by Ryan Keane
Can you please explain what you are considering a "VP leader"? And how its happening?
Well, what happens is that very often someone emerges with let's say 5-6 point lead (or even more) and it just seems that the options of catching up with him are limited. These guys just win too often in the end. I know, luck is a big factor, but it seems that the point lead is simply very hard to overcome. What can you do about it?
Collecting points is obviously bad because you need to get really lucky with the numbers. Attacking is also inefficient for the various reasons: it usually reduces everyone's health but it rarely seems to be decisive against somebody who is in the lead and continues to simply collect the points and the occasional heart (when necessary). Energy also rarely helps, there simply are too many cards that nobody wants because they can't really change the course of the game. And 2 cubes to sweep off is usually too expensive, considering the very low likelihood of getting a strong card.
Obviously, this doesn't happen ALL the time, but it just seems to happen a bit too often.
My experiences are mostly from the 4-player games, from what I've seen (and read here), with 3 or 5 players attacks seem to be much more effective. It would be worthwhile to know the number of players the guys here mostly play with (especially those who claim that points rarely win in their games).
I have mostly played 4 player as well, and my experiences described in the above post reflect this. With 5 or 6, I never try to stay in Tokyo. I try to go for points and feints into Tokyo. Ideal roll is 3/3/3/claw/heart or energy - usually the player in Tokyo retreats, so I net 4 points with a hit on them, and then I retreat with the first attack on me. Rinse and repeat. If the leader is in Tokyo, then I go for all claws (and hearts if I'm unlikely to survive a retreat).
I disagree that attacking is inefficient. Here's what I would do to try to push your groupthink away from Point Collecting:
The player in Tokyo should only be trying to roll claws, period. The other 2 players (who are now teaming up with the player in Tokyo to try to kill the Point Collector first before turning on each other) agree to try to avoid hitting you until you kill the point leader, so the player can survive in Tokyo. The Point Collector's occasional heart is unlikely to be able to keep up with the onslaught and the Tokyo player is consistently gaining 2 points every turn as well, probably not too far below the average the Point Collector is collecting each turn. And if the Point Collector rolls a claw and the Tokyo player retreats, forcing him into Tokyo, the next player should only try to roll claws.
Whew, this is probably the most strategic thought I've ever invested in this game. I usually just play like "Green cubes are pretty...""Ooh, I like that card." or "You just beat me at Love Letter, so I gonna bust you up Lobsterhead!" :p
