Puzzles and Questions #1

Which of these players or soon to be has the best position?

I ask this question, because the generated map is unbalanced. In my opinion, one-half of the players have near impossible chances of winning. One-fourth of the players will start out with incredible positions. The last few are odd balls, but have strong positions if played right.

I believe Purple Square, Blue Circle, Red Square, Blue Square, Yellow Square and Teal Square have a surplus of natural resources per competition. My calculations also include hyperspace range. Some players have superior defenses and others have extremely conflicted positions.

Those with the worst positions are Orange Square, Yellow Circle, Orange Circle, Purple Circle, and Pink Circle. They either have few to none natural defenses, resources per competition, neighbors, or a tight cluster. It’s quite unfair; however, diplomacy can do magic. But think. Diplomacy is a double edged sword. Asking a player to be your ally can destroy your potential. Weakling * Weakling = Weakling Squared. Not a promising sight. On the other hand, a Weakling * Strong = Potentially Strong Weakling. That’s just mine train of thought. Though weakling is a harsh word, it is a fact. Those who are in a difficult position must find strong allies to cover up their weaknesses. A weak ally may only make matters worse.

Yes, it’s certainly true that in most games there are starting positions which are much more favorable to others. Those in the middle are clearly limited for expansion, and have more neighbours to worry about. It’s not the end of the world though - it just means players in central positions need to spend a LOT longer managing relations and building strong alliances.

As you mention yourself this is a game of diplomacy as much as strategy, and it’s not always going to work out. The more players you talk to, the better an idea you’ll have of who you should work with. If someone is keen to trade, sticks to their word, respects border agreements etc. then you’re off to a good start.

I think once you’ve played several games it’s fun to take on the difficult positions and see what you can do with them. Most times you’ll still fail, but it’s probably the most satisfying to win from a tricky starting position.

To answer your question though, at a glance I’d say Yellow Square has one of the best opportunities… however it means nothing if Purple Square, Pink Square and Pink Circle decide to team up on Yellow Square.

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Does that game have trade scanned enabled? That can make a big difference in random hex games. The middle players could band together to defend against the edges

Yes. The game has trade scanned enabled.