What makes a great stratego player?

[sadistic]

O->#

[-deleted439]

Good Stratego players will typically never share how they think. It's the only advantage anyone has. The best way to learn is to play opponents that are far better than you are and watch how they beat you, then think about it. You'll pick up on it soon enough. However, in the interests of making you a better player I'll chip in a couple of cents.

First to respond to your bullets:

1) I agree completely. A good setup is key.
2) I agree this is helpful, but it is often not necessary or practical against better opponents as they will decieve you at all times, even when you think you know what is going on.
3) You are right about tricking the enemy. That is the game. Keep focusing on this area. You typically won't get a two piece power advantage on a skilled player with everything else staying equal though, and a two piece power advantage is not enough if he has advantages in other areas.
4) I don't worry about this too much. The bottom line is your opponent doesn't know what anything is. If your spy is on the other side so what? Play it out and make him think it is near. Or don't do anything. His own fear is your best ally.
5) I agree. Those tools are what you need to acquire and it comes mostly from experience.
6) Ditto.
7) Ditto.
Ditto. This will come mostly from experience with that particular player though. It is also why you probably won't get a lot of insightful responses to this post from better players.

I would add these points (most of them expounding on your point 5):

1) There are three key variables to keep in mind while playing Stratego: Information, Material (number/mix of pieces left on the board) and Power (rank of top pieces on the board). They are important probably in that order, although Material and Power are close.

2) Information is everything. Inexperienced players will often equate a power advantage with winning. These players will get up by a cap or two or a major and they think they can hold on till the end. Skilled players will play for information. It's ok to lose a cap or two or a major or even a col early in the game if you get quality info. Here is a simple trick: Start the game by hitting everything that moves with a cap. The opponent will kill him probably with a maj (if he kills it with something higher you got cheap info). You have a col nearby. You chase the maj and kill it. If he is bluffing you got a maj (good for you). If he kills the col you have your info and still got the maj. If he kills it with marsh he is at a huge disadvantage, especially early in the game. Now he must fear your gen which can strike at will, but he is not free to use his gen on you because your marsh is still hidden. You should be able to attack with your gen and kill a piece or two before he trades. Then you attack with your other col and get another piece or two before he trades. Now it is your marsh against his marsh and col. He has a slight power advantage (remember you are still up a maj), but you have an info advantage and probably a material advantage. Of course there are different ways to play it out, but this will get you thinking. Now, if he had killed your col with his gen things are not so easy, but you still have good info, he is still down a maj, and his gen is now a liability since he doesn't know your marsh.

3) Bomb locations are also important info. Remember, he only has six. Once you find them all you can strike at will. Actually your odds of surviving a blind strike go up dramatically after finding 3 or 4. If an opponent puts bombs on the front row it is a great thing for you because he is giving away precious info. If you find more than one bomb early in the game it is not a bad idea to start looking for the others. Once they are exposed your high ranks can plow at will. Many inexperienced players are scared to hit an unmoved piece and will even accuse you of playing the lottery if you do it with anything higher than a serg. Now I'm not suggesting you play kamakazi tactics, but certainly it is not a bad idea to start a game by plowing a cap through unknown/unmoved territory (I have seen better players do it with a maj although I'm usually not that brave). Just think about that. What is the worst thing that can happen? He blows up? Who cares if it is early? At least you found a bomb and have some insight into his set. If he kills it with a maj you can use the col tactic above. It's also very likely you will kill a couple of small pieces before the cap dies.

4) Liabilities are good things for your opponents to have (from your perspective). Don't be scared to lose a piece. If the opponent shows a maj or a col or even gen that piece becomes something important that he must protect. You can now play with his head and watch how he responds. Much can be learned from this. btw: This is what I did to you in our game. You had the power advantage, but were riddled with liablities. You were mad at me for not coming at you when I had the info, but what good is to rush in and trade and leave you with unopposed high ranks? I had to test you and bleed you. And that is what happened.

5) It bears repeating: Information is everything.

6) Always think about what your opponent will see as the game progresses. Build your setup accordingly and move your pieces during the game accordingly. Also, position some high stuff in wierd places. Now you must be prepared if he calls your bluffs, so skill and thought is required. You can never be sure how an opponent will respond to a situation. Just remember, he doesn't know a thing about your set, he just knows what he thinks he knows, and THAT is where you play the game.

