Ambush play is one of the most exciting aspects of WL because a well executed ambush can decisively end a game in the first two turns.

This RT ladder game on the Treasure Map shows a successful first turn ambush. More interestingly, it shows what a devastating second turn ambush might look like.

https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=13859999

Check the in-game chat for a useful discussion of the second turn ambush.

UPDATE:
I use the following definition of "ambush spot", but apparently "counter" is often used to mean the same thing.

"ambush spot": a territory in the opponent's fog that borders a non-completed bonus on a turn the opponent may complete the bonus.

Edited 7/24/2017 20:09:03

So, by ambush you mean a counter?

Also, why did you move into the yellow +2 as last order? Wouldnt it be more effective to do so as first order?

Attacking after his opponent moved there gave him a better kill / death ratio at the cost of his counter would have failed if the opponent had taken the spot with 4 armies before him. I believe that most players would have played the first turn as player12345 played it and as for myself, I might have used a random number generator and had attacked last turn with a 90% chance. The reason is that with my 1 more income and the extra armies killed, I could just hammer the bonus next turn then and probably win the game by default.

Edited 7/24/2017 19:02:55

Isnt it more important for the counter to work rather than to get the optimal k/d ratio?

I guess its something you have to decide for yourself, maybe in this case because the counter was unexpected it was better to attack it last.

How to pick ambush warlords?

@Min34:

maybe in this case because the counter was [probably] unexpected it was better to attack it last.

Exactly. The ambush is likely to be a surprise because the picks were later (pick 3 in the target bonus and 4 in the ambush spot). Instead, consider if my picks were 1,2 and I only got the ambush spot. Then it's possible the opponent also made those picks 1,2 and they have intel on my ambush. It's still possible they have intel on the ambush or may try to counter it blindly.

Another reason I risked the late attack was because I had a safe ftb elsewhere. If I did not have that, I would have probably attacked with 4 or 5 first order.

@Norman

I might have used a random number generator and had attacked last turn with a 90% chance. The reason is that with my 1 more income and the extra armies killed, I could just hammer the bonus next turn then and probably win the game by default.

Very powerful decision technique and supporting reasoning. Probably the ambush will succeed first turn most of the time, but we're not in a bad position even if it fails.

Note that the ambush is a from a wastelanded bonus. Let's say the ambush failed and the opponent completed the bonus. Now, if they deploy all next turn and clear out the ambush spot, they have a big stack all dressed up but nowhere to go.

Edited 7/24/2017 20:08:08

Where's that counter in turn 2 you're talking about? I only see a counter on turn 1 :(

There was no turn 2 ambush/counter because it was launched early during turn 1. It could have been launched successfully turn 2 because I was not expecting it and my opponent got the ambush/counter spot as a late pick (7/8). Sorry for the confusion.

Edited 7/24/2017 23:14:46