I'd strongly recommend at least one player in this team makes an effort to stay online throughout the course of the game and monitoring #helpdesk-announcements - that way you can keep informed of how the other teams are doing so you can work on strategy in real time
Yeah, I'll be bringing my external battery, mostly because I am chronically addicted to my phone and the thought of being without it scares me half to death
I'll say the blindingly obvious though, the west route along the central line out of Oxford Circus is obviously the best start in the game. The most valuable stations are the ones with only two neighbours since if you can capture them sequentially, it's impossible to battle challenge them.
17:28
My assumption is that Orange knows this and will also raise their difficulty level
ratt
My assumption is that Orange knows this and will also raise their difficulty level
The idea being the lines with a streak of stations with only one or two immediate connections to neighbouring stations are by far the most valuable to snap up early(edited)
14:16
Teams can capture the station, then move along the line straight to the neighbouring station in a way that locks that station in
14:17
I reckon getting a good early streak of uncapturable stations is going to be critical later one
14:18
This all depends on how difficult the challenges are of course.
14:18
I was thinking the best place to go might be Marble Arch, follow along Central in a westbound direction, and either go north or south at Notting Hill Gate
14:19
but if those challenges are difficult,
14:21
Also, if we see a route that we really want to do, I want to propose that we could forfeit the Oxford Circus challenge by getting straight on the tube as the game starts.
14:21
It'll be a lot easier if we're not fighting other teams
That's also a good shot. It depends on whether we want to play the strategic game of preventing battle challenges or whether we want to cut out the travel time and get a high number of stations quickly, albeit ones that can be challenged.
If we get those 4, up to St Paul's then down to Blackfriars, I think that's an unchallengeable cluster, albeit it's starting the day off with a lot of walking
14:33
Bank -> Monument -> Cannon Street -> Mansion House -> St Paul's -> Blackfriars.
By that point the map will probably be claimed enough need further details to plan.
That's also a good shot. It depends on whether we want to play the strategic game of preventing battle challenges or whether we want to cut out the travel time and get a high number of stations quickly, albeit ones that can be challenged.
I reckon we should locate a few different starting areas, and have some way to decide on the go as soon as the game starts and we see the challenges. That Bank start looks good, but the lowered travel time could be completely negated if the challenges are hard.
14:51
And then also consider fleeing Oxford Circus early if something seems good
Yeah those seem good, though I'd guess a bit less good than the other set as they're not as protected as Regent's Park isn't on the same line as the rest and Euston has technically 4 stops around it.
If nobody else has them I would suggest if we start at bank, do those ones, then we could get the Northern line from bank to euston after to go for them.
Bank technically isn't protected either, it has 4 stations surrounding it
Jemma
Yeah those seem good, though I'd guess a bit less good than the other set as they're not as protected as Regent's Park isn't on the same line as the rest and Euston has technically 4 stops around it.
If nobody else has them I would suggest if we start at bank, do those ones, then we could get the Northern line from bank to euston after to go for them.
There isn't any rule about having to do a challenge once you've started right? Because we could go to bank, do it if it's easy but if not skip and go to the others
And those will definitely need to be down, on the tube, up, challenge, back down on the tube etc. I just think the early wins of easily walkable stations are valuable
This is partially why I just wanted to leave Oxford Circus early. Go get a head start so we can deter the others, maybe even let the other teams know where we are intentionally
I'd say either starting at monument or marble arch and going down the lines would be good. I'm not sure if there is much in it. Unless we see one team going for one we could pivot to the other.
13:29
I don't think it will be just us ditching oc so trying not to be on the same tube as them is important.
13:29
Like if us and another team are battling it out at the start it gives the third a huge advantage.
Yeah. I think also other teams are probably more likely to go west as it's on the same line, whereas the monument ones are not as obvious as you walk from bank.
I think going to monument first may be better as it's a bit less obvious as I reckon others will go west. But I could be wrong, who knows where they'll be.
I believe the rule is "take a photo, you do that challenge"
Jemma
There isn't any rule about having to do a challenge once you've started right? Because we could go to bank, do it if it's easy but if not skip and go to the others
You can go to a station and not initiate the challenge (i.e. not take the photo outside)
You will have all the challenges from the start though, they'll be handed out to you
You can go to a station and not initiate the challenge (i.e. not take the photo outside)
You will have all the challenges from the start though, they'll be handed out to you
Like if we take a photo, something happens in the game (like a battle or something changes) and we can't do it and want to come back how does that work?
I like Regents Park to Euston quite a lot but I wouldn't complain about starting with Bank. I like the idea of having a few agreed upon plans though, and doing a very quick vote as soon as we get the challenge list
Doesn't the Elizabeth line and Thameslink count as stations?
13:43
Or just Tube?
ratt
I like Regents Park to Euston quite a lot but I wouldn't complain about starting with Bank. I like the idea of having a few agreed upon plans though, and doing a very quick vote as soon as we get the challenge list
OK well we can each look at a different one of our ideas then and see difficulty. Then do a quick vote. Maybe we could read whilst walking to the station? It's hard to read and run but that way we'd be en route.
14:07
That way we don't have to read much each.
14:08
Also we can keep an eye on tube times as no point running if the next is 5 mins away or something.
I also think being above ground at the beginning of the game will be helpful as getting updates on what everyone else is doing will be more helpful. I worry about being underground too much with the last option at the very start.
FormulaOtaku/RacingWeeb
Yeah, i'd avoid using Bakerloo and Piccadilly to start with, not sure if other teams are aware on how frequent each specific line is
We won't permit this, hence why battle challenge announcements will be on #helpdesk-announcements; the team not participating may of course continue to complete challenges while the other two teams fight it out
theorangeone
Yes, they can do so, if they for example would like to find a more favourable location for them
On this one, we had a discussion about whether they'd be allowed to begin claiming another station while they waited but I think we decided it was pointless
it's all still quite experimental tbh, we will try and keep things smooth but there's a lot of coordination
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MajorScafellPike
On this one, we had a discussion about whether they'd be allowed to begin claiming another station while they waited but I think we decided it was pointless
hey, can team 1 designate a point of contact for the helpdesk the game ahead? Basically someone who can take on a role to always be staying online and tracking updates/responding if battle challenges etc.
That won't be a necessary skill, don't worry - it's just the person that stays as online as reasonably possible to update us on your location, declare battles, claim stations and receive news from us, etc
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