Improvement of Capitals game type

So, I just now played a Capitals game, where I was eliminated before I even got my first turn. I remember this has happened sometime in the past as well. As I look at the game, I see that it looks as if it will be over within just another 2 or 3 turns, as everyone is focusing on amassing troops next to an enemy capital and win this way. Overall, I feel the Capitals game type tends to generate games with very little strategy - or extremely simplified strategy focused on amassing troops next to a capital and then take it, then go on to the next, and so on. I suggest a few modifications: 1. During the first round - or perhaps even the first few rounds - it should not be possible to attack an enemy capital. This will give all players and teams an opportunity to bulwark their defenses of their capitals before they're eliminated. 2. Capitals could have some sort of defense bonus that would make them harder to capture. After all, a real capital would usually be surrounded by big walls and fortifications. (This could be implemented as some sort of advantage with the dice rolls for the defense of capitals, a special "fortification" value whose value would initially be decreased when attacked instead of the troops, etc.)

I personally don’t have any issues with capitals at the moment, the strategy you are talking about would leave ones capital open to being taken and being able to have a stack at someone else’s capital as well. I’ve played almost 1000 capitals games and it’s my favorite game mode overall. On a slightly related note… I would love to see capitals assassination lol.

I hate Capital games for the reasons you mentioned. There have been times I started and a player before me was able to drop 3, and fort 2. So I had a stack of 8 sitting next to my capital. I couldn't fort and would have to drop mine just to have a little more than the defender. They go again and my turn is over and I never even got to attack. Another time I took advantage of a weak capital on my first turn. Had a large stack on my capital. The next guy knowing that his only shot was to kill me swung with like 6v12 or something like that. He weakened me so much that the next person finished off and won the game...all in the 1st round. There is virtually no skill in the game and it becomes a crap shoot.

[quote=tcjohans]So, I just now played a Capitals game, where I was eliminated before I even got my first turn. I remember this has happened sometime in the past as well. As I look at the game, I see that it looks as if it will be over within just another 2 or 3 turns, as everyone is focusing on amassing troops next to an enemy capital and win this way. Overall, I feel the Capitals game type tends to generate games with very little strategy - or extremely simplified strategy focused on amassing troops next to a capital and then take it, then go on to the next, and so on. I suggest a few modifications: 1. During the first round - or perhaps even the first few rounds - it should not be possible to attack an enemy capital. This will give all players and teams an opportunity to bulwark their defenses of their capitals before they're eliminated. 2. Capitals could have some sort of defense bonus that would make them harder to capture. After all, a real capital would usually be surrounded by big walls and fortifications. (This could be implemented as some sort of advantage with the dice rolls for the defense of capitals, a special "fortification" value whose value would initially be decreased when attacked instead of the troops, etc.)[/quote] Another thing is, the capital DOES have a defense bonus, it starts with more troops than the rest of the board.

D12 capital games are a bit chaotic but it's fun. Love it for sametime games. I do think it should be called Capitulation..(Matty or Cireon introduced that word sometime ago) and then we could also have a traditional Capitals version, where there is no conversion of troops when a capital is taken. Another thought for current mode though..what about 2 attacking dice 3 defensive? Ive played on a risk site and it's super annoying lol, but it makes u think twice about attacking.. but I'll for sure bet there will be more dice complaints. : )

2 to 3 ruins attackers advantage and it doesn't allow for the use of caps in elimination.

Would adding a few more troops to the capital at the start fix most problems? I'd rather not change the game type too much, as a lot of people like it. And if you don't like it, maybe try out domination games or assassination games? They can be fun. Hehe, that's what I do B|

[quote=Matty]Would adding a few more troops to the capital at the start fix most problems? I'd rather not change the game type too much, as a lot of people like it. And if you don't like it, maybe try out domination games or assassination games? They can be fun. Hehe, that's what I do B|[/quote] I don't know what the current algorithm is but it definitely depends upon the map as atlantis you could have enough first turn in a 2 or 3 player game to kill first turn. I would love to see the troop start algorithm, or if it's just specific to every map.

10 + floor(territories_per_user / 3)

The number of starting troops currently is [code]10 + floor(territories_per_user / 3)[/code] So on Atlantis you start with significantly more troops on your capital than Anchor Bay

Would it be possible to have it be more like 10+the highest bonus starting the game? that might help as no one could really kill first 2 turns

I really don't want to make the initial amount of troops depend on something silly like an initial drop.

I guess not... maybe just adding 2 or 3 more to the base number would do the trick?

Lets say we'd always add 2 extra troops to a capital at the start of the game. What do people that play a lot of capitals game think about this? I don't know because I rarely play it. But would it fix a problem that happens often (get your cap killed early on)? Or would it only fix a very small problem and cause more other problems down the line?

[quote=pygmyhippo277]I personally don’t have any issues with capitals at the moment, the strategy you are talking about would leave ones capital open to being taken and being able to have a stack at someone else’s capital as well. I’ve played almost 1000 capitals games and it’s my favorite game mode overall. On a slightly related note… I would love to see capitals assassination lol. [/quote] As I said here... I don't personally have any issues and I think that the issues stated are an uncommon issue... leaving their capital open in my opinion.

I don't play them. When I have to because of a tournament I love getting a large stack next to a capital. Even if I don't attack it oftentimes means I can keep them from attacking and getting cards while they focus on building up their defenses.