Hi Dear - **SplinterMates,** For this week's Battle Share Contest Organised by the SplinterLands Team; details can be found @[Weekly Splinterlands Battle Share](https://hive.blog/splinterlands/@splinterlands/share-your-battle-weekly-challenge-win-upvotes-giant-squid):: For this week challenge we have the **GAINT SQUID** with which you need to showcase your Battle and share your strategy in the battle field with this Power Octopus aka **"GAINT SQUID"** Some of my thoughts on the card before we get into the battle and other details. My only concern is that its a bit high on Mana Cap; being at 5 Mana and the abilities that you get doesn't seem to be that fit. Although having the Sheild and high health makes **GAINT SQUID** somewhat compelling to have in the battle. And inase you have this powerful Octopus at level 4 then the blind ability is a bonus. Anyways; I'll be playing with **GAINT SQUID** at level 2 and lets' see if can embark some WINS with it..

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/gungunkrishu/JZd4cqm9-image.png)

Where Do I Stand with this Card::- ![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/gungunkrishu/ImNZg7Lk-image.png) I had for of these **GAINT SQUID** cards so that first thing became quite obvious to combine them. And, Yes I did combine them but was one card short to reach level 2. So I did buy the card for DEC to level up SQUID to level 2; which gave me an extra health.I, was falling short of DECs as I've been lately building up my GUILD and have been contributing all my DECs there, so played a couple of matches to get the required DEC to level up the card. Now, I guess I was ready to make the best use of **GAINT SQUID** card; which I'm also calling - The Powerful Octopus coz. of its designs and the ranged attack ability..lol..

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/gungunkrishu/N5Cyspdp-image.png) ![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/gungunkrishu/IEa69xjd-image.png) This was a 21 Mana Cap Rule Battle; with two rules in place one being Back to Basics:: Monster loses all their abilities and the other being the Equalizer:: where the health of the monsters is equal for both the parties in the battle field. I guess; till now seeing the line-up you would have already guessed that who would have WON the match. And maybe your are correct too; but what is more important is that what did went wrong and how to adapt or change your strategy accordingly for the following matches.. Which I'm gonna discuss in more about in the post. https://images.hive.blog/640x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/gungunkrishu/eYYUnBkT-image.png

https://steemitimages.com/300x200/https://d36mxiodymuqjm.cloudfront.net/cards_by_level/beta/Lord%20Arianthus_lv3.png

I was totally realying on Lord Arianthus and for that reason have sent him first. But wait a minute, just check on the game rule which said:: Monster loose all their abilities and hence no monster in the battle can make use of their abilities and I realised this once entering the battle.. This was my first mistake that in rush I selected the cards not checking on the game rule. So all the abilities I was relying on for Lord Arianthus got nullified with the Game rule; monster loose all their abilites.

https://steemitimages.com/300x200/https://d36mxiodymuqjm.cloudfront.net/cards_by_level/beta/Furious%20Chicken_lv5.png

Furious Chicken was the second in line to go, as I don't mind losing it if my other monster can do the real damage. But guess what this time it didn't work out for me coz. my opponent really attacked from all kind of abilities from ranged attack to magic attacks he had them all and the poor chicken didn't last too long in the battlefield. Normally Furious Chicken comes to my rescue most fo the time but this time it was a bit unfortunate that it couldn't help much.

https://steemitimages.com/300x200/https://d36mxiodymuqjm.cloudfront.net/cards_by_level/beta/Creeping%20Ooze_lv7.png

Mr OOZE was next to go and the main intension of bringing hin in was to lower the speed of my oppononet monsters. And this was the second mistake that I did; of not reading the game rules correctly and making a wrong selection of the card. Monsters could not use their abilities hence Mr. OOZE became worthless in the game plan.

https://steemitimages.com/300x200/https://d36mxiodymuqjm.cloudfront.net/cards_by_level/untamed/Giant%20Squid_lv2.png

Here comes the GAINT SQUID; whom I'm also calling the power Octopus because of its design feature. I thought bringing in SQUID at this position would be safe; as I was playing with a low level card i.e. at level 2. But luck was not in my favour so this powerful Octopus couldn't do the real damage but its ranged ability and also the shield didn't help much either as the opponent was having magic attacks as well.

https://steemitimages.com/300x200/https://d36mxiodymuqjm.cloudfront.net/cards_by_level/beta/Naga%20Windmaster_lv6.png

NAGA WINDMASTER my hero was the next to follow. I use this monster alot and what I like most about this monster is its ability to reduce the range attack of the monster. Quite frankly this card was only the right selection made by me. But since the rules of loosing all the abilities made NAGA WINDMASTER a bit worthless in the battle feild. The main intention of using the card just got lost away because of the game rule - so you know how important it is to read game rules and apply them in the battle. More on it the Strategy worked or not paragraph or write-up.

