This post is long. Deal. It could be longer.

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Strategy #1: The Temporary Truce (TT)
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The temporary truce (TT) is a strategy used to give you time to become the leader when you are 2nd or 3rd best. The idea; conditions for the TT are:

1. You are not the leader, perhaps 2nd or 3rd.
2. The leader fears you --- ie you are somewhat powerful.
3. The leader is already in a fight with someone else.
4. You have the opportunity to expand easily if left alone by the leader.

If these conditions hold, offer the leader a TT. Agree to 3-5 turns. If he agrees, use that time to agressively build up strength while he continues to fight whoeever. Let the truce extend past the set limit of turns if the leader does not attack you, and use the time to continue building. When you are ready, attack without specifically ending the truce because hopefully by now you are strong and will take the lead and hopefully win. At this point offer the player that the leader was previously fighting a chance at 2nd so he leaves you alone and doesn't join against you.

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Strategy #2: The Slow Motion Kamakazi (SMK)
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The slow motion kamakazi (SMK) is best used when you have gotten somewhat unlucky or are in some way angry at the players you are playing against. This is an expert strategy, so wisely use it and don't abuse it. The ideal conditions for the SMK are:

1. You are not the leader.
2. You are angry and want payback.
3. You have strength but poor positioning and expect to lose.

In these conditions, consider the SMK. To SMK, begin your turn by yelling "SLOOOOWWW MOTTTTIIIOONNN KAAMMMAAAKKAAZZZI". Wait until the very last notch of your turn timer and make an attack you konw you will win. Continue waiting until the last second and then making a known attack and do this for as many times as you can. If you're lucky, you'll waste up to 3 minutes of real time, and you may even end up strong enough to do it again next turn or even win. If people get mad, you must respond in sloooowww mooootttiiiooon tteeexxxxxtttt, like that.

You may be saying, "But aren't I wasting my own time?"

Yes, this is true, but take satisfaction that if 5 players are playing you wasted 5*2min = 10min of their time and only 2min of yours.

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Strategy #3: The Under-My-Thumb (UMT)
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This strategy is used to get players to do whatever you want them to do. Post positive reviews for you? No problem. Comments on your blog? No problem. Naked photos? Sure. The ideal conditions are:

1. You are the leader.
2. You strongly believe you can wipe out everyone else even if they ganged up on you.
3. There are little or no officially yet.

Basically you want to wittle everyone down to one space and separate them such that they can't kill each other off. For example, tell one player that he will get second and wittle down another. When he gets wittled down, go back to the first one. When they are all down to one space, tell them that whoever does _insert_whatever_here_ for you best is going to get 2nd, and whoever does it worst is going to get last place.

Disclaimer: Sometimes this may backfire on you... proceed with caution.