In my humble opinion, GJ/Lanni-alliances are most difficult to defend, whereat a lot of mustering during first to fifth round certainly enhances GJ's odds to gain a favourable position in order to win the game. Nevertheless, justinlevy010 gives the perfect example of what, in particular, the Ladies and Lords of Winterfell have to wait for. If GJ exposes him/erself in the North way too early and allows Lanni to pile up as s/he likes, GJ is doomed, especially if Bara is occupied with Martell/Tyrell rather than interfering in western matters, and unless Lanni has a change of heart and surprisingly sticks to the agreement. Nothing new so far, I presume (the same is valid in case that more experienced players are distressing recognisable newbies immediately, or let them play on their bidding, or whatever you had in mind, jl010).

What could be a game-changer for the board game's - as well as for our forum's 3rd edition map regarding the rather northern system of balance, instead of arguing about rather obvious - let's say - diplomatic options, is upranking Bear Island as a buffer zone (poor as it is, without a barrel or a crown) between Winterfell and BoI and giving Lanni one more barrel or crown or stronghold (Casterly Rock as an additional territory perhaps) in the area.

A lightweight opinion, of course, but this refinement could give the casual RR-bleeding (favouring, most likely, Stark or even Tyrell or Bara) as well as an only one-side (depending on Westeros phases like Strongest_Gallic implied) privileging (later triggered) backstab-operation an option to recover instead of making one or another party gain a cheap win due to failed GJ/Lanni ambitions or, likewise, mistakes.

Last edited by MODERATOR on 2017-Mar-19 04:27, edited 5x in total

Pointing from the current adaption of the 2nd edition's map, Bruce_M, every thought brought up here and yours, of course, is kind of having a merit. Two of six neighbouring parties always could make a stalemate deal about some territory of interest favouring the faster or more clever or more vicious player in order to gain seven castles in the end.
My suggestion would be to refine the map (in terms of dividing Lannisport into Casterly Rock/stronghold and Lannisport/two barrels) in order to make at least the Stark(+Bear Island)/Lanni/GJ balance more attractive to fight about rather than make one alliance (GJ/Stark or GJ/Lanni or GJ/Bara) gain a cheap win or make a vulturing Bara/Tyrell win just as likely.

A perfect example to support the suggestion from 2017-Mar-19 04:06 but with GJ exhausting his/her ressources way too early on Stark's behalf:

https://game.thronemaster.net/?review=1&game=155703

Greyjoy can't outsmart Stark under these circumstances.

Last edited by MODERATOR on 2018-Mar-24 01:30, edited 1x in total