One other pairs strategy that may be useful is, if you have a couple of contessas. You can reasonably assume that the other players don't have any contessas. That means you can bluff an assassination early.
Great vid, a note about assassinations and turn order though: If you are being assassinated and you call the assassin's bluff and lose, you lose an influence at this point; however you are not necessarily exiled. You can still claim contessa and then they have to challenge, which they obviously will since it is your last influence and you already lost one challenge. This sets you up for an interesting strategy where you can feign weakness by losing a card, then claim contessa and have them lose a card as well. If there are only two players with two cards each, and you are already at 7 coins while responding to an assassination attempt, this can end a game very abruptly and with much surprise. Note the difference of this method and being called on a fake contessa, which will indeed immediately eliminate you from the game; one for being called on contessa and one for being assassinated.
Good vid. I like to set myself up with an Ambassador and a Contessa at the start so I can block stealing and assassinations. I then go through the early to mid game taking only one coin and applying no offensive actions against anyone. This way I'm not a threat and take no risks. This always gets me to the last two people left. I keep my Ambassador alive until the end and then use it to get the desired card. This way your opponent has no information about you and you can set yourself up for a win. :)
some notes where you have it wrong about assassination. if you challenge an assasin, you do not lose the game, unless you are the person being assasinated. Since anyone can make a challenge, it can be someone who challenges the assassin who is not the mark of the person being assassinated. Secondly, you dont lose the 3 coins on a failed assassination, the 3 coins are part of the effect, not the cost of assasination.
"Assassination The player who is being assassinated may claim the Contessa and counteract to block the assassination. The assassination fails but the fee paid by the player for the assassin remains spent." Not sure I follow how you keep the 3 coins with "remains spent" being in the rules...
"Assassin - Assassinate Pay 3 coins to the Treasury and launch an assassination against another player. If successful that player immediately loses an influence. (Can be blocked by the Contessa)"
I don't mind claiming foreign aid early game so long as I tell the players I will target whoever chooses to block me. Or less often, go a cooperative route with duke claims if that feels better with that group. Coins don't matter too much early game and it provides a strong impression on most players you have an assassin and not a duke whether that's true or not.
One other pairs strategy that may be useful is, if you have a couple of contessas. You can reasonably assume that the other players don't have any contessas. That means you can bluff an assassination early.
Great vid, a note about assassinations and turn order though:
If you are being assassinated and you call the assassin's bluff and lose, you lose an influence at this point; however you are not necessarily exiled. You can still claim contessa and then they have to challenge, which they obviously will since it is your last influence and you already lost one challenge.
This sets you up for an interesting strategy where you can feign weakness by losing a card, then claim contessa and have them lose a card as well. If there are only two players with two cards each, and you are already at 7 coins while responding to an assassination attempt, this can end a game very abruptly and with much surprise.
Note the difference of this method and being called on a fake contessa, which will indeed immediately eliminate you from the game; one for being called on contessa and one for being assassinated.
Good vid.
I like to set myself up with an Ambassador and a Contessa at the start so I can block stealing and assassinations. I then go through the early to mid game taking only one coin and applying no offensive actions against anyone. This way I'm not a threat and take no risks. This always gets me to the last two people left. I keep my Ambassador alive until the end and then use it to get the desired card. This way your opponent has no information about you and you can set yourself up for a win. :)
Great game!
I love your strategy videos. keep them going!
I really appreaciate your time and effort of doing these videos!
Thank you.
some notes where you have it wrong about assassination.
if you challenge an assasin, you do not lose the game, unless you are the person being assasinated. Since anyone can make a challenge, it can be someone who challenges the assassin who is not the mark of the person being assassinated.
Secondly, you dont lose the 3 coins on a failed assassination, the 3 coins are part of the effect, not the cost of assasination.
"Assassination
The player who is being assassinated may claim the Contessa and counteract to block the assassination.
The assassination fails but the fee paid by the player for the assassin remains spent."
Not sure I follow how you keep the 3 coins with "remains spent" being in the rules...
"Assassin - Assassinate
Pay 3 coins to the Treasury and launch an assassination against another player. If successful that player immediately loses an influence. (Can be blocked by the Contessa)"
Love these videos!
Please do an are you the traitor video
I've never played it but it looks pretty amazing. I will look for it!
FYI, I picked up a copy of Are You the Traitor? this weekend so I'm looking forward to getting in some plays of it.
Are those stats for a 2 player game?
+AllThingsSquare Nope, nothing was called out specifically for the 2-player variant.
I don't mind claiming foreign aid early game so long as I tell the players I will target whoever chooses to block me. Or less often, go a cooperative route with duke claims if that feels better with that group. Coins don't matter too much early game and it provides a strong impression on most players you have an assassin and not a duke whether that's true or not.
Pairs aren't bad unless you get a set of Contessas right out of the gate. That's just sucky as hell
Coup sounds like poop lol