Recently I have been trying to improve in this game, and I have noticed that there is one specific map where I have lot of trouble, and it is Small earth, most of the times, even if I have a better position than my opponent , I still end up losing...
I realised I suck at that map after losing a lot of times to low level accounts at QM, and well, as most of the SE games with strong players are usually coin games, I decided to make this thread to ask for some advices to improve at that map

To begin, I would recommend checking out https://www.warzone.com/Forum/427054-maximize-intel-before-t1 to fully understand (if you don't already) pick and move order. Secondly, calculate your moves as much as possible. You should know at least half of your opponent's picks T1 and know the move order around 1/3 of the time and thus be able to fully know your opponent's potential stack/income for the first few turns. Once you get to the point where you can beat everyone under level 50 who is not an alt, join some se tourneys and watch the games of top players, and learn things like advanced tactics and positional play from there.

Intel on small earth is very special as you don't need your opponent to steal a pick to know they're there, because there are so few starting positions. Sometimes I pick 1)Australia 2)Middle East/any other valid counter, if the board allows it. Also you can use the move order to shape your picks: if you lose 1 you are guaranteed to get 2 and 3, you can only get 4 in combination with 1 and when you get both you had 1st pick and 2nd move at T1

At the beginning of the game if you don't have enough income you lose, but if the game lasts longer it turns into a stack war, where predictions will often decide the rest of the game.

In general I feel SE isn't the most strategic template, games are often (but not always) decided by luck/predictions and not strategy.

This is my own experience and I believe many players have different points of view. If I missed something please tell me (I stopped playing small earth a while ago because it was getting boring)

Edited 7/14/2020 17:20:43

one tip -

the first thing I check with picks is - is it better to go for the 2 bonuses (Australia/South America) or one of the 5 bonuses (Europe/North America)?

To choose you need to understand how the first couple turns will go for the two options. This comes with experience + you can think through how you would play your picks, and how your opponent would play theirs.

"if you get 4 you have second pick and your opponent is in your 2 and 3 and you are guraranteed to get 1, etc"

You mean you can only get 4 in combination with 1 and when you get both you had 1st pick and 2nd move at T1

Yes, will edit

My biggest advice is learn how to abuse turn order. If you go 2nd on a turn you go first on the next turn. This is pretty simple, but you'd be surprised how many times you can lure someone into a bad play by using this.

Oh and calc your attacks vs your opponents potential defenses. If you are likely to lose armies more armies than them, don't attack.

Edited 7/14/2020 22:15:06

Thanks a lot for your answers!
as I am reading,I am noticing that stacks are really important in this games, but with that comes another problem, how do I manage to form decent enough stacks?
every time I try to form one, I end up using the armies to defend my bonus that gives me the income, and I end up being surpassed by my opponent

you would need to link a game of yours to tell, since there multiple possible causes

Edited 7/14/2020 23:49:18

Ok!
here are some examples:
https://www.warzone.com/MultiPlayer?GameID=23196328
https://www.warzone.com/MultiPlayer?GameID=22435624

I would work on your picks first of all. You had pretty solid picks the first game, though knowing that he was in NA you should have not sent all of your troops away from SA first turn and instead reinforce Venezuela and slowly get SA. Second game you had Africa as your first pick, which is strange since AU is blockaded and SA was an FTB.