Ultimate strategy guide for 3-player games

[Pistolero]

Hi everyone.

It took me months to write, but I've finally completed my massive guide for the 3-player game in 7 Wonders.

I hope this guide will transform the way players see the 3-player configuration, will improve the competition, and will make people realize why the configuration with 3 players is fantastic

Enjoy: and feel free to comment:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5ix2j5pdfz3jg ... e.pdf?dl=0

[nmego]

This is amazing! Also 167 pages! Cheers

[Wonderful Plays]

Great guide. I don't agree with everything, but some examples are really great and the general thought process is solid.

[Pistolero]

Thank you

[RicardoRix]

wow that's quite a labour of love.

The last game described was the best.

I have played the most with 5 or 7 players, so it's interesting to see how different the game actually plays. I knew about the denying of key resources being played I just didn't realise how much. There is also so much more guarantees and information known in 3P. The more players in the game the less these kind of plays have effect, are you really going to try and deny all other 4 players? no, but you do have some similar decisions when there are 2 or more of the same choice for yourself, but with differences to other players. The other main difference is the ditching for 3 gold which I rarely do.
The concept of building your wonder in Age2, is that you'd normally rather have an Age3 to play than an Age2 card.
So I think in general there are a lot more balancing features when you have more players and you can't rely on the guaranteed plays, so more of a managing risk game.

You made some interesting points at the end about 4 player game and the grey resources, couldn't they have just added more forums? or some weird new card which you could buy from your non-neighbours.

You also make some even better points about the Arena mode. I think it would be best suited to a giant Swiss tournament, where afterwards players are then divided into groups of 10-20 in the finals and plays each other in maybe another tournament. The only problem is that this is only turn-based.

[Pistolero]

Thanks for your feedback.

For the "couldnt they have added some weird resource cards" : I think they could have added some cards like "Wood / Glass" instead of some of the double brown resource cards. The problem is, is that card brown, gray, both? How would it interact with some of the Age 3 cards (builders guild, Haven). They probably thought about it but chose not to complexify the game..

[HAL 9000]

Great work from a great player!!!
Thx Pistolero!

[dschingis27]

Thank you very much for this thesis.

I find it funny that in the theory part, it's all about red cards and military. Then in the very first example from the 'practical part' (Ephesos) you go for science. Was this intended? It proves that for every strategy rule in this game, there is an exception.

[Pistolero]

Haha I was wondering who would find it

It's not on purpose. Maybe just a bad choice for the beginning. I think the "red" theory is what you should have in mind from the start of the game. Then, as the game progresses, adjustments need to be made when the "ideal" path is not reachable. The subtile moment where you can surrender about military but still have a chance to win.... it's not really addressed in the document. And this is where the feeling of the player is important.

[nmego]

So, I've finished it:

- The golden rule of "winning Age 2 battles" and all the stuff about virtual difference makes a lot of sense.
- The age 1 section was clear and informative, although, it could've talked a bit more about the benefits of discarding for gold. And, while it emphasizes on "how good playing a second military is in age 1" even, buying 2 gold for it. In most of the examples, the choice of playing a second military in age 1 kept getting dismissed as "you only need to win the age 2 battles".
- The age 2 section had a few guidelines that were emphasized and clarified neatly. And the examples did a great job of demonstrating those guidelines.
- The military section did well to describe some military situations that actually generalize quite well, though I have a feeling it could've been better organized.
- Some of the examples were rather enjoyable to follow, Especially the last hali game.
Although It would've been great if there were more "high-skill" close games like that one.

All in all, it was a fun ride. A bunch of stuff that I knew instinctively was clarified and elaborated on. Thanks for taking the time to prepare such a magnificent work.