Off the Beaten Cobblestones- Metagaming, Intent, and Being a Bastard

Well, here it is almost 24 hours until our final match for this round of our campaign. We decided that after this week, we are going back to Castle Ravenloft for awhile, so no more campaign updates. We are going to save our files and whatnot and then pick it back up a later date. Which is the awesome thing about saving the information somewhere, we can always pick up later.

So here's our standings;


If you notice I include the win percentage. That's important for my metagame. I am always thinking about the overall. I know that my fellow players are constantly thinking only about this game. I know when I can comfortably lose, and still remain in the first spot. Strategic.

This week is another Chaos in the Streets, four way match. Its a good way to put a capstone on the campaign so far. There's a lot of not on tabletop action happening behind the scenes. Right now, Jim and Megan had plotted to take out Tom. Fortuitously, I have also joined that alliance. Which is good, because while I have lost to everyone at some time, Tom is the only one that I've lost to twice. Playing Skaven, I have a hard time dealing with ranged foes.

This alliance, for me, is about taking out the foe that I have trouble with. For Jim and Megan, its about killing Tom because he has pissed them off with how he plays the game (ie ineffectively and inattentively). As was noted in previous posts here, that Tom's antics also get on my nerves. So in a way, I'm being a total bastard. Everyone is ganging up on the guy in the worst spot. I'm winning, and I'm planning on continuing that practice, at the expense of the guy who is kinda clueless (about the game).

See, this game means nothing for me. Even if I lose, which is possible, I still win overall with a 58% win record. Let me break it down, if Megan wins, she'll have a 58% record as well. Ok, so a tie, at best. If Jim wins though, he'll have a 50% win record. If Tom wins (doubtful at this point), he'll end up with a 29% win record.

The best possible outcome for me though, is that Jim wins. Actually best for us both. He and Megan would end up with a 50% win record. So while I'll be a unanimous first place, he and Megan would tie for second. If Megan wins, its a tie way tie between her and me for first place, with Jim in third. Not where I want to end up.

Right now, I have not formalized an alliance with Jim, but I'll probably send him an email with a link to this post, thus showing the best possible outcome for him. That being said, it is entirely possible since this is the internet, and I know that Megan does occasionally read my blog, that she might try to get him to come around. That really isn't in his best interest. Let's see, second place or third place?

Here's where my intent comes in. I am going into this battle knowing that I am going to lose. With everyone sitting in a position to try to best me, that's some heavy duty opposition coming down. My job in this battle is to make Megan lose. Thus, assuring my overall victory for this stage of the campaign. I need to have Tom's dwarven crossbow men taken out, which will allow me to concentrate on my real goal. Right now it seems that I have taken care of that.

That could all change though, if Megan reads this and takes it to heart. She might turn on our already forged alliance and form one with Tom. Which to be honest is the Bastard move that I would do. Right now, she is the one with things to lose. First place tie or second place tie. I'm such a bastard, that I am willing to post this and make it public. It will add a bit of doubt to her. I know my plans, and I've probably figured out hers, or even straight up given them to her.

At the end of the day, a win would be nice, even if I split it with Jim. Tom is a thorn in my side that needs to be dealt with. Megan is the one with everything to lose, and Jim is the one with everything to gain. The thing is though, at the end of the day, I'll still be in the front position. It doesn't matter who wins the battle. I still win the war. This huge wall of text is a metagame to end all metagames. If no one reads it, all will go according to plan. If only Megan reads it, well, it might make things a bit difficult. If Jim is the only one to read it, everything comes up roses for me. If Tom reads it (HA!) well, that will be interesting. If they all read it, they will all go into the match not knowing who they can trust. At the end of the day, that suits the Skaven just fine. Divide and conquer.

Well, I for one can't wait until Saturday when this all comes down. Until then I'll be sitting in the catbird seat, grinning like the rat that ate the canary.