Wow. 27 is pretty good. We actually created an entirely new card type to allow one to add more turns to the turn total. It is the IMF LOANs card. The central idea behind this game is that time is on Ukraine's side if it wants to stop Russia from capturing more territory....but time may be on Russia's side when it comes to Ukraine recapturing territory. I would say your assessment is correct: the opening phases of the game are the most interesting, and the rest is optimization. I think we were all transfixed by the 40 mile convoy and the siege of Mariupol. Watching Ukraine build an army that can retake and hold territory is a lot less exciting. It is also a lot more expensive. Thanks for playing!