Everyone will have differeing opinions, but here are my thoughts:

1) Have a clear conversation during the game so that everyone knows what to expect. It isn't unreasonable for a 2/4 fight and a 3/5 fight, but as long as the players are clear as to what they are fighting for, everything should be OK.

2) I'm of the opinion that a flag to a specific player is a TRUCE and I will make an effort to counter that flag. Not everyone feels this way, but if you flag to someone and they respect your flag it basically means that you won't be attacking each other and you'll both continue expanding. This is in essence a truce.

That being said, if your partner/flag plays stupidly and gets himself killed that's their fault. But if you feel that it was more of a truce, then you should definitely fight to help them.

3) If you are in a CLEAR 1st place position, do whatever you like. It's your board. If you have a weak 1st, but everyone is vFlagging to you, be a little more judicious in your decisions becuase others may decide to revolt if they don't like your choice for their place.


That's just my take on it. Others will tell you different. Above all else, use the chat box as much as possible so that miscommunication doesn't occur. The clearer you are with everyone, the smoother the game will be.

If two players are fighting for 2nd and 3rd place is still being fought over as many then he/she can stop fighting 2nd and take 3rd i think.
I guess i pretty much agree with madaxle on everything else and too lazy to write more

You can't please everyone all the time.

where would the fun be if no one tried to hinder your progress.

if someone flags to me i tend to leave them alone. i do not consider it an alliance, it is submission. i then attack others smaller than me until they all flag to me.

if someone wants to fight for a position that's not mine i will let them but insist on seeing an actual flag as soon as possible.

in short i try to hand out positions the way i would like it if i was on the receiving end.

There are no rules!!! It´s simple like that. Do whatever you feel good or satisfying. Really.

I am of the opinion that this game is - at least at higher tables - mostly about bargaining. You have some position, some options. You can do absolutely whatever you want. Or you can offer to restrict yourself, to sell yourself. Then again - ANY offer, ANY deal is possible. 1-2 truce? Counter all against the leader? 2nd for not ruining someone although you have only 1 land? Whatever you agree on is possible, do it! But accept the consequences - people might counter it with any different deal and they might get upset and not cooperate with you the next time. And think about which behavior you would expect from others being it that position.

What is wrong is to break the deal or mislead the partner. So be clear about your intentions and keep them, that´s all! If you flag to someone but you are not going to give him 1st if he loses to someone else - cool. But be absolutely clear that this is what you propose when you offer him your flag. Etc.

Kdice ethics are not God-given. Do whatever you want!

Do what you want

Fuck bitches, get money....

Simple rule, kill shit. If someone flags to you and they are free land that you can eat impunity, do so. So many times letting a sprawled out unstacked player build causes so many problems. There are times when it is in your interest to let a weak player build behind you if you have a opening on a strong threat to your position.

Just because someone says they flag you have no obligation to respect that flag. Respect flags that you think you should respect based on your position.

For me if I am in a strong 2nd but risk being 2v1d by 1,3 then I would offer to flag 2nd if I can't find an ally to counter a vflag. In this position I would not be too annoyed if I find I have to fight for that 2nd but I don't expect to go from 2nd to 4th or 5th because some weaklings said they are fighting for 3rd on the other side of the map. This is a situation where as the person in first I make calls on who should have a chance at a good position and who I should just eat for dom. Doing this annoys lots of people, but I prefer not to reward corner sitters that get left alone unless it was in my interest.

My game > everyone elses game. This really should be the basis of everyones play. Care about your game first, then the game of whoever you truced and everyone elses game after that. People will always get upset, sometimes rightly so sometimes just because they are whinny bitches.

Also truce > flag, and you really should look to truce over flagging if possible. Also be vauge in your wording if you don't want to lie. I tend to abhor lying in kdice as it makes a sucessful social structure break down, its the internet my expectations aren't high. Occaisionly you find yourself in a situation where you aren't keeping your word in the best of faith, it happens try to avoid it but sometimes you can't help it. If you can find your way back to the truth, do it, if not do your best to stick to whoever you think you owe more to.

tl;dr

I think, a flag means I cannot get a higher place than this. The diplomatic consequences should be nothing else than the strategic consequences. First place is generally better off not attcking you, since you are no threat anymore.
Its not a truce, nor an alliance.
A truce is an armistice and not an aliance. It simply means, we wont attack each other. I dont understand why no one plays like that. After all, its called PGA and not PreGameTruce.
Most arguments and PGA accusations derrive from different opinions of the best stategy. People take it personally, if they dont understand your strategy.

1) They should clearly state and discuss this in the chatbox. Maybe the 2 losers will fight (roll) for 4 and 5 afterwards, depending on what is left of them.

2) In my understanding this would mean you can't finish better than the person you flagged to unless somebody else kills him. There is no obligation to assist - so I make a difference in trucing and flagging. In a truce I have to help and win or die together. A flag is a stop in attacking, no assist. And honoring your own flag only when you are weaker would result in not trusting your flag at all sooner or later.

3) Letting people fight is good practice in my understanding. If you behave like a mad god eating land at will you should be sure you will survive a revolt. Ending useless fights is ok.

Just my ideas. Usually think of being in the other persons position - what would you experience and expect as a fair treatment? That's what you should do then (regula aurea).

I think there should be rooms with no chat for players once the game starts.

Otherwise I agree with Mad Hat. It's anarchy, the people in THAT game make the rules, and if you have the power, you are the one making them...