Subterfuge Game - Diplomacy

I joined a game of Subterfuge about a week ago.  Ten players are put on a map of outposts.  The goal will be to create mines and the first player to mine out 200 wins.

It sounds easy, but there is much more going on here.  The map is crowded and there isn't much room to expand without fighting with one neighbor or another.  The biggest tool available to you is the chat box.  I opened it and started greeting my neighbors.

I declared peace with 3 of my 4 neighbors and everyone agreed.  Before long I was given an offer to join two players in attacking a 3rd.  We would all benefit as we split up his property.  This victim was a neighbor that I had already declared peace with.  Now what?

The moves in Subterfuge are purposefully long.  As I send a submarine to attack a nearby outpost I see that it will take 17 hours to arrive.  The pacing is intentional.  First of all, this allows me to play a strategic game without having to constantly be on my phone or away from work, family, etc...  In Subterfuge I can just check in for five minutes a few times a day to be sure my allies haven't betrayed me (they will).

The second benefit to this pacing is to allow time to negotiate.  Things happen a little slower so you have time to talk to the other players to make deals.

Late in my first game, as I was being attacked, I knew nearly twelve hours ahead of time that I had lost a major property.    Remember that neighbor that I plotted to destroy with two others?  He has come back with an alliance of his own to destroy me.  That'll be the last time I break off peace on the first day.

The game can be a bit stressful.  Who do you trust?  What info do you give another player?  Where do you move your troops, because once committed they are gone for the rest of the day and bringing them back takes equally as long.

It takes about a week to play a game and I'm currently about two days away from the end of my first game.  I've been severely beaten back from my lead position but I'm still alive and trying to fight back where I can.  I won't win at this point unless I can get the help of some of the other players.

It's time I get back to that chat window and see if I can turn this around.

If you are interested in playing and have an iOS device send me a message and I'll get you an invite to the Alpha.  (Android devices coming soon!)
www.subterfuge-game.com