Jump to content

playing to win . . . .


Recommended Posts

It seems the moment an opponent perceives they are starting to lose, the turns trickle to halt. Then you have to nag to get turns returned and it ruins the positive energy between the 2 players.

Plenty of opponents also choose to just up and quit early on.

These things happen like clockwork, in my experience, with few (classy!) exceptions.

Why post this in tips and tricks? Well here's the best tip that's ever been posted in this section of the BF forums:

You want to get good at this game? Only play games that you are sure to lose, and only continue to play games if you are losing.

Tactics "learned" when you're winning are next to worthless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I perfectly agree with you, Walpurgis. Sometimes I accept games from which I know that there is a high chance of losing them.

For example: attacking as germans in 44 with combined arms settings, where you only receive about 200p for tanks in a 1000 QB. In that way u learn to make proper use of inf guns, instead getting lazy with those high ammo T34's.

And when you learn to use those inf guns, it is sooo easy to go back and using T34's again. It is amazing.

There are many set ups like this, which put you in a position of disadvantage, but which are very educational.

By the way, if you are in for a game please be free to play as an underdog.

email: yvanderdrift@gmail.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the other end of a butt kicking there is always someone getting their butt kicked.

I find that some of the times when I enjoy the game the most are when I am hopelessly outnumbered and just waiting to be overrun. It is these against-all-odds scenarios where you realize the true values of interlocking fire, hull down positions, and proper mortar positioning.

I wish more people would see the virtue in organizing a defense to inflict 5 to 1 casualties and the lessons that this teaches you that you can use on the offenseive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Play PBEMHelper trusted mode the game finishes in a third of the time : ) less likely to get bored and for the loser it gets the misery out of the way very quickly. Of course it does rely on trusted ....

I find playing tournaments where someone sends a turn a week the most horrible exercise. Even if I am winning I just do not care as I lose the flow and enjoyment. Playing is the fun part so I endeavour that no e-mail ever waits more a couple of hours before being replied to --- set-ups excepted!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been hopelessly out numbered and faught it out to the bitter end. Sometimes I've been suprised with a marginal victory based on casualties caused.

When I'm down zero AT weapons (including zooks, fausts, and demo charges) on my part and multiple tanks on their part, with more than a hand full of turns left, then I start to ask for a cease fire. If need be I surrender, but never do I walk away from a game until a conclusion has been reached.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is too bad some people quit before the game has completed, but I do know that it’s no fun to be on the receiving end of a very long drawn out defeat.

That’s why I think its good etiquette to offer your opponent a way out from complete humiliation. If I see that the game is "going my way" and my opponent has very little or no chance of winning, I make an offer for the both of us to cease-fire. Or, depending on the circumstances, he can surrender. This is only to shorten the inevitable and get back into another fun and exciting game. Often times your opponent may have set up his men incorrectly or misjudged your assault and has paid the ultimate price. And he knows it.

This can of course go the other way. Given the option to Cease-fire or surrender can be accepted or declined. There is nothing wrong with emailing your opponent (who has asked for your surrender) with a simple: “NUTS”.

I do find that by declining the option to cease-fire or surrender sometimes inspires my cyber-men to fight on regardless of the sacrifice and can give your opponent a newfound respect for your cyber-mens toughness and your strong leadership.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is amazing. The community of people who play this game is very small. One would think that people would attempt to maintain their reputations. Sadly, many do not.

That is why I keep a "do not play" list and avoid PBEMs to a large degree.

I completely agree with WN and others in that you learn far, far more in the games that you lose vs. those that you win. One loss is probably worth 5 wins in terms of experience gained.

Another equally interesting point...your greatest victories...the ones that you really remember....are often the ones in which you were losing and turned around in a big way.

One of the great things about CM is that fortunes can turn on a dime. People forget this and often write off games as hopeless when they still, in fact, are capable of winning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey GaJ, don't you owe me a turn? :D

I agree with WN and others who snatch fun from the jaws of defeat. That's the time to experiment and have fun with the game. My turn rate is pretty high already, but when I'm losing I think I get faster. I would never consider quitting, and want to get on to the next game so I can win! I've only had a couple of opponents up and quit, I assumed they just died or something, so no big deal. What I hate is the slow down thing. Real life happens to everyone at times. But the obvious slow down when things are not going well is annoying. Hell, just surrender if its that bad.

Good ways to avoid these problems:

As GaJ pointed out, join a club.

Keep a list of regular opponents. I have a handful of guys I play regularly. Friends develop and they don't screw each other over.

Play in tournaments. While slow down is not unusual in these, people usually don't quit except for good reason. Then you get a sub. Plus, the time limits help with the slowdown factor. You can find more tournaments at the clubs, like the blitz or band of brothers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I usually play for atmosphere rather than winning-- so end up losing. It may be a problem playing against the half dozen or so "Experten" in the game, e.g. WN, Graves, etc-- their knives are so sharp, their guns so big, you usually never know what hit you. At least you can appreciate e.g. the overwhelming drive of WN on the attack, or the inextricable defenses he seems to weave-- tactics as the art of "making things go wrong for the opponent". It's very clear, playing top players, that luck doesn't just happen-- the Schreck shot misses, or the impregnable trench line melts away, because of thought and in-depth knowledge of mechanics.

What I can't stand: gloating, tactical advice, and map-rushing MEs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To my eternal shame, I went down the "quit" path some time ago. I had a couple of games on the go when I had to move house in the middle of it all. I was offline for a couple of months and when I finally got up and running again I simply neglected to resume a couple of battles which I pretty much knew were hopeless.

With hindsight it was the wrong decision - so a big SORRY to the two guys I left hanging - and for any new PBEM players out there I would only say DON'T JUST QUIT!! Instead of getting some valuable experience from those games I just buried 'em and have actually felt rather bad about it ever since.

Still, I have now re-entered the PBEM fray and hope to learn from getting my arse kicked up and down the battlefield a few times how this game SHOULD be played.

Cheers,

Scott

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The thing being mentioned about PBEM-ing really stands for me; I loose the 'swing' if either I or my opponent is only able to send one turn a day.

I tend to take quite some time to setup my next move, but I loose the general overview of my tactics if I need to wait a day to continue. The one minute action time does very little in most cases and you need at least a few turns to actually take your tactics into action.

Problem is that many people are outside my timezone by far and TCP/IP mostly isn't an option. It would be nice to have an updated list of people actively playing in Europe, US, Asia, etc. Some actions have been tried to get people to enlist in such a project, but there's not much support. It would be cool if there's some sort of program like Hyperlobby where we could all meet, but I am sorry.. I guess I am straying a bit off topic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...