On the Noble Art of Losing

WINNING a game of Warlords is not difficult, once you have got that far. But most of us lose. Over and over again... This is an attempt to discuss how to lose 'graciously' -- because, yes, it can be done!

'Ungracious surrender' - via the menu command - razes all cities, has several disadvantages, and can even kill a game:

• A part of the map turns into wasteland from one turn to another
• ALL players' positioning of units - aimed at attacking/defending the loser's cities - becomes meaningless
• The remaining warlords have no chance of getting their hands on any of the gold or production of the losing color.

But Warlords is for fun. Even losing can be fun. I would like to suggest a couple of challenging ways to lose:

MY ENEMY's ENEMY IS MY FRIEND

So, your chances were ruined by a party with all luck and no brain? You feel like giving back?

• Make treaties with the enemies of your enemy and hand over your cities and gold to them - but slowly
• Use the surplus troops to slow down the expansion of the main enemy
• In hidden-map games, as a last gift, give away the maps for your territory and your enemy's territory.

Your enemy's gain will be reduced, in relation to the other players, and his positions revealed. And you did not lose in vain!

DIVIDED THEY FALL

Make your enemies their own worst enemies!

You are up against a strong alliance. There is no friendly nation to give up your cities to.

• Disband all armies
• Keep the cities intact
• Overbuild your good city production with useless peons

With no resistance, only speed will decide who is going to rule your former cities. Unless the alliance against you is really tight, they will starting competing to your most valuable cities. Soon the former partners will be fighting each other while their enemies grow stronger...

AN ARMY OF SHADOWS

Dance like a butterfly! Sting like a bee!

• Give up all your cities except the most easily defended one(s).
• Do not disband your troops
• Concentrate your troops into one or several full stacks.

You are not building and therefore not dependent on gold. You have only one city to defend, so you are mostly a mobile target. Now you can start guerilla warfare with the one purpose of annoying your main enemy or enemies. In this position you might even negotiate with your enemy's enemies to gain advantages since you are weak in the game but still a valuable military ally.

SCORCHED EARTH

Force the enemy to spend a lot to get to you, but do not let him gain anything!

• Concentrate all troops in the cities.
• Stay in the cities only as long as you can give the enemy a hard fight.
• If you are facing probable defeat, raze the city and send your troops to your remaining cities.
• Consume your gold by building production in the cities you are about to raze. Overbuild strong units with cheap peons.
• Send your hero over water (not shore!) so that any items will be lost if he dies.

Your enemy will have to concentrate large troops and fight harder and harder for each city, while gaining nothing or very little. By overbuilding your powerful builds with cheap peon builds, you prevent the enemy from sacking your cities for large amounts of gold. As a result of all this, the enemy will be considerably weakened by his victory.