ROW III (Part 5)

[Kingfish]

This is the fifth and final thread to the ROW III tournament. As with all other ROW threads this one starts off with Treeburt's tourney manual

THE TOURNAMENT MANUAL

Once I have 72 players signed up, I will divide them in a random manner (out of a hat) into three separate tourneys of 24 players each. I will then divide each tourney into 4 sections of 6 players each. This will also be done in a random manner.

Your section is where the "regular season" action is. You will play one game against each of the people in your section. You will also play each scenario one time. This means you will play five games in the "regular season". The sides you play, and your attack/defend duties could very well come out lopsided. You may play the Germans four times, or you may find yourself defending four times. The only guarantee regarding your matches is that you will play each scenario once, and each member of your section once.

The scenarios will be provided by the "Boots & Tracks" design team headed up by Scott Boston. They will be historical/semi-historical scenarios for the most part, and never before seen by the community.

The scenarios may or may not be balanced. Don't count on a fair fight! The scoring system will determine balance. It is possible to "lose" the battle, and still win if you perform better than the standard deviation from the median established for that side of the scenario. I will explain how this works later.

You do not need to understand the nitty-gritty of the scoring system. You need only be aware of the following:

1) Points for contested VL's will be split down the middle. This means final game scores will always total to 100. There is a very good reason for this I'll not get into now. If you think "gamey" you can probably figure it out.

2) Voluntary surrender is ALWAYS bad. Your opponent gets too many points for all the people he captures. You should always withdraw your people from a hopeless situation. This way you deprive your opponent of capture points. The game will auto-surrender you once your global morale drops to a certain point. Every unit that you successfully withdraw off the map will lower this global morale. Try to have all your people step off the map together once you are near the auto-surrender point. This prevents capture of units who would have made it off, but didn't, due to the auto-surrender.

If you score very poorly in relation to the standard deviation from the median for a scenario you will suffer a penalty (your score will be made even worse). This is to discourage surrender and careless play just to get the game over with. If your score is that low compared to others', we assume you surrendered or got purposely stupid. WITHDRAW YOUR TROOPS IF POSSIBLE when faced with a bad situation!!

I'm telling you all this because it is quite possible you will find yourself in a very bad situation due to deliberate scenario imbalance. Do not give up!! Withdraw!! The median score for your side of that scenario may only be 20 points. IOW you can "lose" and still win if you get your people to safety so they can fight again another day.

3) Your goal with each scenario is not so much to beat your opponent (could be impossible), but to get the highest score of the 36 people (three tourneys) who play that side of the particular scenario. Again, winning the game (in CM terms) may be virtually impossible due to imbalance. You never know what hand you may be dealt.

LAUNCHING THE TOURNEY

Each player will receive the schedule for his section only. Where your name is on the LEFT you will play the Allied side for that scenario. Along with the schedule of games you will receive a contact list with all the email addresses of your five opponents. When you receive these, the tourney is officially underway.

After this, over the course of the next several days, you will receive an email for each of the five scenarios. For games where you are the Allies you will find two briefing files attached, a general briefing and your Allied briefing. This email will also contain your password for that scenario. Your German opponent will start the game. To open the first file from him you will need to use the password I provide you. This will put you in the Allied setup phase.

If you are playing the German side you will also receive a secured saved game file in addition to the two briefings and password. By 'secured' I mean that the briefings have been stripped out, the game begun, and the passwords entered. This is the file you will use to start the PBEM game. It will be a .cme file, not a .txt file. Start the game just as you would any other new PBEM game. The only difference is that you will have to enter the password I provide you. You will find yourself in the Axis setup phase.

DEADLINES AND GAME RESULTS REPORTING

You will have 100 days to complete your games, starting on the day I send out the last file. This deadline will be strictly enforced!

The LOSER reports game results. If you end up being on the weak side of a few unbalanced scenarios you will find yourself having to report most of your games. This is, as they say, tough luck.

