What about double picking? I find that double picking works pretty well in RoR, more than that is excessive but double picking so as to get a ftb especially, when using little income can help you greatly if your other picks clash with the enemy early on. As for 1v1 autogames I would advise against cluster picking and even double picking for an ftb because it rarely works against experienced players.

I'm not an elite player but to me, 1v1 autogames are really about getting more of your armies to threaten your enemy's income before they can get to any of yours. If you cluster pick and encounter an enemy early on, or even worse on turn 1 in your clustered region, then they can grow elsewhere while harassing you on your turf, meanwhile you're busy defending/trying to take a bonus you should have already had and limiting the rate of your expansion, and also limiting the speed at which your own offensive stacks can reach the enemy, if you even mange to create one.

Since I started to try and hone in my 1v1 autogame (I am at 40% win rate now, nothing to brag about but it used to be much lower) almost every time I realize my opponent has double or tripled picked, I end up defeating them

Verdict:

Cluster Picking in RoR: Bad Idea, may work against noobs but more than generally a bad idea
Double Picking in RoR: Can be very useful, but you must take precautions with your back up picks and coordinate with teammates in case in case of enemy encounter in or near the desired ftb on turn 1. In short, recommended for more experienced players

Cluster and Double Picking in 1v1 Autogame: Even worse idea. It's usually predictable (especially in Southeast Asia) and virtually always fails if you're up against anyone who knows what they're doing . The only way I see this working is if you do it in a scenario where the arrangement of the wastelands almost or completely defends one side of your desired ftb and you have a way to break off and grow elsewhere in case of early enemy contact. But how often does that happen? Not recommended.

On a side note, I'd like to mention one map/scenario where cluster picking does work... well sort of, because the template is almost always auto picks. For those of you who are fans of Imperium Roman LD No-Split +1 Income FFAs, I've found that I always perform much better if I'm able to land myself a first or second turn bonus with two spawns that are close to each other...just a thought

Edited 7/30/2018 17:18:20

do you mean with "double picking" combo picking for example comboing a bonus of 4 and do a single pick in a 3? then i need to disagree. cluster picking bad. yes.
Tho you always tell "if your opponent is experienced enough that wont work"
You always expect the person double picking / combo picking to be worse or what?
When you never double pick / combo pick you become very predictable. And people who are experienced will likely out produce you.

And im talking about mme the 1v1 ladder template if someone wonders.

Interesting take Joi179... I suppose you are right in a sense. Like I said, there are scenarios where you can make it work, but I guess my advice was geared more towards beginner players

"since you only play ror let me give an ror example: https://www.warzone.com/MultiPlayer?GameID=15593757. Clustering can be great if done right. My clustering almost won us the game despite the fact that the other team consisted of much much much better players than my team (I had randoms, they had a set team - to see how poor my team was just watch egypt..)."

Hey, there I am. :D

Yes clustering the way you do it can work sometimes, but the type of clustering that most players do is completely nonstrategic nonsense clustering with no real forethought and planning behind it. 90 style clustering however can work, but it's a bit gimmicky and the level of reward depends on a multitude of factors.

https://www.warzone.com/MultiPlayer?GameID=15585015
Formidable specimen of effective clustering indeed.

I wonder why Paker acted that way.

I tried clustering and it went sorta okay.

https://www.warzone.com/MultiPlayer?GameID=16122180

But my opponent wasn't very good, and it's still a very risky strategy.

I think the best reason to cluster would be for fun, since spreading out is overall better.

Great Cobra? More like Great Kindly Noob! :P

yeah but you didn't put all 5 picks in one superbonus