Hello all,

Like many players in Call of War I to recognise that there are different phases the game goes through. These have traditionally been called 'early game', 'mid game' and 'late game'. However, when these start and when they end have always been somewhat obscure. Some consensus have always been there, when you start you are in the early game, and when nuclear bombs are available most players agree you have entered the late game. As for when the early game ends and mid game begins, opinions are somewhat divided. The most convincing argument I have heard was the one that stated that most units need to be available for the mid game to start. This enables a wider variety of play. So that would mean that when all the SP variants, tank variants and plane variants as well as most of the secret tech (except for nukes) are available, the mid game started.

However, I started to notice recently that this way of organising any map I play does not reflect my own play very well.
That is why I propose another way to divide the game into phases bases on the scope of the risks taken into account when playing. This can differ for any player on the map, as soon shall be visible.

Local threat phase: Neighbouring players/coalitions are a possible threat.
Continental threat phase: Players/coalitions on my continent or in my area are a possible threat.
Intercontinental threat phase: Players/coalitions on another continent or outside my area are a possible threat.

As should be visible, these phases exist on the basis of the level and type of threat you are experiencing individually. This also differs for different type of maps. Phase 1 is probably always present while phase 2 and 3 might overlap on smaller maps. This also means that you can somewhat tell in which phase other players are and on that bases, realise the threat you pose to them. In relation to this your economy size and size/strength of your army also plays a part of deciding in which phase you find yourself.

Realising that dividing the game in these phases is perhaps not any less vague than dubbing parts of any map early, mid and late game it helps me a great deal to look at the maps I play this way.

Hope it will also help others.

It helps in discussing how you play through the game and giving pointers to newer players. If a newer player asks me 'how do I prepare for defences' or 'when should I attack someone' these types of terminology help me in explaining what to prepare for.

For example, if you are in a big map and your threat level is phase 1 then attacking a player that finds himself in phase 2 is probably a mistake.

Of course there are plenty of other things to take into account in relation to other players: how big is your economy, how big is their economy, how big is your army, how big is their army, where is your army, where is their army.
If you are advanced enough in the game however then I think just putting all these things together to consider the threat you pose to other players and other players pose to you is a good compass.

If your threat level is so incredibly local that if you go east you are likely to be attacked in your west, going east is not a good idea. This puts you in phase 1.
If you can go east but further west there is a player that you need to take into account, you are in phase 2. This means you can go east, but with caution and maybe not with your whole army. This gives an indication to all the planning you need to do around your attacks while keeping your core defended.

Keeping track or taking into account in what phase you find yourself guides you to what the scope of your attack and defence plans should be. That is the rough idea.

I like your suggestion and adjusted my original article because of it. Thanks!