2 PLAYER : (I think that game theory, as used by David, does not take this possibilityinto account, since it assumes that the opponent is playing optimally, i.e.not making mistakes.)So it appears it *can* be rational for two players to trade in a 2-playergame. However, I would still prefer not to do so, for the following reason.The players against whom I usually play are experienced enough tointuitively come to the same conclusions that I've described here. (If I'mplaying against someone less experienced than they are, then I probablydon't need any additional advantage that I might gain from trading.) Also, Idoubt whether (at least in a 2-player game) trading ability can bedistinguished from overall playing ability. So, if I believe my tradingstrategy is better than my opponent's, then I would also assume that I'm abetter player overall. Therefore, if I offer a player a trade in a 2-playergame, I'm effectively saying to him: "I think I'm a better player than you,and you're not even good enough to realize it." This seems rather arrogantand impolite to me. 2 PLAYER : This message is directed at a comment that Ryan made a couple of months agolamenting that L5R wasn't better regarded as a 2-player game.We only play L5R two-player. We avoid the multi-player version as we feelthat its outcome is decided too much by 'player politics' and that's notwhat we're looking for in a CCG. This is NOT meant as a slam to the manyplayers who enjoy L5R multi-player -- tastes vary and that's cool.Our group is small (3-5 players) but is *very* competitive and has donequite well in local tournaments against a variety of deck designs. We'repretty sure that our thinking hasn't been overly biased by 'group think'due to our small size.The basic problem with constructed 2-player L5R, at a reasonably high levelof play, is that the first player advantage is *huge*; typically the sidethat goes first (we're using the "clan starting honor + fate card" rule todetermine who goes first) wins over 85% of the time. 2 PLAYER : It's actually gotten worse over time. Under Imperial Edition, the firstplayer seemed to win about 70% of the time. The increase seems to be theresult of two major effects: * Merchant Caravans. These have significantly sped up the game, givingthe second player fewer turns to overcome the first player's advantage. * More honor is available in the fate deck. In addition to the clan swords,now the Imperial Standard and, even worse, His Most Favored, allows Honor tobe produced more cheaply than ever. Leaps of 20+ Honor in a single turn byturns 6-7 are not unusual.Lesser effects driving up this % are: the changed starting rule, which tendsto align the favor initially with the first player; the changed event rule,so that Inheritance and Imperial Gift tend to favor the first player; we'vegotten better at deck design and play over time; and the expansions havegenerally added more 'tools', tending to improve all strategies and, thus,have accelerated the game. 2 PLAYER : The dominant decks are those which can aggressively chase both Honor andMilitary victories, able -- without opposition -- to produce *either* victoryby turns 6-9 or *both* by turns 8-10. Against opposition, these decks willtypically win by turns 7-11.The Merchant Caravans allow these decks to switch between honor and militaryneeds very quickly. Honor producing fate cards -- the Swords, the Standard,His Most Favored (all focus value 4) -- can be spent to bring out potentfollowers such as Samurai Warriors, Mantis Bushi, Mantis Samurai or a HouseGuard if more military strength is needed or these follower cards can bespent to build honor if that is what is called for (Phoenix decks use spellsinstead of followers to achieve the same effect). By starting and stayingahead on Honor, these decks control the favor and can use it to obtain theadditional fate cards needed to keep the Merchant Caravans going.Since these decks' honor tend to be in their personalities and fate decksmore than their holdings (3 Sanctified Temples are often the only honorproducing holdings in these decks and they are dual use), these decks caneasily support large economies. This in turn allows them to use Touch ofDeath and Geisha Assassins (again all focus 4) for personality control or topay for items such as the Golden Obi, Armor of Earth and Jade or ObsidianHands to protect and enhance their personalities. 2 PLAYER : Opposing decks are behind on honor, behind on the favor and behind on theireconomy/military development because they are going second. One or two ofthese can be overcome; overcoming all three is very hard.For example, events such as: Return of Fu Leng, Duty to the Empire, As theShadow Falls, Proposal of Peace, The Darkest Day, Dragon Sword is Broken,Doom of the Crane and The Farther You Fall will severely cramp an honorproducing deck. However, including these events dilutes the opposing decks'military and economic development, making them militarily weak.Fate cards such as Confusion of Court, Enough Talk, Dishonored and AccessibleTerrain will weaken or circumvent the favor but this is at the cost of notincluding the Followers and Items that keep a deck competitive militarily.Devoting all of an opposing deck to military and economic development willkeep pace with or even catch up to these decks in these spheres. However,without pressure on the Favor, the greater number of fate cards these quickdecks draw will gradually tell. And, they can then go into "turtle mode",concentrating just on defense while amassing enough honor to win.
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