Game Report email needs to have the subject, "Game Report". The body of the email must contain the following information:

Tourney Number (1-3), Scenario Title, Your username on this forum, the side you played, your score, your opponent's username and his score. The body of the email should then look like this if you are Fred:

Tourney 1, The Ambush, Fred (Axis) 37, Joe 43

Reporting games in this manner will save me a great deal of time. With 72 people I NEED to have games reported this way. Do not send me final game files. Keep these in a safe place in case of disputes.

FOG OF WAR

No discussion of scenarios is allowed on the forum until ALL players in all three tourneys have completed a scenario. I will let you know when it is alright to talk about a scenario. It won't happen until near the end of the tourney.

No game results are to be revealed on the forum. You won't know who beat who until all is revealed at the end. Think before you post, and remember, no game scores, no blow by blow descriptions of the last movie, no general discussion about the scenarios, etc..

THE NABLA SCORING SYSTEM

Your game scores will be recorded on an input file for the Nabla Scoring Program, created by Jarmo Hurri (Nabla). The Nabla program will crunch the scores and spit out your Nabla Score, also called your "Tourney Score", for each scenario. Below is what the program does:

1) It first looks for scores that do not add up to 100 due to contested/unoccupied VLs, and splits the difference between the players equally. For example, a final score of 70-20 would be converted to 75-25. Scores will always add up to 100 after this adjustment. There is a VERY good reason for doing this involving agreements between players designed to maximize their scores. Perhaps you can figure it out?

2) The median score for each side of all the scenarios is determined.

3) The difference between a player's score and the median score for the side he played will be determined for all scenarios.

4) The standard deviations from the median scores are determined for all scenarios. This value will always be the same for both sides of a given scenario due to #1 above.

5) The difference from the median will then be divided by the standard deviation resulting in the "normalized difference from the median".

6) The normalized difference from the median is then assigned a Nabla score for the scenario. This is done with a formula created by Nabla that is at work inside the scoring program.

7) The average of all a player's Nabla scores (one for each scenario) is then determined, resulting in the player's final tourney score. The high score in each section is the winner of the section.

Nabla is currently working on an excellent manual for his scoring system (in pdf format) that gets into the principles behind the system and the math involved. It will also contain a section for tourney managers explaining how to organize and run competitions with the system. The work is about 80% complete at this time.

AARs

Bonus points will be added to your final Tourney Score if you submit AARs. Each full credit AAR will be worth 4% of the highest player's tourney score (before adding his AARs). If you write five full credit AARs you will receive additional tourney points equal to 20% of the highest player's tourney score.

AARs will receive either full credit or half credit. You must write more than just a few short paragraphs for full credit. I will let you know if an AAR is too short soon after you send it to me. You don't have to write a book either. Just give us a fairly good description of how the game played out. You could choose to write a piece on a scenario that is more of a scenario review than an AAR if you want. The main thing we're looking for is constructive feedback.

You are not required to write AARs. You just get a few extra points if you do. This could put you ahead if you're in a tight race in your section.

The primary purpose of the AARs is to provide the scenario designers with feedback on their work. If you've ever designed a scenario for the community, you know how rare it is to get this feedback. Writing AARs is one way to express your thanks to the designers. Even negative feedback is welcome as long as it's constructive and not mean spirited.

Another thing AARs do is help people learn to improve their tactics. Every scenario is played 36 times in a tourney such as this. There are 36 other people who had to deal with the same tactical situations you did. It can be very instructive to learn how others handled things, especially if you did worse than most. (BTW, all the AARs will be sent to you upon request once you have completed your games.)

Lastly, by writing an AAR (or review) you are doing the community a small favor. This is because the designer can tweak the scenario based on feedback before releasing it to the community. Having a scenario played 36 times by 72 different people is a great test of a scenario. I think it's safe to say that very few, if any, scenarios get that degree of testing before they are put out to the public.

Those of us who enjoy these tournaments need new scenarios (security). In return for these scenarios the designers should get the feedback they like.

IMPORTANT!

Submitting AARs

1)AARs should never be sent in with game results. Send them in a separate email.

2)AARs can be .txt, .doc, or .pdf files. Do not write them in the body of an email.

3)AARs should not be more than 4 MB UNcompressed. Screenshots can cause you to go over this limit easily. I would recommend the .pdf format if you want to include several screenshots.

