Warring States 2 AARs (Han Solo's)

[TTBen]

No this wasn't Star Wars just ancient China.

I'd love to hear some feedback and thoughts of my players. I ran this variant off someone else's server which was unique on its own but I also took the opportunity to run this exclusively off mobile to see if I could. While it was a learning process I think it's something I could do on most maps that aren't super complex.

[EpicDim]

Thank you to TTBen who talked me into joining this game after taking over a position on one of my games. And thank you to the other players for doing their part and keeping the game moving.

I started this game a little concerned about being a middle power. My original plan was to join up with Wei to start a game long alliance. And my first target was to make it to a side. I set my sights on Qin's territory and was working with Chu and Zhao to try and work together to take out Qin. Conversations with Zhao were going so well that he joined the Han-Wei alliance and the three of us started discussing tactics and how to carve up the land.

Year one, the Han-Wei-Zhao alliance pretty much soaked up the neutrals and positioned ourselves to move on the other 4.

Year two Qin moved on Chu and also didn't do what I thought we had agreed to so Chu and I started working together against Qin and Chu let me take over a disputed neutral and follow him into an SC as we pushed Qin back. This put me as the board leader with 8 SCs. Wei and Zhao were embattled with Qi and Yan which I was helping with information and kept them nervous with talk of the big bad Wei/Zhao alliance.

Year three had me setting up a line against Qin to start the final push and Zhao moved out of his western centers to push against Yan. That left open 3 of his centers, 2 of which were on the river and I had boats ready to run up the river. I pondered and pondered and then decided to stab Zhao. The plan would have had all 3 of those centers in the Fall, although it left my front with Qin to do it. It went not quite perfectly but I couldn't have expected better, Qin didn't gain anything and I got 2 of those Zhao centers. Zhao was irritated but knew that if he turned on me Yan would gobble him up so we agreed to a new DMZ. This put me at 10.

Year four Wei was not happy with my Zhao stab and so turned on me. I was able to mostly hold the line with Wei while getting my line back up against Qin. Chu and I also out maneuvered Qin and I got an army behind his lines. I was able to gain one more off of Zhao and trade centers with Qin and Wei putting me at 11.

Year five Qi decided to push against Wei and he couldn't hold both fronts and Chu feels confident to start an Eastern front against Wei as well. Qin continues his collapse and makes a critical error (or more likely calculated withdrawal from the game) by not retreating into two open centers. That leaves me at 13 with the next highest at 5.

Year six I see an opportunity to hit the magic 18 so I complete my last 2 stabs of the game, a major one on Chu and a minor one on Qi to try and pick up 5 more centers. I only make 4 because Wei out maneuvers me and takes Qi's center instead of me taking it. So I finish one shy of the win.

Year seven is just cleaning up as I try to maximize my gains, this time it's a Wei retreat that would have stopped me at 20, but he disbands and I see the path to guarantee 21 so I finalize my fall orders and walk in the run.

The fleet movement and the walls made for some really interesting tactical puzzles. I did enjoy the game even with the pace being much faster than standard.