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Annotated Games: Version 0.7, 4 playersThis game was played during game testing of version 0.7 of Iconoclasm. In this version, support was always added in external clashes. This game is more aggressive compared to the first version 0.7 test with several early external clashes. The hexes have a color for the element (red=fire, blue=water, white=air, green=earth, black=spirit, gray=imbalance) and a number for the strength (or X for imbalances). If a hex has a temple, the number is underlined and preceded by the first letter of the element (F, W, A, E).
For test purpose, the players follow pre-defined strategies. Fire promotes earth temples, hoping to overtake them after iconoclasms. Water aims at building strong early temples with earth support. Air tries to lose earth tiles early while saving air tiles to last. Earth finally attempts to pair earth tiles and split other element tiles.
Fire proceeds with an earth+fire temple while water proceeds with a strong water temple. Air prepares a link between the two to have them destroy each other while earth weakens the water temple with a fire tile.
Fire plays an air as a support for a future fire temple while water completes the water temple. Air continues to connect the two while earth creates a string of connected earth tiles for the long term.
Fire plays a strategic fire close to the earth tiles. Water, seeing the inevitable temple, tries to make it into a weak air temple (which won't get water support against the water temple) but air wants to keep her air tiles on the board and builds an earth temple instead. With no earth support, the water temple has only 8 water vs 8 earth + 4 fire and loses the external clash.
Earth completes the turn with a spirit, threatening to build a second earth temple.
Fire plays a 2nd fire in the earth group to stand a chance in a future latent clash while water plays a central water. Air builds a fire temple to create yet a devastating external clash. This time, the earth temple is without support (since fire won't support against itself) and loses with 6 earth vs 6 fire + 4 air.
Earth foresees another external clash soon and plays a water into the group in the upper
part to create yet a weak temple.
With 3 air in the potential temple in the upper left, fire can't build a temple and strengthens the center. Instead, water plays an earth tile, both to destroy the fire temple and to connect the central water with earth. The air temple wins the external clash with 8 air + 4 earth vs 6 fire.
Air builds a fire temple, knowing that the air temple will win the external clash
with 5 air + 4 water vs 8 fire.
With a water, earth strengthens the connected earth for a future earth temple.
With no fire left, fire tries to build another temple to have opposing elements removed. Water happily complies since there are too many earth in the area for water to take over the temple. The new earth temple lose the external clash with 8 earth + 4 fire vs 7 air + 6 water.
Air sees an opportunity to build a 2nd air temple and plays a spirit. Earth tries to
weaken the temple by adding a fire to the group.
Both fire and earth plays for a future latent clash in the upper part, fire by adding earth to an earth temple to be taken over by fire and earth by adding water to a water temple to be taken over by water. Water plays a spirit to connect the central water while air takes the opportunity to build a 2nd air temple.
Fire takes one more step towards an earth temple supported by fire while water in the upper part starts connecting water in the lower part. However, air plays an imbalance to destroy the potential competitive temple. Earth starts preparing a temple further to the right instead.
Fire wants both present and future temples to be destroyed and plays a connecting water. Water prepares a temple in the lower part and air, increasingly worried about her temples, does the same. Being weak in the lower part, earth plays an air there to discourage fire and water from building a temple there.
Fire wants a water + earth temple to destroy the air temples and water adds an air to oppose the earth and help water to win the internal clash. However, air thwarts their plans by playing an earth and build an earth temple. Air determines that the air temple in the lower part fights the external clash and it wins with 8 air + 8 water vs 6 earth + 2 fire.
Earth has suffered a severe blow and can only play to build a non-earth temple on the
spot of the destroyed the earth temple against the air temples.
With no fire left, fire's only hope is to play a supporting earth. Water's playing of fire looks strange at first glance but is the only way to ensure a water temple there (thanks to earth's support). Had water played spirit, air could have played fire to create a latent clash with a draw (2 water + 1 earth vs 2 fire + 1 air) to prevent a temple. Instead, air continues to build on her new air temple and earth continues on her new earth temple.
With only one turn left, the clashes erupt. Fire's only hope to build a temple from the few remaining fire on the board is to destroy the air temples. With 2 each of fire, water and air, the support from earth determines the element of the temple: water. The temple in the upper left is handled first and lose with 7 air vs 6 water + 4 earth. The 2nd air temple also lose with 6 water (after reduction) + 2 earth.
Water, air and earth all prepare temples. Which one will succeed in building one?
Fire cannot build a temple of her own but by placing an air, she hopes to get support from it in case someone else builds a fire temple to destroy the newly built earth temple. However, water is not interested in helping fire to share the victory with her and builds an air temple. This easily wins the external clash against the earth temple with 10 air + 6 water vs 6 earth + 4 water.
Air must play in the last turn if she can cause a clash and unfortunately, this destroys her
own temple. With 6 water + 2 earth vs 7 air it wins the external clash.
Earth must also play and in the choice of building a water temple (with water) or a
fire temple (with spirit, since fire would win the internal clash against water thanks to the
supporting earth), the choice falls on water, giving her a second place behind the victorious water. |
Annotated games (video)
Annotated games
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