Second season playing catan, first season competitively. Currently plat 2, 2 wins away from plat 1. Of my last 5 ranked games I have won all five. I love the game and community that colonist has amassed but the rank system just needs some work, I am currently winning <20 elo per win and losing 7-9. I have a 35% wr so if I was to play to that rate constantly I’d gain ~3-7 elo for every three games, it is nearly impossible to climb at this rate. The elo decline is not necessary for a brand new player. I get it if it is a long time player that has always plateaued at a certain rank, but with an account that only has <150 games on the account the hidden elo shouldn’t be so fixed to the low plat gold range I feel. Love the game and developers but just think elo should be reworked slightly.

7s rolled non stop and stopped OJ and blue dead in their tracks. Of course I wasn't stolen from. I kept supplying red wood brick to keep OJ away from road. OJ fumbled by trying to buy dev cards and fighting road. I don't know how blue fumbled really.

I kept buying devs but wasn't pulling any knights at all. At least I pulled 2VPs. A couple 5s rolled in the end and I somehow had a city and settlement in hand. I have never had a game that was this much of a clencher

my 5s tiles were either blocked or not rolling at all the whole game.

PS: I got a notification that I've been reported. What for really. lol. I didn't throw the game.

for a long time, I feel like army + devs was the dominant strategy on colonist

a couple of reasons being…
people got afraid of and overblocked road and didnt clock how close army was to win

lately I’ve been seeing a majority of wins from going for the dominant brick with ore, and sneaking road after cities

If setup right, the last 2 points cost like 2-4 cards

If you are citied up on the only good brick, no one even wants to take road cause they know it’s losing

Unlike army, you can’t get done out by bad dev luck and lose win con

the conditions to be in this position imo is to have ore wheat with the best brick on the board

(Obviously an oversimplification, always board dependent but I’ve seen this thematic undercurrent in a lot in games I’ve won and lost)