When should you surrender?

[lcm1947]

Just in case anybody is interested I went ahead and asked my opponent and he said that he was going to ask me earlier if I wanted to call the games quits or not ( don't think he was having much fun just shooting the hell out of me ) but thought I might take that as an insult so didn't. So needless to say we agreed to just quit. I guess all you have to do is ask. How about that?

[Warmaker]

Well, here's one case where not giving up can turn things around. Example: Last set of turns and it's pretty much a grunt fest in a bombed out village. Everyone's so low on ammo that hand to hand/grenade parties have become the norm. By this time you're sure to be low on front line infantry. What to do? Hopefully have some HQ units to rally those cowering tank/gun crews and send them into the fray and help the grunts out. Their numbers, if not their skill, should help your troops to retain a VL.

[Head Mahone]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Head Mahone:

Well I will say this. The only time an opponent surrendered to me is when his troop's moral got so low they unconditionally surrendered against his wishes. I have never been in the situation where pressing the Alt-S would have made since. I guess being battered and surrounded with no hope of a withdraw would in reality suggest a surrendered.

Take note that there is nothing worse than playing a bastard like Steve! That's right, some prickhead named Steve from California with the Email address of Ebon@srj.cncdsl.com.

We started playing South of Sword and I gave him a thrashing. With 15 turns left he Emails me and says "you win" and attaches a new QB. I say to him "Steve where's our After Action Report?" He says "you killed 90% of my troops lets play a different game". I asked him to surrender and send the AAR if he thought so (out of common courtesy at least). He read the Email according to my Outlook Email Notification and never replied! The slimy bastard, I'll never play him again!

My point being is that surrendering is a better option for your opponent if you don't wont to play anymore.

-Head

PS Sorry about the ramble but I'm still pissed about that! Hell what a waist of time. The AI plays a better game than that wanker did anyway!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[ 04-14-2001: Message edited by: Head Mahone ]

[109 Gustav]

Mahone, I think I've played this same Steve. He sent me a QB that was something like 7500 points, and neither my computer nor myself could take it. He then sent me a different file, a 2000 point ME IIRC, which would have been ok, except that he dropped it after watching the first movie, and I haven't heard from him since.

Wasn't a very friendly fellow- wouldn't agree to change the naming convention of the files from something like CM_PBEM_Game_07_ME_Turn_XX to Steve_GustavXX, which I requested. Didn't say much of anything at all, in fact.

[ParaBellum]

Surrender?

What's that?

[Chupacabra]

Yeah, I'm basically of the feeling that when a game's no longer fun for me, I'll surrender or at least offer a cease-fire, depending on how it's going. If I feel that by hanging on a bit longer I can affect the outcome of a game, I'll stick in, but those games are fun anyway.

[GI Tom]

Well, this is an interesting topic for me. I can give examples where surrender was and wasn't prudent from the games I've been fortunate enough to experience. The most recent game was a ladder game (I'll leave his name out and he can sound off if wants too) where I was thouroughly pounding my opponent. I had KO'd all of his armor with the exception one Hellcat against my 2 Panther's and an SPW 251/9. I had arty all over his infantry and felt confident I would pull out a win. As a matter of fact, he felt he was nearing his end.

Then, in a stunning move, his Cat prowls forward on a suicide mission and it works, he KO's a Panther and then on the other side of the field, his remaining arty takes out my 251/9. He ended up pulling a draw out of what we both considered an easy victory for me just a few turns before. (This game turned out to be one of the most exciting games I've played too).

So, in that case a surrender would have been devestating for him considering the outcome.

I guess I'll fall in line with the crowd that I'll fight as long as I have effective forces left to do so, even though it may be apparent I might not win. I've been very lucky with my opponents and when I've proffered up cease fire's in these situations they've taken it. I also feel that unless your surrounded, exiting forces off the field is honorable to save as many men as you can if they won't accept the cease fire. (I've yet to do that though). As a commander, that would be my order, to retreat versus surrender. I will surrender however if I cannot disengage and am getting pounded with no purpose of the continuation of the battle.

The biggest thing though is just being honest with your opponent. Most times that will serve to answer all questions you have and to just discuss what each of your perception's are.

Just my two lumps worth.

GI Tom

[Head Mahone]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 109 Gustav:

Mahone, I think I've played this same Steve.

He Wasn't a very friendly fellow- wouldn't agree to change the naming convention of the files from something like CM_PBEM_Game_07_ME_Turn_XX to Steve_GustavXX, which I requested. Didn't say much of anything at all, in fact.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep 109 Gustav, that's him alright! I'd Email him small talk with my turns and he'd just reply without answering. That picknernut! I thought about starting up a crusade against him in the Opponent Finder, but wised up. I know this is no place for this kind of crap so I'll shut up now. I just hate people like that, that's all.....

-Head

[ 04-14-2001: Message edited by: Head Mahone ]

[grunto2]

generally, i will fight until the ai surrenders for me when my troops' morale drops below 20%.

having said that, in my opinion it's always better to formally surrender than to simply stop sending turns.

andy