It's late and I'm running out of gas so I'll stop here. I hope it helps. There is of course much more that can be said about the game.

[sadistic]

O->#

[jerry]

Thankyu Myst for yr intuwtion, I will move this post to the right catagory, most helpful.

Jerry.

[lightwing]

hi!
it's not smart to tell things like this this info oculd be used against urself.
then there are 2 things
1-the other player learned something
2-u lose and if it's ranked u lose ranking points

and to say thing like this u will let see other players a part of your strategy.

[sadistic]

O->#

[esquire]

I have to agree with Sadistic on this one. I too enjoy helping others anyway I can. This is only a game, a hobby, or a livelihood (rarely) for most. I too have shown my setups and helped others with different tactics. When I first started playing this game--I learned to play online at this site--GPET0 was kind enough to show me tactics and give me tips. He helped me out greatly, and without his insight I do not think I would ever have been to enjoy the game as much as I do now.

Whoever says that they cannot share with others is playing this game for the wrong reasons. It is a game, not the end of the world if someone beats you.

[-deleted129]

Practice and try things you learn when you get beaten.
A lost game 99% of the time gives you more to think about then a game you've just won.

First Rule:
Take regularly looks in the graveyard.
I mean to say that you must know if you are in front or (a little) bit behind.
Its just stupid to loose the General because you didn't know he still has is Marshall

Second Rule:
There is always a moment in the game that can be called "the turning point" (this can be the moment you loose a Colonel, or the moment you discouver his/hers Marshall)
Try to recognize the "turning points" and take it to your advantage.

Third Rule:
Do not move pieces if not needed.
Good players know which pieces have moved and kill them when they have the chance.
It can be that the game is running for 20 minutes and you are thinking; 'I am going well, we have equal chances'
And 10 moves later you are way behind because you opponent is killing the 'old' pieces which have once moved (15mins ago)
This means make a good setup (*)

I think these are the most important points of interest.
Other little tips are:
- Don't let your high pieces be discouvered easy
- Don't kill pieces 4 ranks lower if your rank is still unknown.
- You must safe at least 1 miner. Prefer 2 or 3 miners and a scout.


But keep in mind that the standard here on Gravon is very high.
It is not a easy win for a Top 10 player vs a player with Rank 90 - 100 !!

And finally,
Attacking or defence...... A good attack is better then poor defence.

I'm just hoping the Gravon family is getting bigger, and the playing standard gets even higher: that improves all players games!!

Greetings,
Wussy


< I posted this previously in this forum (topic started by BradS) maybe someone can find something valuable, BradS didn´t I think because I´ve seen him in a long time..>
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S t r a t e g o - C l u b - N a p o l e o n

[-deleted439]

[quote]I don't agree with you entirely in your scenario in #2. For one thing he can attack your 4's with his 3 with near reckless abandon. What is the worst that can happen? You will end up even.[/quote]
Actually, no. In this scenario the col becomes the nexus of the game and is simply too valuable to risk. Now, if you give him a chance to hit a maj with the col he might take it, but don't do this right away. Remember, he is behind a maj and you have likely also put him behind a few small pieces with your agressive attack and may even have made up the cap by now. He may opt to attack with his majors to try to flush the marsh, but that is risky too because if he goes down 2 majors he is in a world of hurt, even with the col. If anything you can stay on the offense now as you have a maj to spare. The worst thing that can happen to you is that the col kills one. It's likely you will trade with at least one other major before finding the col and in the meantime your attack is costing him precious material. He is on the hotseat here with unattractive options. He can continue to bleed or try to do something offensively, but remember he is still blind, so if you manage it properly you have a good chance to sting him more if he attacks. Now no matter how well you play you might not be able to get the col back and that will leave you in an endgame where he has the high piece. This is not too much to worry about though as you should have a material advantage and hopefully the next highest piece or two. The point of this strategy is to grab info and use it to bleed the opponent dry.

I used this example because you mentioned good players having tools to win from behind. This is a strategy that will have you playing from behind for most and maybe all of the game and is very good excersize for learning how to do it. It is also very effective when mastered.

btw: Lightwing, this is a simple tactic that most experienced Strat players are very familiar with. It doesn't give away much to share the tactic. It's how you play it. Stratego is mostly art after all. The point of the post was to help some of the lower rated players think differently.