Tips medu

Strategic Theory

The "Offer" Mechanic In Medu, you are not only choosing your own move but also selecting the menu of options for your opponent. This is often referred to as "The Offer."

• Offensive Offering: If you need a specific color to win, play a piece of that color (even in a non-winning spot). Unless the opponent changes the attribute by matching the size instead, they may be forced to place a piece of your desired color, potentially aiding your setup.
• Defensive Offering: If you know your opponent needs a "Red" piece to win, avoid playing Red pieces. Furthermore, avoid playing piece sizes that would allow them to switch the "current attribute" to Red.

Stacking and Covering

Unlike flat abstract games (like Connect 4), Medu allows verticality. Smaller pieces may be placed on top of larger pieces.

• The Cover-Up: If an opponent has three Blue pieces in a row, placing a Red piece on top of one of their Blue pieces breaks the line.
• The Foundation Trap: Placing a large piece (Size 4) establishes a base. Be wary of placing bases where an opponent can easily stack winning pieces later in the game.

Dual-Threat Management

A strong position threatens two win conditions simultaneously.

Example: A line containing [Red, Blue, Green].

This threatens a Spectrum Win (needs Yellow).

This forces the opponent to block Yellow.

If the opponent blocks with a Red piece to stop the Spectrum win, they may inadvertently set up a Monochrome Win if you have other Red pieces nearby.

Advanced Tactics

Resource Starvation (The Lockout)

Since the supply of pieces is finite, a player can win by exhaustion.

• Tracking Supply: Advanced players count how many pieces of a specific size (e.g., Size 3) remain.
• The Trap: If there are no Size 3 pieces left in the supply, and you play a Size 3 piece (assuming you can legally stack it on a 4), you force the opponent to match "Size 3." Since none exist, they lose immediately.

The Z-Axis Sneak

Players often develop "board blindness" regarding vertical wins.

Pyramid Sniping: If a stack reaches level 3 (Size 2), keep a Size 1 piece in reserve. If you can manipulate the constraint to force a Size 1 play, or match a color to allow a Size 1 play, you can cap the pyramid for an instant win, often ignoring the grid entirely.

Common Mistakes

• Ignoring Diagonals: On a 3D board, diagonal lines across the grid are the most frequently missed win conditions.
• Helping the Opponent: Playing a piece that matches the opponent's winning color simply to further your own line is a fatal error. Always block first.
• Static Thinking: Failing to realize that an opponent's piece can be covered up to change the board state.