4)In the subject line of emails containing attached AARs, write your username and the scenario name. For example: Madmatt, The Ambush

THE PLAYOFFS

Everybody makes it to the playoffs if they want! However, only the four

section winners from each tourney of 24 will be eligible for the prizes.

The section winners of each tourney will do battle among themselves in a

3 game round robin using new Boots & Tracks scenarios. This means that,

in the end, there will be one winner for each of the 24-player tourneys.

All non-section winners who want to play the Finals scenarios will be

separated into groups of 4 for the same 3 game round robin. The sections

will be determined at random.

These non-prize eligible sections are still important to the tourney.

Their scores will be used to give us an accurate median with which to

score the prize eligible players. Players in these sections can consider

the Finals to be a mini-tourney. Their scores will be crunched and

the section winners announced.

Bonus points will be awarded to the prize eligible finalists for AARs

as described above.

THE PRIZES

Charl Theron (WineCape), of South Africa, will send each of the three

tourney champs six different bottles of fine South African wine,

shipping paid by him.

NOTE: Since the 9/11 nightmare, laws concerning the importing of

wine have been tightened, especially in the US. For example, in

Arkansas, you cannot receive wine from abroad unless you are an official

importer. So far, only one prize has been undeliverable. That

involved a shipment to Brazil that occurred BEFORE 9/11.

Still, it is quite possible that your state (or country) will not

let you receive the wines. If this is the case, your prize can be

shipped to a friend or relative somewhere else where the laws are

not so strict. WineCape is familiar with the import laws and can

help you find a place if there is a problem. That is the best

we can do.

DROPOUTS, WITHDRAWALS,and MIAs

Incomplete games are the one thing the Nabla Scoring System does not tolerate well. However, considering the new improvements to the scoring system (Standard Deviation), and the sheer size of the tourney, this problem is alleviated some with regard to the tourney as a whole. Below is how MIAs and withdrawals will be handled:

For the first 30 days of the tournament, replacements will be recruited who will take over the games in progress, just as we've done in the past.

After 30 days, no replacements. This will result in unfinished games at the end. These games will be scored by me, based on correspondence with the players involved, and possibly game files. If you have an incomplete game at the tourney deadline for ANY reason, you can count on one of three outcomes:

1) You win at the level of the standard deviation from the median

2) You are assigned the median score

3) You lose at the level of the standard deviation from the median

If your opponent withdraws from the tourney, or is determined to be the cause of the game not getting finished on time, you get #1 above for that game.

If I cannot determine who caused a game to go unfinished (both players?), the game will be scored at the median (#2).

If you withdraw, or have caused a game to go unfinished (slow turnaround) you will get #3 above.

If #2 or #3 is applied to even ONE of your games for ANY reason, you are ineligible to win your section! If you're getting a slow turn rate from an opponent, you need to keep me informed (weekly notes on progress). This way, if the game goes unfinished, I have a history to go by which will likely keep me from assigning the #2 outcome above in questionable situations. I will also email you at the end requesting "your side of the story".

The 100 day deadline for game completion will be strictly enforced!! This is because the tourney is big enough that I can get accurate medians even if 1/3 of the games go incomplete.

Do your section a favor. Finish your games. If you are losing badly, keep in mind that your opponent is winning and probably enjoying himself immensely. Let him have his fun, and do your best anyway. Dropping out of sight when you are losing is desertion under fire!

[ June 11, 2003, 07:09 AM: Message edited by: Kingfish ]

[Kingfish]

Since we are well into the finals I will post the players and their sections.

Section 1-1

Juha Ahoniemi

Holien

Pacestick

mPisi

Section 1-2

Bryce Baker

Frunze

MikeyDz

JPS

Section 1-3

Wellsonian

Lt Bull

Shock Trooper

Deadly 88

Section 1-4

Combined Arms

Spanish Bombs

Stoneage

Kanonier Reichmann

Section 1-5

Ted Ramos

Bimmer

Wadepm

jjelinek

Section 1-6

Jon_L

Sgt Abell

redwolf

SlicerW

Section 1-7

Flammenwerfer

Joques

Tweety

tabpub

Section 1-8

Major Victory

Seahawk

Note that I have already started signing up players for section 1-8. We only need 2 more signups to get 1-8 up and going.

