Castle Game: future is now

[idolpro]

[Suddenly, you hear the wailing of a horn. Outside, tension is turning to panic. You can't see anything, but you can hear people gathering up their things, sobbing in fear or speaking in harsh whispers. A lone voice calls from the distance:

The enemy approaches!

Upon the map, an unfamiliar geography appears -- several small nations, clustered together. Outside of them, an endless sea of enemy forces, identified only by a symbol of a cracked skull. Each of the small nations is marked with a flag in one unit's colour, and a tiny model of a castle.

You are at war. How will you protect your people and yourself?


(Rules & questions are here. Cleo is your gamerunner!)

Comments

ROUND ONE

[idolpro]

[As of now, each nation's castle bears the same shape: a tiny, crumbling wooden castle, with an unwalled courtyard full of tents. Above each one hovers the number 0.]

DISCUSSION

[idolpro]

[Discuss your decision here.

Decisions must be turned in by 7:45pm PST!]

DECISION

[idolpro]

[You have 3 bundles of materials with which to build up your castle. Your options are:

• Use your own materials, remaining neutral.


• Gift some your materials to another unit.


• Steal from another unit.

You may gift some or all of your materials, and may divide your gifts between more than one unit. You may steal from up to three units per round. You may not gift and steal in the same round. Any materials in your possession at the end of the round will be used to improve your castle's defense level.

The enemy will arrive after 3 rounds.]

Re: DISCUSSION

[thinkoutsidethebox]

[glancing around the table like she's leading this war room]

Then, is everyone prepared...?

Re: DISCUSSION

[resonantblue]

[spent a hot second glancing around as the sounds carry on before Erika spoke up]

Yes. As prepared as we can be.

Re: DISCUSSION

[asonoficeandfire]

[...]

Yes.

Re: DISCUSSION

[thinkoutsidethebox]

And? What do you want to do?

Re: DISCUSSION

[resonantblue]

Above all else we need to protect ourselves.

Re: DISCUSSION

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Exactly.

But also not make ourselves too appealing of a target.

Re: DISCUSSION

[thinkoutsidethebox]

Obviously. Especially as we'll likely be a popular target to steal from. If we play too soft even in the first round and too many units target us, it could make it impossible to survive.

Re: DISCUSSION

[asonoficeandfire]

Preferably not get us harmed without much collateral damage. There are consequences, and it wouldn't surprise me if they are deadly, considering the look of this game overall. Someone will get hurt regardless.

What would you do?

Re: DISCUSSION

[asonoficeandfire]

We tend to be one most of the time.

[unfortunately]

Should we steal from another unit to begin with?

Re: DISCUSSION

[resonantblue]

[nods to both Intensity and Erika]

In that case, we should steal at least one material. Or two?

Re: DISCUSSION

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

I'd say start with two from different units. Unlike the last game, we can't eliminate people before the final round. And you can hit the same unit multiple times.

Regardless of our standing, we should steal three in the final round since that is when we were hit the hardest last time.

Re: DISCUSSION

[thinkoutsidethebox]

...Steal one, to start. If we end up with too many at the end of the first round, we'll look like we're fine and make things worse for ourselves. But we can only make up so much later on.

Re: DISCUSSION

[asonoficeandfire]

We need to keep a balance, yes. It's all down to how many would defer to target us in the first round.

Re: DISCUSSION

[asonoficeandfire]

It might be different this time. As Erica said, if we end up not being targeted the first round at all, our level will look good enough for others to target us for it.

[he hates to admit she's right]

Re: DISCUSSION

[resonantblue]

Silence is fine with stealing two.

Considering Left's last game, where we started off popping only one balloon when we could have popped three, this could end up just like that if we start off weaker than two.

Re: DISCUSSION

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

I can be talked down to one.

But we should also figure out who to target while we make this decision.

Re: DISCUSSION

[thinkoutsidethebox]

On the other hand, to play devil's advocate to myself—

[she giggles]

—if we do end up with five or even seven at the end of the first round, it doesn't matter how much they target us. We can steal enough to win.

Re: DISCUSSION

[nohalation]

...

Oh yes. It has been a while since we've had something like this, after all.

Re: DISCUSSION

[asonoficeandfire]

I don't think that's a likely scenario.

/2

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Everyone should list units they don't want to hit.

I'm no for ZRAEL, BARiTONES, and Heart Soldier Senshi.

And would rather avoid hitting AlcheME! if possible.

[resonantblue]

[blinks]

The units I would prefer to avoid align perfectly with yours.

Re: DISCUSSION

[thinkoutsidethebox]

That's what would happen if we stole two and weren't targeted. Though, I also don't think that's likely.