Does this warrant a public red thumb or am I too sensitive?

[csimpson]

I'm in a 3p tourney game, near the end. I'm in 2nd place, about 10 points ahead of 3rd, the leader is 40 points ahead.

The leader had the opportunity to end the game by finishing the terraforming but chose not to, allowing it to proceed for another generation. Instead they have chosen to take multiple actions which are exclusively against me rather than the player in 3rd and have give no real benefit (e.g., Power Supply Consortium when they're already making lots of energy). This was annoying but I was prepared to let it go. But then, after the 3rd-place player had completed the terraforming, the leader spent 8 Titanium to play Big Asteroid, which raises the temperature twice (so no effect), gains 4 Titanium, and optionally removes 4 plants from a player, which was me. So effectively they spent 4 Titanium to remove 4 of my plants (the other player also had more than 4 plants), which will probably cost me 2 VP at the end; in other words they took an action which was detrimental to themselves and to me and I therefore assume was intended to help the player currently in 3rd place. I fully expect the leader to fund awards which will help the player currently in 3rd place.

When I find myself clearly in the lead I try not to influence the battle for second. For example, when I could remove plants from either of the other players, I generally choose not to do so. But I understand that not everybody has the same opinion as me. However, playing a card that gives you no benefit (and in fact damages your own position) with the sole intention to damage one of the other players crosses a line I think.

[xspuipuke]

I think you're taking it too personally here. You missed that your opponent drew a card from playing Big Asteroid and they probably had nothing better to do with their way over 10 titanium. Sucks to be you in that position but only because heat is maxed doesn't mean your plants are safe. Plus, I see birds in your display—I'm guessing those birds hit their plant prod and not the person in 3rd? So, the Big Asteroid play might also be retaliation.

[NohatCoder2]

The more important piece of context is probably that advancement in the tournament is between the two of you, the one who finish ahead of the other takes the advancement spot. So it makes pretty good sense that they would target you, and not care much about the 3rd player.

Sure ending the game in a winning position would have made sense, but if they feel that the win is safer by going to another round and take advantage of their massive income advantage then I'd say that is totally fair.

I get that kingmaking stuff can be frustrating, but I don't know why you would care so much when you are going to get knocked out of the tournament either way.

[zlefin]

i'd need mroe info, but i would be concerned about improper collusion/kingmaking, i'd report the possibility and let the mods see what they can find.

[FrankJones]

The more important piece of context is probably that advancement in the tournament is between the two of you, the one who finish ahead of the other takes the advancement spot. So it makes pretty good sense that they would target you, and not care much about the 3rd player.

This post right here gives the explanation. The tournament structure sometimes means it does benefit one player to specifically target a specific player. Also, in general, the player in second place is going to be the target of attack cards played by the person in 1st place. What benefit is there in further burying the player in 3rd place?

[csimpson]

The more important piece of context is probably that advancement in the tournament is between the two of you, the one who finish ahead of the other takes the advancement spot. So it makes pretty good sense that they would target you, and not care much about the 3rd player.

This post right here gives the explanation. The tournament structure sometimes means it does benefit one player to specifically target a specific player. Also, in general, the player in second place is going to be the target of attack cards played by the person in 1st place. What benefit is there in further burying the player in 3rd place?

I think you've both missed the point I made. The safest way to win would have been to actually complete the terraforming in the previous generation. This person deliberately prolonged the game (which they could do because their position was unassailable) and then make repeated attacks against me only. Generally, yes, when you're in the lead, you attack the person in second place because they're the biggest threat, but the threat wouldn't have been there if the game had ended.

Maybe the person wants to see if they can beat their highest-ever score or something but then don't interfere with the other players (yes, although I can't progress in the tournament, my ELO will be damaged if I finish third). So don't remove plants if you don't have to, etc.

[FrankJones]

Is there a possible tiebreaker scenario later on in the tournament where total points (or average points per game) might come into play?

[xspuipuke]

As far as I can tell, there is no tournament related reason for their opponent to act like that. But as I said, the Big Asteroid play made sense, probably, and we don't know what OP did against the leader before in the game. Retaliation is a thing.