My first Italian win, looking for tips on how to improve.

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Expand view Topic review: My first Italian win, looking for tips on how to improve.

Re: My first Italian win, looking for tips on how to improve.

by dipperjay » Fri Apr 07, 2023 3:30 am

I discovered a peculiar way to win as Italy against bots. I start with Rom-Apu, Ven-Tus, Nap-Ion, then convoy to Tun, build a fleet and patiently wait for the Lepanto to succeed. All this time, A Tus is sleeping and enjoying the local wine and food :)

This is what it does - France almost never comes after Italy in the early game, but in case it does, the army in Tus is gold. More importantly, it gives Austria full confidence that Tri is safe and they can fully focus on defending against RT (no guessing game around Tri). And in case Austria is stupid enough to play Tri-Ven, you can still kick them out by a supported attack (that’s why you must move to Apu and not Nap). After getting Turkey, I head west to kick France, make my way around the Black Sea into Russia, and lastly stab Austria.

It builds 100% alliance and trust from Austria for the entire game, they will support you into Aeg and/or Con, not attack you, until you stab them (which they never see coming).

I haven’t done the math and gone back to my games, but I feel that I win at least 4 out of 5, if not 9 out of 10, games this way.

Another example of a tactic that would never work with humans, and it does get a little repetitive (I have tried to attach Austria in 1901 just for fun, with a predictable result, quick surmise of Austria and Italy never gets beyond Tri and potentially Vie). Likewise, an eary attack on France almost never works (though somewhat better than Austria). In that regard, bot games do mimic humans…

Re: My first Italian win, looking for tips on how to improve.

by earlinestreich » Wed Apr 05, 2023 4:29 am

Without playing versus bot, may Italian terrain make AI weaker against Italy than other nations? I think it would be easier to design AI to battle Austria on a big continent without numerous water provinces than Italy where it has to cooperate with sea and land troops. cookie clicker

Re: My first Italian win, looking for tips on how to improve.

by Dejan0707 » Sat Jan 15, 2022 10:42 pm

Not having really played against bot, but is it possible that AI is weaker against Italy than against other nations because of Italian geography? It seem logical to me that it is easier to program AI to fight Austria on large landmass without many water provinces that Italy where it has to coordinate with sea and land units.

Re: My first Italian win, looking for tips on how to improve.

by DougJoe » Thu Jan 13, 2022 2:30 pm

All that follows is specific to bot games...

I actually find that, against the bots, Italy isn't that bad. I've played 42 games as each power against the bots (296 total games, working on round 43) and I have 24 wins as Italy (57%) which is second only to my 31/43 with Turkey (72%).

When I first started playing the bots, I tried the Lepanto strategy as Italy, and won my the first 4 games I played as Italy that way... so I've done it for all 42 games.

I've never tried to attack Austria in 1901. Generally, I think it's bad to attack Austria until R/T are either crippled enough to not be a threat or appear to be really fighting wach other hard. Even in the latter case, though, I've seen R/T form even after a few years of conflict. I've seen several bot Italies blitz Austria in S01 and eventually get rolled back by R/T. I've never tried attacking France at the start, either, although I probably should sometime just for the data.

The trouble with Turkey is that it's so likely that bot T is going to eventually attack Italy. I know I've seen a couple of games where bot Italy and bot Turkey sort of turtle against each other for a while, but it's far more common for Turkey to push west in the med (and one bot T gets the Ionian...). I looked at all my games and, removing the 84 where I played Italy or Turkey, there were 2 games out of 210 where bot Italy and bot Turkey each had 7 or more centers (although those results are somewhat skewed the game ending when I get eliminated.)

This game https://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=363515 seems to represent the best example I have of a long term I/T... and T could probably stab I pretty hard and get away with it.

In short I feel that Italy must align with Austria for a while if R/T are aligned to any degree. If R/T are not aligned (because T is going north, which is the far more common scenario than R going after T at the start) I feel that I have to take advantage of Turkey's weakness on his southern flank before he pushes far enough into R that he can build enough fleets to stonewall AEG/EMS.

Re: My first Italian win, looking for tips on how to improve.

by Dejan0707 » Wed Jan 12, 2022 7:11 am

Playing as Italy is a bit harder than the rest of the nation but also much more rewarding, at least for me. Wins with Italy were probably my favourite wins.

People have different opinions how Italy should be played, but probably most important thing is to not be passive in the early game. Italy should always start the game in proactive way in constant search for advance in position. Later when it establishes itself it can play just as the other nations.

Early game is the key. Worst thing Italy can do is to sit with 4 units undecided where to go, until someone push on her and then game over. Something like how Fillipo Inzaghi played football, nowhere to be seen the whole game, and then when opponent make the smallest mistake, Inzaghi shows from nowhere and scores a goal. People commented how he was lucky to always be in the exact spot to use the opponent mistake, but it was actually great skill. The same for Italy, always somewhere near the goal line waiting for the opponent’s mistake so it can score.

Re: My first Italian win, looking for tips on how to improve.

by Lord Farquard » Sat Jan 08, 2022 8:20 pm

Keep playing as Italy. You're doing great.

I normally don't attack Austria in Spring 1901 as Italy no matter what. It has a much higher chance of supercharging Turkey. Attacking in fall 1901 is good. Lepanto's can work well. So can attacks on France.

You got lucky in that game b/c the Austria didn't effectively pivot to defend himself. However, you've also got some good tactical skill there and muscled your way to the solo. Everyone gets some degree of luck in the game to solo anyway.

Once you get a 5th dot as Italy, you are in a great position.

Re: My first Italian win, looking for tips on how to improve.

by goldfinger0303 » Thu Jan 06, 2022 9:31 pm

Glad you got a win, but I'm afraid to give any pointers on how to play differently in a bot game. They don't tend to translate too well to playing other humans.

Grabbing Vienna and Trieste both, for example, would never happen in a game against humans. And Turkey's defense later is more passive than a players defense would've been.

My first Italian win, looking for tips on how to improve.

by DarthPorg36 » Thu Jan 06, 2022 8:20 pm

https://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=390191

My Autumn 1906 was the tipping point I think, wondering if there's anything I missed.

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