example: long thin bonuses where you take 1 territory each turn, like say, Southeast Asia can be sensible to move in while finishing another bonus if you can spare the armies. If you're taking a territory, and then not expanding from that new territory (or finishing a bonus) you shouldn't be taking the territory.

Edited 9/22/2016 00:37:20

It really depends on the map. If you are playing on ror 1 neutrals then expanding should be one of your top priorities. However, if you are playing EU 3v3 (and most strategic maps) then you should probably stick to killing your opponents.

You really have to look at the map and settings to understand how useful expanding is. Sometimes the best thing to do is just stack up and attack against your enemy and not expand at all.

Thank you guys. Does anyone mind playing few games with me without fog so they can analyze and try to guide me in the right direction?

i could play a few games with you and give you analytic comment, but i don't support spammers.

^Okay, so don't comment