Who Is This Man, Swamp?

[skelley]

In response to Xerxes

"The top TH players are certainly extremely skilled, but please, most of the them are force selection game mechanics (which isn't a dig, that's just what most TH players like). How many computer pick or scenarios are played there? (subtracting the ones I've played). 2%, 3%?"

Are you saying that you are a game mechanic if you don't play computer pick or scenarios for ladder? I play and computer pick for fun but not for ladder and here are my reasons. I've played plenty where either I or my opponent end up with HTs while the other has Tanks. The one with the HTs also has no shrecks or guns to kill the armor and You have to hope your opponent is stupid enough to bring his armor close enough to kill it with panzerfausts.

They are inherently unbalanced and the purpose of a ladder is to find out who is the better player not who got screwed with units that are no match for the opposing player's units. Then you come to the fact that one player sets it up and the computer doesn't tell you whether the guy setting up really used the random function for his unit selection. So you never know whether the other guy is honest. I've also had random pick when playing the AI and I wound up with a 105VT spotter which if playing a human and they ended up with a 105VT spotter instead of the usuall 81mm mortars I would think that the guy just cheated me.

Now as for scenarios, How do I know my opponent hasn't played that particular scenario before. He could have played it 10 times before and may know every nook and cranny to the map and also know exactly what units will be on the map.

What exactly is your definition of a game mechanic? I am perfectly happy playing with vanilla forces. I also hate when people buy 4 wasps and burn a ring around the VLs. But at TH we ban that. Like I said before the game you play there is of your choosing. Maybe it is the Ladder part of it that you don't like. I like balanced battles with no force mixing and no overpowered infantry. If firepower is equal then the battle is balanced. Obviously if one player is less skilled then it is unbalanced but that is the purpose of a ladder....To find out who is the better player.

you go on...

"Not to mention that against a Swamp, the midrange CM player will probably pick some AT assets. Oops, points down the drain from the get-go and the rest of the game is an exercise in UNbalance."

This is untrue because if you are buying units just to try to counter what the other guy gets then you are not focusing on what you want to do. You will spend your time on the field reacting instead of forcing the other guy to react. And at some point swamp will show his armor and you can kill it.

Exactly what tactic do you use to keep your armor from being killed by planes. The only tactic I know of his to hide them in the middle of a large patch of scattered trees and that does ya a lot of good.

as far as a players strategy and tactics outweighing balance.. that is true to a point. Try playing an game in light trees, vill small hills against an opponent that has tanks and you have HTs. No tactic in the world will keep you from taking a beating. I could even beat swamp if he had the HTs and I had the armor:)

and does it make it less fun when playing unbalanced games? Yes, when you drop on the ladder because somebody recieved good units while you recieved terrible units it does take the fun out of it. I wouldn't mind playing unbalanced games as long as it is for fun, because it proves nothing.

If you would like to play a game of your choosing I am willing to play you. Not for ladder of course, unless it is a QB or a scenario that neither of us has played.

Oh and by the way if swamp did start playing scenarios his winning % would still be at 100%. It does not matter what kind of infantry he gets stuck with, he is that good!

[yobobo@tournamenthouse]

In order of nastiness.

Total Games: 3527

Total Users: 1077

1. Swamp 1761

2. Ghost358th 1604

3. Wreck 1507

4. skelley 1447

5. GravesRegistration 1409

6. Heathen 1314

7. Holien 1203

8. BlackFive 1149

9. Giovanni705 1128

10. Pacestick 1126

11. nawiat 1126

12. Kaiman 1114

13. BlackVoid 1110

14. Klosiu 1106

15. woodman 1091

16. Bjering 1077

17. Legolas 1075

18. Mother Theresa 1072

19. L4Pilot 1068

20. K

I have played most of them in the top 20 at TH. A very nasty bunch! A force to be reckoned with for sure. But after beating you silly, you can pull your chin up of the keyboard, and pick their brains about CM strategy, unit choice, etc.

Yeah Swamp is the man, no doubt about it.

http://tournamenthouse.com/CM/

[Maple Tree]

Originally posted by skelley:

and does it make it less fun when playing unbalanced games? Yes, when you drop on the ladder because somebody recieved good units while you recieved terrible units it does take the fun out of it. I wouldn't mind playing unbalanced games as long as it is for fun, because it proves nothing.

The correct answer to your question is:

"It depends on the player."

When I first started playing; I played an automatic selection game and was given three mortar carriers which are not able to fire at night. This was a night game with low points.

I was so frustrated by this, I have only played manual pick QBs and the odd scenario since then.

It seems some people on the ladders have learned what purchases to make for a QB and less experienced people cannot beat them. I believe that Swamp is quite possibly one of these people So be it, he/she has played the game long and hard and now enjoys the fruits of their labour.

But, the key to happiness is 'balanced living' not CM.

Regards

[Combat Opinion Staff]

I'm afraid someone had better meantion Von Schalburg who's off that list for inactivity. He's a very modest Dane who has been busy ordering around real units, which is why my streak has been able to survive.

[skelley]

Its not that swamp picks certain forces it is that he knows how to use his forces well. He doesn't always buy the same forces. You need to play him and find out how well he moves his infantry. If you can pin his boys down and arty them then my hat is off to ya. He can tell ya where he is gonna make his push and as hard as ya try to stop him he will break through. Before making assumptions you should play him first and see for your self how he handles infantry and how he is able to over run your boys

[yobobo@tournamenthouse]

True Swamp,

Von_Schalburg is one Top Dog I agree.

He is still among us, his stats etc. are all here

Username: von_Schalburg

Rating: 1492

My Rating High: 1492

Win Streak: 2

My Highest Streak: 23

Winning % 80%

Games Played 140

Games Won 112

Games Lost 22

Games Drawn 6

A great player and a great guy.

[ February 08, 2002, 08:55 PM: Message edited by: yobobo@tournamenthouse ]

[Col Deadmarsh]

Does anybody still play on the CAL ladder or am I the only one left? Someone said that gamey force selections like taking 10 guns a game have been eliminated. Is this true? Has that ladder become what the CAL was set up to do?

If no one is using the CAL ladder anymore, I suggest it be turned into a ladder for PBEM games only--hopefully using the honor system. That way, those of us over there who only get to play a few games a month can be recognized too for our skills. It doesn't do a PBEM player any good to rank himself with TCP players when he can't compete with them in games played.

[xerxes]

Skelly, we'll just have to agree to disagree. I think ladders are useful for matching up with players of similar skill and having fun games. Ladders/ranking in CM, or any other computer game, are weak devices for determining who's best. That can only be reasonably determined in tournaments (multiple tournaments).

- marc

[Leeo]

At the risk of sounding, well, dumb, The real joy is in playing the GAME. My pet Newfoundland could beat me most of the time, but I have a hell of a ball playing, win or lose. What was that saying? "It's not if you lose your arse or win the house, it's how much fun you have doing it."

Or somfink like that. This is a game, and there's too much real life going on for one to get bent about not being the best. Always fight to win, but above all, HAVE FUN!

OK, I'm now stepping off of my soapbox.