[ June 11, 2003, 07:11 AM: Message edited by: Kingfish ]

[Kanonier Reichmann]

A quick question Kingfish. Do you agree with the reasons stated why all participants should stick to 1.02 while playing these 3 scenario's? I'd be interested in obtaining your input on the discussion.

Regards

Jim R.

[Holien]

We could take a poll on it?

H

[Redwolf]

Here is my speech for this election campaign

Juha said:

Too late. I ran into one gun with god mode on, and it made one big

mess. I hate to spoil the fun, but I for one have already had the

chance to "enjoy" that feature. So in my point of view, if others play

with 1.03 I am the one who gets shafted. Sorry, but I vote 1.02 to the

end of this tourney - that's what we agreed at the beginning. And

that's what the scenarios are tested with. If we go to 1.03, the

medians won't be the same IMO.

I see your point, but quite frankly you have been bitten and doomed by the bug and there is no way to unmake the damage.

Reasons:

1) I am playing these games for fun and being bit by bad gameplay bugs is no fun.

2) by your own accounts you have been bitten by the bug and it "made one big mess". Sorry but after a big mess in one scenario you will win this tourney only by exceptional performance in the other games. If it made one big mess then you are probably still "guilty" of insufficient tactics of some kind (which we cannot discuss here due to FOW). So if you want to win, you have to do it elsewhere. If winning is not imporant for you then there is no point in pushing others to use the same broken version.

3) scenario testing cannot possibly depend on a bug of this magnitude in any meaningful way. This bug is not part of good gameplay and realism.

4) there are other improvements in the patch I want to pick up.

I could imagine to give those players who attack in whatever scenario has the gun problem in 1.02 a certain victory point bonus. I don't expect that to change the outcome of the tourney substancially.

Overall, my first point is the most important one: fun is more important for me than winning, so I want the best game and I'd happily take a drawback in scoring perfection.

[Kingfish]

It feels like deja vu all over again... :confused:

OK, I have read both Treeburst's tourney manual and The Nabla scoring and scheduling manual and in neither one did I find anything that says what the minimum number of scores are required for the Nabla system to work. If someone knows what that is, please let me know.

I am assuming that the number is 24, since this is the number of players for ROW I. Currently we have 28 players in 7 sections. Keeping in mind that we may have a dropout or two, this means that I need everyone to be on the same patch in order to have enough data for the Nabla system to work. For obvious reasons I cannot have the tourney running on one patch, and use a score that was generated on another.

Having said all that, I am going to ask that everyone play on the 1.02 patch for the duration of the finals. It is the patch in which the scenarios were designed on, tested and released, therefore it is the one that we should use. My apologies if this causes any inconvenience, but that’s the way is has to be.

[Juha Ahoniemi]

Holy crap, Redwolf. Please read again all of my comments about the matter. I have been bitten by the bug IMO, but I still got a decent chance. Don't sell my belongings while I'm still breathing, dammit!

One big mess perhaps isn't what You think it is. Some losses, Yes. Catastrophy? No way. As I said, by all means those not fighting for wine may play whatever version BUT their score should not count into the Nabla scoring. I just hope we'll get enough point material for the system to work.

I have a gut feeling that majority of us agrees with me.

-Juha

[Holien]

1.02 it is then.

Very clear and concise.

Redwolf, I wish he (Juha) was crashing and burning....

H

[ June 11, 2003, 11:30 AM: Message edited by: Holien ]

[Frunze]

Well, my section (number two) is moving along pretty quickly now. Thanks to all my opponents.

[Jon L]

I think everybody in section 6 is outside enjoying the summer. So far I've received only two files, both from the same opponent.

[Holien]

KF or the designer of "XXXX" can you get in touch via e-mail asap.

Holien@woodford.gioserve.com

I have some important issues to discuss asap.

Many thanks.

KF acknowledge the e-mail I have sent you if you can please?

H

[ June 14, 2003, 07:13 PM: Message edited by: Holien ]

[Holien]

Issue over...

