Countdown

[Hoplosternum]

Originally Posted by Verjigorm

I will, however, state that I politely disagree with this necessity as I always prefer conditions which favor secrecy. I feel it adds a lovely note of risk to the whole thing when you randomly pop in to a province, not knowing what is there or have to send a spy to observe goings on in a far-away land... Revelation is less interesting.

I think in this game though it is fair that who owns the vp sites need to be declared openly.

The vp locations are all in one area and we do not all have equal access to them early. It is possible on this map to have become large and powerful but still have no direct access to the vp sites nor the power that is taking them.

No one seems to have gone for the vp sites early on, though that seemed a viable option. By now it would have been possible for a power to have built up a big VP score and we have not yet entered the late game (I hope ) so many powers don't have easy access to cloud trapeze/teleporting Thugs and SCs at this point.

In short the victory conditions highly favour those who started close by them. Keeping who holds them secret just increases that advantage in this case.

[chrispedersen]

yeah, in retrospect, I really do wish that I had stuck with arena. The object really was everyone fighting over equidistant and centrally located vp.

When I acceded to the change in maps, the implications for game play didn't hit me.

I was also surprised that *noone* made an early play for vp.
Would have been perfect for caelum.

As for 'no tickee no washee' I'm told that it comes from early on when you sent your wash to a washer - you were issued a ticket. To get your clothes back - you had to present your ticket. No tickee.. no washee.

And usually I agree with you Ver, about the importance of secret information. Its just not the format of this game. Sorry!