First & Second Turn Movement

[Ryuke]

I know this probably Q&A or Arena.

But ... I am going to create a separate topic because ... in a game where the map is so small, the first and second turn pretty much DECIDE the outcome of the match (survivability too)

 

Without further ado.
What's your first and second move? (notably in Arena... training map too)

Here's mine. (Rank ~30k in Arena)

1) Use all the free spaces with good positioning

2) Attack ... but this usually bring one unit in a DANGER position. (If I retreat... there's not enough space to retreat and/or I lose positioning)

[Arcanite]

First move- id have to say, 65% of the time I do nothing. But the other 35% I switch my units around. 

2nd turn- 70% of the time I do nothing, because my positioning might cause the enemy to change their course. It all depends on who goes where first. If the enemy sees that I did nothing, they'll move up towards each of the targets they are effective against (which is one of the AI's main movement directive, line up against who they are most effective against or who they deal the most damage to as a whole). Now if I move, they'll adjust instead of coming at me, and then I'm in a predicament. 30% of the time I collectively move all my units one space in X direction. 

[pianime94]

I usually just kite around until I got into good position and bait/attack lol.

[Ice Dragon]

On maps with two paths, namely the vertical bridge map and the vertical forest map, the first turn is spent rearranging my units to bait the enemy units into picking the path I want them to take. The second turn is spent switching my own units into the position to counter their positioning.

The only exception is if I can get into position to counterattack certain characters on the first enemy phase with a guaranteed kill on the counterattack. For example, Robin (+10 merge and Hone Spd) against a slow Takumi, Julia against Robin or Linde, and Ryoma against Nino or Julia.

 

On other maps, just move units forward and try to get into a position to bait enemy ranged units into killing themselves on the second enemy phase.

[Othin]

I don't think there's any real general turn-by-turn strategy that works; it depends on the map and what I'm facing. One way or another, I try to maneuver to match up my own characters against the enemies they can beat easily without letting them get caught by enemies they can't handle.

[MaskedAmpharos]

I generally spend the first one or two turns repositioning my units (preparation screen when).

[Sarki Soliloquy]

Besides checking the skills, stats, & positions of all enemies as to determine where to approach from with whom, can't say my strategy really devolves too much from repositioning units where needed or baiting an aggro as they approach.

Edited March 21, 2017 by Sarki

[Frenzify]

Like everyone else said, my first two turns are usually used re positioning. On tighter maps the second turn may be used to attack, but would most likely be used to bait.

[TheTuckingFypo]

Mostly re-positioning and "huddling" my units.

The parallel bridge map I tend to get my flier(s) (right now, its Camilla) to fly between them. This allows me to pivot Marth if need be and position Takumi and bonus unit as needed. I also do this on maps where it'd take 2-3 turns for Marth to get to wherever he needs to be in 1-2 turns instead.

Against armoured units (that arent Hector), I find myself using my 2 range units. If I can, I place them on the other side of an unbreakable rock/pillar/ whatever thing it happens to be. From there it's usually cat and mouse.

In percentages:

• Positioning - 70%
• Nothing - 25%
• ATTACK BECAUSE YOLO - 5%

[NekoKnight]

Having all 4 characters survive really depends on singling out enemies and eliminating them before their buddies can support them. Ranged units and cavalry are prime targets for baiting first. Also, depending on the map (such as the lava level), I'll move my range units up to the "shooting gallery" so they can get some potshots off before I let them fall on my defensive wall.

I usually have Effie on my team as well so it's pretty much guaranteed she's not going to be exactly where I want her to be when the map starts.

[MrSmokestack]

What about positioning on certain maps?

Like what most people have mentioned already, I spend the first two turns of a game repositioning, whether it's to bait high-priority targets--in my case, that tends to be units that one shot my ranged nuker--or to account for the effective range a dancer provides for the AI, if there is one.

On certain maps though, I generally make the same set of moves with little to no deviation at all. In the underwater and desert maps, for example, getting your ranged unit behind a pillar (or mountain) is a huge boon to your positioning that letting the enemy get to it first means surrendering the entire middle and upper section of the map to keep your units from getting hit prematurely. Dancer comps can always ensure this happens on turn 1; move your unit in slot 3 one tile forward, have the ranged in slot 1 or 2 move up, then the dancer refreshes them to move behind the pillar if necessary. If the enemy team has a ranged unit in slot 1, this can sometimes lead to an early kill, making the match an effective 4v3, which is hard to lose.

