...

Only some, like stocking up on health potions before going into battle. It's not like an RTS or anything, nor is the combat particularly evolved/advanced/complex. Click to hit.

I'd say some strategy and foresight might be needed if you want to milk the 5x attribute multiplier, but I dislike the vanilla leveling system and use mods to change it so it is more natural and less micromanagement.

As far as combat and immediate gameplay...not much really. Occasionally, especially in Morrowind, I may have to use strategy a bit when I'm trying to knock off an opponent who ought to wipe the floor with my character such as Umbra. I also have to think a little more when I'm trying to accomplish a feat with my character such as when using sneak. Otherwise, not much strategy.

However, I use a ton of strategy in terms of planning where I want my character to end up in the game, how the story unfolds around them.

Let's see: I always carry:

- At least 30 arrows

- 5 health potions

- 4 fatigue potions

Just in general. More arrows for longer trips, of course. But I'm not obsessive or anything.

Only when I micromanage to get the +5 in the desired stats...Thankfully there are mods that make leveling a lot more seamless and I don't need to constantly push the +5 endurance till it's maxed. Heck, I'd say the DF way of leveling was much better than MW or OB's way of leveling.

Um, I don't really understand what you're asking. That's a very broad question to ask, and even more so followed up with three periods as the explanation.

I rarely used strategy for the levelling side of the game. I usually just played the game and didn't bother trying to get 5+ the stats. But yeah, strategy is a pretty broad term. Can you explain what you mean a bit more?

Going in underpowered is always great fun. In MW it really forces the hand of mage/thief variants. Even with warriors I charge into the middle of 3-4 people to make things tricky. Well, to be fair it ossolates between that and a good ol' killing romp.

I am sorry for my ambiguity, what I meant is, when you play an ES game, how much planning and pre-fight strategy do you implement?

i use moderate strategy...

for example... i make sure i've got my best armor on before i dive into an ayleid ruin, i keep cure disease potions/ingredients on hand when fighting vampires, and i always make sure to repair scavenged armor/weapons prior to selling them.

however, i'm not one of these uber-nerd rpg players that will write out algorithms and formulas to help them decide what spell to buy, or spend hours figuring out how to stack enchanted armor with spells in order max out skills...

to me, that's no fun... if i have to use a scratch sheet of paper for anything, it's probably for the CS...

Much strategy, not at the lvl of an rts, but every character I play has different strengths and weaknesses and I usually need to tailor my approach after that.

I'd go with moderate really. In terms of gameplay - going into battle, stocking up on potions etc. I wouldn't say I strategize much. However, in Oblvion, due to the lack of a correct, working level system, I tend to find myself carefully planning out which attributes I must work on to get the strongest character possible. I find this limits my experience a little bit, at the lower levels especially.

Ah. Well, if that's the case, I'd say moderate strategy. I think about what I do and plan most things out. I also RP a bit, so using strategy based on my characters history/past is important.

Moderate amounts. Sometimes I will get stuck in a fight where I keep dying, and I have to identify and deal with whomever is killing me. So I've got to use the right potions, enchantments, and spells to fix the situation.

None if I can help it. :B It makes the game so much more interesting if you stay impulsive.

Should I used my flaming sword or hammer of ice to kill everybody to death?

Really it depends on character. With a stealthy one, yes, of course. With a warrior, brute force works fine. With a mage, well, I never play as mages

Block, slash, slash, block, slash, slash, block, slash, slash...

It depends. Obviously I will stock up on supplies after every dungeon delve, but with certain quests in Morrowind I would take some time to work it out on paper, and in many dungeons in Oblivion when I wanted to play it stealthily, I would hang back, calculate my route and strike when most opportune. Other than that though, the game doesn't really give you any opportunities to plan things out. You simply act or are told exactly what to do. (*cough* Dark Brotherhood *cough*)

There's very little use for Strategy in a purely Tactical simulation. From the lack of any clarification, I'm not entirely sure what the question means.

Forethought and preparation make sense (those are not "Strategy"), although I try not to tailor the character's equipment and provisons based on things I know about the destination that the character wouldn't. Actual combat and uses of the various "tricks" and tools available (Tactics) depend heavily on the character I'm running. A Daedra Hunter might know enough about the immunities and weaknesses of various Daedra to different forms of magicka and use that against them, whereas a travelling scholar and explorer might be aware of it in theory, but not think to apply that to the practical situation right away. A blacksmith wouldn't have a clue about it.

Just make sure to have mana potions, and maybe some health potions. That?s all a mage needs!

Ya i use strategy in the form of my charicters and the way i want my fame and infame basicly all detals about my character but not really gameplay

About the only strategy I use is to complete as many quests in the same area at the same time. Instead of doing 1, reporting back and having to go all the way back to the same area again and again. I've played thru Morrowind and the expansions several times and have done each MQ and all the faction quests at least once. So I don't consider checking UESP for info about a quest cheating. For example, there are several quests that require the player to go to the Sheogarad/Dagon Fel area. Getting to Dagon Fel is easy enough but most of the quests are in the area west of there, with no easy access.

Oblivion needs no strategy. Ya just run in and start chopping away.

Though Midas Force Push was fun in the Oblivion realms. Ya just lure enemys near the edge and push em into the lava and watch em burn.

Its like a waltz.

I'd say I use a lot, actually. I almost always play as a stealth or magic based character and so I take a lot of time planning out how I want fights to go down, waiting for the best opportunity, making sure that if this or that goes wrong I have a backup strategy, etc.. Add to that, I always carry X amount of this, Y amount of that,some of these, which I never use but may come in handy, etc..