So, this is in the ladder section because this is mainly about 1v1 or 2v2s.

So, in a casual 1v1 or 2v2 game, what counts as early game, mid game or late game? Leave it in the replies! These three sections of the game that might involve the change of strategies, and early game advantages often affect the late game.

So for me, approximately, turns 1-5 is early game, 6-12 is mid-game, and 13 onwards is late game.
End game would be turn 25 onwards, or when everything falls to a stalemate.

Early game is picks and until you see each other
Midgame is when you fight for territories and victory over the game
Endgame is the winning move from which player whether you know it or not.
There is no such thing as a late game, if there was it would relate to a very long midgame

Edited 1/30/2022 06:20:21

My definitions:
1) Early game (exploration): picks through when either players has a solid idea of where the other is/what's happening behind the fog. The early game could end on t1 if it's a brawly game and at least one player strong intel from picks, even if neither player "sees" each other.

I.e., early game is characterized by significant exploration/hedging due to a lack of knowledge about the opponent's positioning and strategy.

2) Mid game (skirmish): when at least one player is specifically counter-playing the other's position through the point where one or both players are actually positioned to break the other's income.

I.e., mid game is the counterplay and indirect conflict/skirmish part of the game where players are trying to gain an edge.

3) Late game (conflict): from when one or both players must focus primarily on conflict to when the game is decided. E.g., from a player gaining a triple border against their opponent's main bonuses to that player actually breaking those bonuses.

I.e., late game is from the point of direct conflict to the point of the game being actually decided.

So the game could actually be late game for one player while the other believes it's early game- e.g., if one player has perfect intel and is positioning themselves to counter the opponent's picks in t1 (mid-game) and breaks their starts on t2 (late game). You can also skip the mid-game.

Edited 1/30/2022 07:43:34

I'd say, piggybacking off Knyte's idea:

Early Game: The time taken for the player to finish expansion. Given standard combos, this should take anywhere from 2 turns to 5 turns.

Mid Game: After the player has completed all of the bonuses within their pick set, either;
- Expanding into other bonuses for more income
- Preparing to counter/attack the other player through means of amassing a stack

Late Game: Expansion has ground to a halt due to conflict with the other player. Usually 1 neutral bonus is being captured behind the scenes for card pieces and slow income gain. Most, if not all, of both player's armies are being used to attack the opposition, or defending their own bonuses.

I think Skek's framing is the most practical. Early game on MME: focused on the starts; mid-game: you've exhausted the starts; late game: actual fighty part.

But in a lot of my own QMs, when the two players in the 1v1 meet, they would most likely spend like 70% of their income on the borders and little on expansion, just so to prevent blitzkrieging - border deathstacking and then territorial manslaughter. Once it happens (you did not put enough armies in your borders and the opponent has a death stack on your border), it is immediate game over.

Here are some examples:
https://www.warzone.com/MultiPlayer?GameID=29676340
In this game I finish my expansion on turn 4, so by definition that would be my early game. Also on turn 4 I use what remaining armies I have to send a stack to where I think my opponent will be - the mid game. The turn after would then be the late game; I break his bonus.

Another example:
https://www.warzone.com/MultiPlayer?GameID=29237065
In this game I complete the early game in 3 turns. From there - in the mid game - I expand as much as I can. Once we meet on turn 7 we enter the late game, with both of us deploying a majority of our armies to break or defend our bonuses.

What if I got my 6th picks and pretty much know/ can predict where exactly the enemy is since turn 1?

You would only use that information in the mid game to flank your opponent, unless it is a counter.

https://www.warzone.com/MultiPlayer?GameID=28981756

Edited 1/30/2022 12:50:46

I was trying to give some guidelines to a generally arbitrary set of stages of a game. In a brawly game as you so suggest, these things can go out the window.

My interpretation:

Early Game: Players decide which approach to a given game/board to choose (picks + 2 or 3 turns).

Mid Game: Time to reevaluate your situation in a game, when you have to choose between continuing your initial plan or do something else. This is probably the most complex part of the game, because it requires for you to find the most optimal way to handle information.

Late Game: A game has advanced enough for participants to know almost everything about it and/or it is 1 good turn away from deciding the winner.

I am going to give some examples of me being defeated in CW and let you interpretate that some games doesn't necessarily need all three parts, and conditions might blur.

https://www.warzone.com/MultiPlayer?GameID=29448586
This game features my opponent stacking since turn 3 out of my sight, and lands a death stack on my border. I couldn't stand a chance, hence I surrendered. Is there a middle-game in this situation?

https://www.warzone.com/MultiPlayer?GameID=29712979
This game features our spawns touching each other, him stacking off my sight again, and us battling and not expanding in Africa. Is there an early-game in this situation?

Edited 1/31/2022 08:49:05

And don't forget some expansions take forever. In the MOTW Auto-Game of the EU4 map by Goldtank, I spent dozens of turns expanding in HRE until I surrender when expanding manually becomes a problem.