Advice needed for Handicap between unequally skilled players
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Hello everyone. I have been using this client for a few years now. I mostly play against the AI or some of my friends in a hot seat fashion. When I play against my friends we usually just play the classic map as that is the one that they are most familiar with. I find that when I play against my friends, no matter which side i play, that I always win. Recently we played 2 games. The first game I played Axis without a bid at all and rolled right over them. The second game I played as the Allies with the fast AI as Russia and I gave my friends a bid of 20. While they had some great first turn plays, they misplay so much that I was still able to beat them pretty easily (they were not even in a position to take Moscow by turn 6 and I had kept control of most of Africa). I am trying to figure out a way to handicap myself enough to where I am still challenged and they still have fun playing. What else could I try to balance the game out? I have considered giving them some tech even though we usually don't play with it or perhaps a percentage income boost. I usually give the Hard AI a bid of 21 extra and can still consistently beat them so it seems that my friends are not even as good as the Hard AI with a generous bid. I don't claim to be an amazing player or anything as I have not really tested myself against anyone else, I would just like to be able to play a fair game with my buds while making jokes about WW2. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you and have a good day.
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The problem you're facing is that the regular bid system only provides an upfront boost of units. If there is a meaningful skill gap between players then unit per unit, you'll get more down and pick better battles. What you'd need to do is give them an income boost. So while you're going to be shredding more of their men per turn they will be producing more men. Also on some maps it might be reasonable to give them a free tech or something.
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@johnons yea there's a resource modifier that can give players more dough at the start. Think you can give them the bonus every turn too. Idk. Not real familiar with it. I'd guess it works on most maps.
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@johnons I suggest you partner with the hard AI and play and let the friends play normal. So for example you are Japan, Germans are hard AI and buds are allies. This will certainly give you a challenge and let them beatup on Germany a bit before you rescue it.
I suggest you play japan because AI struggles with transports last I checked.
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Thanks for the suggestions guys, I really appreciate it. I think the free tech could be a really good idea. I haven't played with tech since I played the actual board game as a kid so that will add an uncomfortable challenge for me and make it fun. I also like the idea of letting them beat down Germany so as to give them some sense of accomplishment even if I win. I was trying to figure out a way to give them an IPC boost every turn but could only find a way to give it to the AI. I may just give one of them that Industrial tech for free. Any idea what the most beneficial techs are for each player? Again thank you for your suggestions, you have gotten the creative juices flowing for me.
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@johnons The best techs are long range air and heavies. Either of those is what I would take. But let them choose, because they may have a different strategy all together.
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I should throw in, and I've said it many times, for fun on the WWIIClassic map which was the board game map me and my buds played, we started letting Germany go first instead of letting Russia go first ... that was fun and a little more challenge for the Allies and I personally thought it was more historically accurate. So that's something you could try if you want to give a new player some help against an experienced player.
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Thanks for the tech advice. I’ll drop the hint but let them make their own decision. I like the turn order idea as well. That is outside the box. Appreciate it guys. That should be enough to mix things up enough. Thanks for saving axis and allies for me hahaha.
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Raise the purchase price of all your units
