Early Game Strategies[]
There are many different approaches to Subterfuge. Suggestions for opening strategies include; Turtling, Booming, and Rushing.
Turtling[]
Involves grabbing the closest outposts and avoiding all conflict. Then, continuously reinforcing outposts with drillers, almost all outposts will have at least 10 drillers. Starting specialists may include Sentry, Foreman, Inspector, and other defensive specialists. Used by very wary people. Makes them an undesirable target, but will have to start making mines if they wish to win top 3. Not a recommended strategy as this limits driller production, territory, and reduces chances of making allies from the start.
Booming[]
Involves getting most dormant outposts around them, staying neutral with border-sharing players, and striking deals to fund them later for their protection or promise of truce. Will start making mines as soon as possible. Focus on factories. Starting specialists may include Tinkerer, Foreman, and Smuggler (for fast land grabbing and in preparation for Tycoon).
Rushing[]
Involves sending driller to all dormant outposts around them, with 1 driller to closest one and most to outposts on the edge of their radar. Will seek out one or two allies. Mostly aggressive playstyle, focusing on later capturing mines rather than building them. Assertive or aggressive when disputing territory. Starting specialists may include Helmsman, Lieutenant, or most other offensive specialists.
Single Enemy[]
Involves sending drillers to the closest outposts and then singling out one enemy to immediately confront. This strategy relies heavily on both your diplomacy with your other neighbors as you will have to trust them not attacking your other borders while you focus on this sole enemy as well as relying on you getting the early jump on this single opponent. If you can quickly take key outposts from this other player, your production compared to theirs will start to snowball. Starting specialists include Admiral and Smuggler (for quickly moving your starting drillers toward the sole enemy) and most offensive specialists.
Piggy-Backing[]
This strategy starts out the exact same as turtling, where the player is grabbing all closest outposts, reinforcing their borders, and avoiding conflict. The key distinction is that the player will wait or probe via chat to discover conflicts emerging between other opponents and then once war has broken out between two or more opponents, the player will join in on the side he believes benefits him most. This strategy is especially effective if the chosen enemy's borders with you have few drillers, allowing an easy push into their territory. This strategy allows you to get a feel on the pulse of players and takes a more calculated risk when attacking. It also allows you to forge alliances with the opponents you side with and can result in you backdooring an opponent who has his drillers focused on another border. Starting specialists include most offensive and increased movement specialists.
Stockpiling[]
Very similar to turtling, the player grabs all the outposts they can, even sending single drillers out to further outposts. Then makes everyone his allies, and secures his border with drillers. They use tinkerers and ministers to max out their driller cap, often pooling them just outside the sonar range of potential targets and wait. Once their drillers are maxed out, they unleash all specialists and drillers stockpiled. Starting specialists include Tinkerers and intelligence officers. (Later more offensive specialists.) Boring but surprising strategy.