@Cow:
If you are playing a live game, just trust your instincts. Be fearless. That is the best way to learn.
Best strategic advice ^^ Sometimes I purposely play “experiment” games where I know I have a good chance at losing. But I learn from those games and can synthesize all my new ideas into a stronger future game and it makes me a better player in the long run. Also, I look at how people have beaten me and there’s no shame in copying errrr I mean “learning” from them too.
When I started A&A I lost all the time, now I am a decent player in my group because I just try things out. It’s only a board game :P