https://steemitimages.com/300x200/https://d36mxiodymuqjm.cloudfront.net/cards_by_level/beta/Crustacean%20King_lv7.png

Finally; I had the Crustacean King lined-up. If you see at level 7 this card is quite strong giving your monster the healing after every round and +2 Armor as well. But my bad luck this all abilities I couldn't use coz. of the game rule. I was in rush to battle that I ignored the game rule and selected a card whose all the abilities got neutralized or I would rather say nullified. So, I would say not the best of the card selection using Crustacean King in the battle feild.

https://images.hive.blog/640x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/gungunkrishu/yVi0i2Gp-image.png ![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/gungunkrishu/gea7IHQ4-image.png) [Have Look at the Battle Fought :: Here](https://steemmonsters.com?p=battle&id=bdf85594cae58baae4e4eafd134ac86785e9bc5a&ref=gungunkrishu) https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://images.hive.blog/DQmPYs6ZU79nB5rsSanzpDQpHJ3su8DQZ3YGXyziWkXnnCN/IMG-20200314-WA0006.jpg https://images.hive.blog/640x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/gungunkrishu/FrDomAOj-image.png **A BIG NO** - My strategy didn't work and I would like to highlight the reasons for it not working::- - Didnt read the game rules carefully - Was in a rush to battle - Wrong card selection - Finally wrong placement of cards in their position It is very important that we read the game rules carefully once. No doubt you may have best of the cards or cards that are at MAX level but if you make a mistake of not selecting monsters based on the game rules than you know the results RIGHT.. The same things happened with me here in this battle; I was in rush to battle that I ignored reading the rules and just selected my monsters not knowing that their abilities are of no use; since the game rule said that monsters loose all their abilities. The strategy starts right from reading the **GAME RULES** and I missed it in a rush. Hence it was a failure from my side and the lesson learnt IS that:: ### Reading GAME RULES IS VERY CRITICAL to ANY BATTLE & Without which no strategy is gonna workout.
![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/gungunkrishu/s5EiOyZT-image.png) No; I haven't been using **GIANT SQUID** till date and its today that I first leveled up the cards that I had and bought another card to bring this SQUID to level 2. I did mention in the beginning about SQUID that I do feel that its a bit high on Mana Cap based on the abilities you get. I though see it perfectly fit in the battles where there is no CAP to the Mana; plus if you have this **GIANT SQUID** at level 4 is an added advantage that gives your monster the blind ability. On a personal note; I would recommend folks to MAX this card if they can or have extra DECs because at the price its currently being trade is very cheap and you will only need 115 cards to MAX it - Plus at the MAX level you get an extra ability - which is my all time favourite which is **weaken** that makes all your oppononet monsters power reduced and giving you the upper hand in the battle feild.. The lower the speed of your enemy monsters that higher is your chances of Winning as your monsters get to attack first and do the real damage. That is it all and finally; I would conclude on a note that - Please read the **GAME RULES** carefully they are extremely important and is your first step towards defining your strategy for the game plan.

https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/500x300/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYr81jxqZrqwcT3Jgmqh7c4fhiJXTUySxo2wrHheFnygE/7ohP4GDMGPrUMp8dW6yuJTR9MKNu8P8DCXDU9qmmgzJg5iGfX2F5vsqETXPyM39f2WtNS677zaMD1tZtSudzgAwLJhcG86RmymcD.png Do you love playing games and do you want to earn as well while playing the game. If YES then come join this amazing online trading cards game SPLINTERLANDS [here](https://steemmonsters.com/) See You @ The Battle Field - May the POWERS be with You!! Cheers & Thank You!!! https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://steemitimages.com/500x300/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYr81jxqZrqwcT3Jgmqh7c4fhiJXTUySxo2wrHheFnygE/7ohP4GDMGPrUMp8dW6yuJTR9MKNu8P8DCXDU9qmmgzJg5iGfX2F5vsqETXPyM39f2WtNS677zaMD1tZtSudzgAwLJhcG86RmymcD.png [![SplinterLands](https://steemitimages.com/p/2FFvzA2zeqoVLrYE9s797ZjtvFQpjr1rFgojSjFXUf1MWRHcx4a5YZGQyaZxjbNYeQwSHkCjbviKBsc6JD2PTtKAHwSEseiWpVDn2CAcjZrixjxzzxvDnESeRQhDP?format=match&mode=fit)](https://steemmonsters.com?ref=aamirijaz)