Is It Still a Jerk Move?

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    • Is It Still a Jerk Move?

      Hi, folks!

      I'm an experienced player, and I used to be a moderator. I try to play as fairly as possible, and I'm generally more about the strategy and challenge than about winning at all costs. I play with only what the game gives me, and I usually play as one of the smaller, weaker nations to make the game more fun. My point is: I'm usually not someone who embraces the philosophy of shafting everyone else and anything goes as long as I get a win. That being said, I'm currently facing a situation, and I can't really decide if it is dirty or just good strategy (or maybe both). So, I'd like you all to weigh in and to let me know what you think:

      In this one game, i'm the #1 nation in the world and approaching enough VPs for a solo win. Not in the next game day or two, but certainly in the next five to eight game days (I play 4x). Up to this point (Day 30), I have played completely solo. Throughout the game, one coalition has been more successful than the others, and is now the only functional coalition remaining. There are currently five of them and they are all the next five strongest nations below me. So, if things continue as they stand, obviously they'll have to attack me to keep me from winning.

      Can I beat all five of them working together? It's honestly a good question. I've both won and lost in such situations before. In this case, from what I've seen, I'd give myself about a 50/50 chance. They're not bad players, and they might be able to overwhelm me with numbers. Still, my original/default plan was to just fight them all and win.

      Here's where we get to the dilemma, though. That coalition has decided they would rather drop their weakest player (currently #6 in the game) and add me in that player's place. They've contacted me and made that offer. Allegedly, they're kicking the #6 player out right now. So, here are my options:

      A) Refuse to join, fight them all, and try to power my way to the solo win (as originally planned);
      B) Join them and cruise easily to a shared coalition win with them;
      C) Join them now so that I don't have to fight them, finish obtaining enough VPs for the solo win, and then drop out to claim the solo win.

      Now, I know what you're thinking, and generally I agree with you: it's shifty to leave a coalition at the last minute to claim the solo win. Normally it is, but that's because a lot of people do it after their coalition has supported and protected them for the entire game. That's not what's happened here. It's Day 30, and I've never been in a coalition with anyone. I've done it all on my own. These guys could have attacked me at any time, but they didn't because they were scared, which is the same reason they are inviting me to join now. So if I guarantee peace with them for the last five days of a 35-day game, am I really being sketchy, or am I just being smart? What do you guys think?
    • Wait you're still alive? I thought once people lost their Moderator status they disappear under mysterious circumstances...

      tbh not really a fan of C) simply because it completely removes the risk of getting attacked by the coa while going for the solo; pretty much only an option when you care that much about the solo win stat but are too lazy to put in the effort to finish it (also wouldn't really fit your style from what you have told?)

      To me it pretty much boils down to a question of "Do I really want to put more effort for a game that could be finished?" , B is only really an option IMO if the game has already been going on for some time and I just want it to be over.
      Frankly, I'd just take a much closer look at how much of a threat that coalition might actually pose; 5v1 sounds rough in theory but more often than not you end up fighting them one by one, also if they completely lack any units to counter yours. It's worth keeping in mind that numbers are just that; numbers... units really die quite fast when faced with their hard counters and tbh in 4x it just boils down to being more active.
      So I'm pretty much in favor of A, maybe B if you feel pretty lazy
      I am The Baseline for opinions
    • Thanks, Teburu. I see you're still alive too. I was completely away for awhile, but I've returned for the occasional game now.

      Meh, you're probably right about the options. I don't care that much about solo wins over coalition wins on my stats (my stats on that original account are trash anyway), but that coalition doesn't really deserve to coast in on the win I earned, either. Plus, fighting it out with them is the more fun challenge. It's going to take a little more time and effort, but I think you talked me into going for Option A.
    • Additional Options

      D) Become a non-coalition ally with the player getting kicked and ensure out the four bozos don't win (Success depends in part on why the kicked player got kicked - Is he/she clueless. or just less active, or ...). Maximize the kicked player's gold while you take a solo win.

      E) Become a coalition ally with the player getting kicked (Success depends on . . . ) You and they earn a coalition win.

      I think option D) might suit you best. It's you vs 4 instead of you vs 5, and you might get some actual help from the person who was kicked.
    • Sorry, I should have explained why the weak player got kicked. My second-hand and observational understanding is that the player who was getting kicked enjoyed much more benefit from that coalition than they contributed to that coalition. I know that I can look at their build/play from the outside and say, "Yeah, this person doesn't really know what they are doing." I cannot speak to whether or not they deserved to be kicked from their coalition, but I can tell you that I don't necessarily feel compelled to make sure they get a win.
    • As already mentioned...
      Join with the kicked player... but you still have option C available

      You'll get valuable intel from the kicked player... give him a reason to stay in the game... witness what the others attack him with, as the coalition will most likely try to cannibalize him...

      Plus Right of Way... which may be to your great advantage if the coalition was based on geographical proximity.

      I think you'd still have to have the mentality of a solo player, because who knows if the kicked one is active/skilled/built/etc.

      AND... you'd have a better window of time to amass your VP and potential solo-ditch win.

      Furthermore, if you start a coalition you may get requests from other remaining players... or split the competing coalition all together... making it less of 5 v 1 and more of a free for all...
    • I just had similiar situation but reverse. I was lead player by far in lone 5 man coalition with any juice. Leader was complete idiot and was p*ssing me off so my choice was.

      1. Stay and coast to boring win. And let idiot coalition leader ride coattails to win.

      2. Stay a few more days than leave at 11:59PM day before victory. Which is a Jerk move.

      3. Fuck it leave now and potentially fight 4 decent nations; which as you know but can be tough but fun.

      So of course I chose #3; told leader to F Off and made public msg of leaving. #2 country joined me and 3 days later won 2 man coalition. Leader was japan and I was NZ. Most battle took place in Africa as we had intermingled territory and he could tell I was close to 2 man total so he jumped all my cities in africa right before leave clock. Took me 2 days to regain and finish off all troops in africa. It was a full blown WW battle in Africa; My partner Turkey had most of Europe so Leader (Japan) realized only hope was to steal my partners territory; so was also fighting via air support in Europe. Partner had no air fields for SF and offline so had to utilize my Navy Patrol (3500 range) and cruise missiles to defend europe from an Africa Airbase. Utilized them as sort of a long range bomber but Conv cruise instead of carpet bombing. Meanwhile defending NZ and poking holes in Japan defense.

      Last 3 days only fun of game so go big or go home. Id attack the weakest/closest player and demolish them to put fear in the other 4. Always better too strike first before they coordinate a 5 man assualt on you. In this scenario you take out their homeland even if cant hold to cripple them in long game; as you cant commit too many troops to one enemy in a 4 v 1. Use there fear of you against them; once you smash one homeland the others will retreat most likely or come at you really hard.

      But its like the Jack Reacher quote when fighting five guys...."Once I take out the leader, which is you, I'll have to contens with one or two enthusiastic wingmen, the last two guys, they always run. Remember, you wanted this." Which in my scenario what I did as Japan the leader was personal. Prior to destroying him (took out half his navy and all ground troops and idiot never built air or air defense; which he has 50 wins??. I lost like 1 air patrol and a Ball Sub but had two and was running out of nukes in apocolyse x4 map so was a throw away as had a second one); I warned the other 2 wingman who may come in to sit this fight out...lol once they seen on CON news you lighting up big dog like a pinball machine they will be happy to keep their VPs and not get smoked.
      "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him "

      aka ...The killer formerly known as BuckeyeChamp

      The post was edited 1 time, last by The Pale Rider ().