Piquet is a unique wargame to the degree it allows ever-increasing skill in play. Many games allow for increasing ability to remember rules and manipulate loopholes, but only a limited capacity for actually playing "better". Some of the interactions are very subtle in Piquet, and it is a delight to see new players acquire a perceptual edge on their opponents as they realize some of the clever combinations that can be unleashed. The following tips are meant as a primer for the new player and only scratch the surface when it comes to expert play.

1. Concentrate your impetus use on the units at the most critical point. Don't waste your available impetus on units that can't affect the outcome. Move and fight a limited force within your army and don't get sucked into the foolish tactic of trying to move every unit, or counter every threat. Have a plan.

2. Don't over extend your attacking units when you have acquired a huge impetus advantage. Consider carefully how exposed they will be. Is there a reserve? Impetus is fickle. Are you prepared for even a limited counter-attack by the enemy? When attacking keep an eye out for the counter-attack, when defending be prepared to launch a counter attack when the tide of battle swings.

3. Get to the cards that are most helpful, such as Missile Reload, or Deployment, if you are on defense. Discard all other cards, conserving your impetus for cards that will help the most. Get through the deck rapidly and reshuffle so that fresh Missile Reload cards are available.

Conversely, on attack approach, any of the Move cards are your greatest need. Plan your initial deployments to minimize your need for maneuvers and deployments. You must get to good musketry range quickly and then engage the enemy.

4. Immediately store impetus for opportunity fire. Store it to your army's maximum limit. Just as castling in chess, it may seem a waste of effort to a newcomer, but you will need it!

5. Consider your initial deployment very carefully. Be deployed for a good defensive posture if you lose the initiative early on. Plan your attack for maximum efficiency and economy.

6. Only use the impetus "buy-down" with your morale chips if you are confident of having an initial advantage, then only at the most critical moment. This is a very risky tactic!

7. Treat impeding terrain with great respect. It has far greater impact on play than in most wargames to date. Note that not only the distance moved, but the opportunity for movement is reduced. Because of this, such terrain can be a very effective anchor for your line.

8. In defense or attack, reserves are crucial. Deep command group (divisonal) deployments are better than shallow. Woe to the force with no second line!

9. Have your artillery deployed at the start of battle. With a few exceptions, the movement of guns is very wasteful of impetus and their effectiveness is much diminished by extensive maneuvering. Limbered guns can't fire; are great targets, and will consume time waiting for an Artillery Move card as well as impetus to unlimber.

10. Keep your units in command as long as possible. Most units moving independently are a sign of inefficiency and a lack of planning. Rally troops, if you can, as rapidly as possible. Those lost impetus are very telling.

11. Have patience. No matter how badly the initiative, sequence, and impetus are running against you the Statistical Law of Regression will soon even things out! Be warned also that no matter how good things are going, the enemy will eventually have his moments! Inexperienced players are often psychologically defeated long before the issue is decided on the tabletop.

12. Don't waste your fire (and Impetus) at extreme ranges. Also, don't spend morale chips on morale checks for units that have only taken a one figure hit! Just because the rules allow stupid decisions, doesn't mean you have to do it! Check the math. Be smart. Let the other guy waste impetus and good cards.

13. Be efficient! Most inexperienced players waste more impetus than they use well. Most new players remain locked in the patterns and mindset of current rule sets. You do not have to use each card. Doing nothing is as much a command decision as taking an action!

14. Special cards are important! Heroic Moment, Brilliant Commander, Stratagem, and certain optional sequence cards give you the opportunity to be creative, and deal a decisive blow, but all too often so little thought is given to their use that they are wasted. Don't be King Charles at Naseby who misses his moment and loses his kingdom.

15. Accept your Army's limitations. If you have abysmal commanders, inferior weapons, poor troops, low morale, or a lot of Dressing The Line cards, why would you consider attacking? Let the other guy prove the point! Everyone would like to be in command of the Imperial Guard, but pretending that some militia are going to sweep the enemy before them is a tragically romantic gamble. There is nothing dishonorable about discretion. Andrew Jackson at New Orleans got behind cotton bales, a ditch, and a swamp. He knew his troops!

16. Examine and study your army's sequence deck. Knowing your proportions and distribution of sequence cards is crucial. As the deck is used keep a mental note of what's left and maximize your opportunity to make good use of those activities. Of course, a duplicate initiative roll can be very frustrating!

17. Be aggressive! If you have advantages of command, army make-up, or sequence distribution, and you have impetus, by all means attack! Exploit your advantages mercilessly. If you have routed a few enemy units, press your advantage. Don't be timid. There is great dishonor in not pressing home an attack when you have the enemy at a disadvantage.

This will get you started. There is much, much, more to be learned as you explore differentperiods and armies using Piquet as your Rosetta Stone. Have fun!