Yes there are guarentees, maybe you haven't found them out yet.

And no, not really 2 people on a large map is a production war; not really a strategy war. There are elements of strategy used; but you lose so much I wouldn't consider strategy as much a factor as other things in that scenario. You wouldn't think about half the things you must in a large-multi opponent game.

If that is your definition of strategy then mine differs completely from it and I have way of looking at it from your perspective. Obviously any sort of comments from my view are not applicable to how you play the game.