Ser HodorSon Of HodorPosts: 756
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Topic: Baratheon - Could I have played this Planning Phase better?
Posted: 2018-Sep-08 19:05
Lanni seems to be the only one operating on a coherent strategy. Well, and Stark I guess, not that their typical strategy amounts to much more than “get off my lawn!”
You’re in a great position, with solid track positions, chunks of enemy territories with big cards to defend them, and all your neighbors preoccupied with other matters. Literally all options are open to you from here:
1) You can continue to pressure Tyrell, which is both the most obvious and my least favored option. It doesn’t require any backstabbing, and he is already weakened so he’s not going to make a meaningful pushback any time soon. Until he and Martell kiss and make up, you can pretty much hold the Reach indefinitely. But how much more territory can you realistically take from him? And hold against Martell? Maybe Dornish Marches, but Tyrell is my least favorite target for full conquest because any gains can be sniped at from two sides (and the sea, if you can take a 2nd castle from him).
Tyrell is the best option for winning another easy battle or two without risking much. But I don’t think those battles further your long term goals very much.
2) You can turn on Martell, I prefer to avoid fighting Doran because he can be such an enormous pain in the balls, but there are some factors in its favor here. While you have an alliance with him, the ship in the port of Storms End is unequivocally unfriendly to you. It is absolutely useless for anything other than backstabbing you. He doesn’t seem to understand the CP rules given his placing an order there that will yield nothing, but still it makes it dangerous for you to extend your lines too far with him positioned so well to threaten shipbreaker and Dragonstone without warning. Keeping that port empty is generally a non negotiable condition of a Bara/Martell alliance.
Point further, he still has Doran, but your track positions are such that he doesn’t have an obviously crippling use for him. You hold the throne, but if he takes that Stannis just gets angrier. You are ahead on fiefdoms, but since you don’t have the blade the change there is not too drastic. He could take your star out of spite, which is actually probably his best move, but since you only have the one and it won’t move him up any, he may not feel like that gives him much bang for his buck.
Point further, Tyrell is desperate for an ally and in no position to dictate terms.
Finally, conquering Dorne is likely to result in an actual win (assuming Lanni doesn’t get there first). Whereas taking Highgarden won’t guarantee much. It would also have the effect of eliminating the player who would be in the best position to jump you from behind and drag you down once you start making real progress in any other direction.
Next post will continue options.