can someone tell me is there some way of manipulating the armies when they attack--the problem that I am having is that although I play using all the tips about first getting the small bonuses etc.. It seems that my oppoints are always able to get double so many within the same amount of turns--I always need at least 4 armies for two and sometimes that isnt enough. What am I doing wrong--I am tried of loosing all the time. Please advice..

A great way to get advice is to post a link to one of your games where you thought you did well.

To post a link, open the game and click Settings in the bottom left, and copy/paste the Link field here.

GI Joe, you should check out the luck percentage in the game settings. "Basic" luck is 75% (on games created by non-members), but autogames and most games created by members is around 15%. With 15% or less luck, 4 is guaranteed to capture the territory. Also, army management is key. For example, if there are two bordering territories but one is "isolated" from anything new, hit it with 3. It's not always about the quickest capture, but the most efficient way of using your armies.

try looking the first few turns of some high-level ladder games, and see what theyre doing that you arent.

16% luck grants 100% chance of 4v2, 17% = 4X0.6X0.83=1.992, so there is a chance of note winning
75% luck is minimum 4X0.6X0.25=0.6

Joe, I've been watching your games on the ladder since those practice games we played, and I can tell you that you have gotten significantly better.

If you want to win some games and feel better about your playing, you could always join the autogame and raise your win percentage. Those games won't help you learn as much, but sometimes you just need a couple of easier wins. Just be aware that sometimes really good players join those games to do the same thing.

As things are going, you are really learning well, but you are against a fairly elite grouping of people who self-select to keep playing the ladder games. It'll take some time to get better, and you'll have to pay a lot of attention to what works and what doesn't. You're fairly close to being able to win games even against decent ladder players.

Although, I will say that you never need more than 4 troops to beat 2, and should never attack wastelands.

I watched a couple of your recent games, and you made both mistakes, which really slowed you down after a decent turn 1-3.

the only time to use more then 4v2 is when you suspect your enemy is behind the territory...
and watching the first turn history for Wastelands *before* attacking wasteland infested lands *is* highly important.. can still be done for strategic purposes..
Although Actually attacking wastelands, should only be done if you are doing incredibly well, and want to drag the game on, otherwise it is recipe for loss

The specific things I was referencing were cases where he was finishing an internal bonus by attacking with 5-6 (leaving the troops facing only his own territories) and attacking a bonus with a wasteland with intentions of expanding to that bonus.

You are right about doing those things in certain cases, but his issue is with efficiency and sustained growth, not maximizing competitive play.