Please move on nothing to see here...

Public flogging of designer after final...

(Actually downgraded to a gentle ribbing and tickling with large feather duster, due to efforts elsewhere!!!)

H

(If you are confused stay that way until later...)

[Holien]

Game over...

Results posted to KF and now the last two to do.

Ohhh the joys of being tied to a tourney and getting slapped about.

I should have just stayed in bed (for the year!!!)

H

[Redwolf]

So what is the final verdict on the patch issue?

I need to send out my 6-1 games today.

[Kanonier Reichmann]

Redwolf. Read Kingfish's post about 6 above yours. The answer is there. Basically, 1.02 it is.

Regards

Jim R.

[Juha Ahoniemi]

Doctor BUMPenstein here.

I've told to my remaining opponents via email already, but I say it again:

I'm offline till Sunday - the midnight sun celebration starts today here in Finland. This commander will get loaded and is not in shape to command any forces. Otherwise it would be a court martial for me

Carry on!

-Juha

[BulletRat]

How does one sign up for this?

[Holien]

Hi,

Keep your eyes on the board as KF will announce when the next one will be lanuched.

I would guess after summer now.

Bulletrat I would give you my spot in the finals, but my opponents would complain about the upgrading of their opponent to someone who can actually play the game.

Juha behave yourself and don't drink too much, I don't want you playing poorly when you get back.

Pity you did not go drinking before playing me.

MPisi I am finally doing your set up and you will get your chance to kick me around the map this weekend at the latest.

Sorry for the delay and I hope we can wrap our game up quick as I have to stop playing before the week of 4th of August. Her indoors wants me fresh for the wedding day, and will not accept me thinking about how best to flank my opponents, when stood in front of the vicar.

I am halfway through with Pacestick who has more stick than I care to deal with. That and some stupid moves by me are helping create a slope down which I intend to slide into Oblivion.

:eek:

I think the older I get the more senile I become. For example I order a section of men to get on a tank and then forget to order the tank to wait for them. The comedy scene of the section sat with no where to go as the tank speeds off is one that I wish to forget.

I think I should become a scenario designer....

H

[Knaust]

hehe....

[mPisi]

Don't forget the one where attempting to click on a transport, actually the passenger gets activated and sent with Fast commands halfway across the map. Ends up with an exhausted ATR or HMG 50m from the vehicle, and waste of 3 turns or so... :mad:

[Holien]

mPisi we are made for each other...

H

[Holien]

HI KF,

On a more serious note I got to thinking about what I have felt has been lacking in this ROW and I think it is the total (or near total) lack of feed back from people. (There are exceptions of course).

Just popping back and reviewing who wrote AAR's and of the players in the finals some did not write a single AAR. Criminal IMO.

I can remember the first ROW and having to write a bit to be allowed to join in. And then an AAR per game played.

I think that is a major part for me that is missing the lack of learning from other players.

Now I know some people do not have English as their first language but some attempt could be made to give a bit of feed back. (Even if in their own langauage and then translated by an program that can be found on the net?)

And for players who's native tongue is English then it is criminal not to give some feed back through AAR's about what worked and did not work. Too often good players just want to hold onto the knowledge without passing it down and improving the lot of everyone.

A pity and it really takes the edge of this competition from what sets it apart from other tourneys.

Any views from the players?

Or will the debate be non existant as it was on the forum.

H

P.s. I bet I can name the ones who will chime in and the others that will say nothing and take without giving.

[ June 20, 2003, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: Holien ]

[Redwolf]

Well, I think I used to be one of the better AARers but I had to bail out of the first round of RoW III and I didn't start the second round games yet (should be soon).

While I was playing the first round I couldn't help noticing that people looked a lot more careless than they used to look in earlier tourneys so the low AAR number doesn't surprise me. Of course, my own delaying doesn't help either

[mPisi]

Speaking of, are the AARs available anywhere?

[Holien]

mPisi.

Turn on way and (just sent) and I can send you my AAR's if you wish.

All I ask is for your own in return.

I have plenty to learn and the last couple of games have certainly shown that.

H