On the map with both teams set behind breakable walls, again I have my ranged break the wall at the top left , then have a dancer refresh them so the ranger can Draw Back them forward. Getting to the tree before the enemy does makes the match much easier as it lets you attack the enemy from two angles, either head on or from behind the safety of the tree, and lures enemies to the top of the map so your flanker and tank aren't facing the entire enemy team. If a dangerous threat is close to your nuker and there's no way to kill them without getting attacked, you can always kite back with the Dancer if needed.

As for the map with all breakable blocks, I prefer to break them of my own accord, because it can be hard to predict what blocks the AI will destroy to reach your team. I like working with as much space as possible so I have multiple options for making plays on my turn.

There are some maps where repositioning isn't as straightforward though. The maps with one and two large mountains have pretty poor positioning for both teams, and a Dancer on the enemy team can put a ranged unit in range of your other units if you don't move them from their starting positions, same with the bridge map. There is very little elbow room to work with.

 

Sorry for the wordy response!

[BestFriendJ0]

On 3/21/2017 at 1:06 PM, MaskedAmpharos said:

I generally spend the first one or two turns repositioning my units (preparation screen when).

Gotta treat it like Thracia, unit order in the team decides placement on the map, might want to play around with it until you find the setup that puts you in the best position the most often.

And what do I do?

I make a square (or a line if a square isn't possible) to abuse blade spells on turn 1, then I 1 shot whatever is in range using ranged cavalry units. I don't even think its fair.

[MaskedAmpharos]

2 minutes ago, BestFriendJ0 said:

Gotta treat it like Thracia, unit order in the team decides placement on the map, might want to play around with it until you find the setup that puts you in the best position the most often.

That'd be a great strategy if I knew what Arena map I was going to spawn on :/

[BestFriendJ0]

Just now, MaskedAmpharos said:

That'd be a great strategy if I knew what Arena map I was going to spawn on :/

generally the placements are fairly similar between the maps, usually If your units start in a vertical line then the leftmost member will be on the top, and rightmost will be on the bottom. If the units start horizontally then the leftmost member of the team will be farthest to the left and the rightmost member will spawn farthest to the right.

This wasn't always how it went, but since the arena update where your whole team is always together this is what happens.

[Ice Dragon]

7 minutes ago, BestFriendJ0 said:

Gotta treat it like Thracia, unit order in the team decides placement on the map, might want to play around with it until you find the setup that puts you in the best position the most often.

And what do I do?

I make a square (or a line if a square isn't possible) to abuse blade spells on turn 1, then I 1 shot whatever is in range using ranged cavalry units. I don't even think its fair.

The "fair" portion is the fact that cavalry have lower stat totals than other movement classes, resulting in fewer arena points.

 

3 minutes ago, MaskedAmpharos said:

That'd be a great strategy if I knew what Arena map I was going to spawn on :/

You can still do a general order that takes multiple maps into account.

For example, my team (Ryoma, Robin, Ninian, Julia) is currently in that order so that Ryoma always starts next to Robin for Hone Spd and Ninian is in the middle for repositioning so that I can split enemies and reverse my own split quickly.

My previous season team (Ryoma, Robin, Julia, Reinhardt) had Reinhardt at the end due to his high movement range and low Spd allowing him to pull enemy green and colorless units far away from the rest of the enemy army on open maps.

[MaskedAmpharos]

1 minute ago, Ice Dragon said:

You can still do a general order that takes multiple maps into account.

For example, my team (Ryoma, Robin, Ninian, Julia) is currently in that order so that Ryoma always starts next to Robin for Hone Spd and Ninian is in the middle for repositioning so that I can split enemies and reverse my own split quickly.

My previous season team (Ryoma, Robin, Julia, Reinhardt) had Reinhardt at the end due to his high movement range and low Spd allowing him to pull enemy green and colorless units far away from the rest of the enemy army on open maps.

I mean yeah I order my team as best I can to take advantage of buffs and positioning (I have Effie, Ninian (with Hone Atk), Julia, and Ryoma so that Effie and Julia get Hone Atk while Ryoma also gives Julia a spd buff).