RAH's Saturday games

[Ming]

Considering that it is random maps, free form Diplomacy is probably the best way to go. Sure, it sucks when you get dog piled, but that happens sometimes even without diplomacy. (god help anybody that starts in the middle of a map with many players)

I like being able to choose my "buddies" based on the game situation... map locations and shape... special UU's... As long as you don't allow tech trading, no problem.

[rah]

As much as timers might help, I have problems with them.
Why should player "A" who was usually the first person done be penalized for his 3 slow turns just because player "B" was slow the other 97 turns.

You'll note that I didn't use real names.

As people get more experienced and more subjected to abuse by others, the games will move faster. And if people can't take a hint, they will find themselves in fewer games.

[Dominae]

Given the last few games, I would say this group plays at a speed between the Slow and Medium timer.

[Baron O]

I am up for a game Saturday let me know whats up rah

[rah]

Originally posted by Dominae
Given the last few games, I would say this group plays at a speed between the Slow and Medium timer.

I think that's just a few poeple dragging the rest down.
When It's just the regulars, they move quite quick until the SODs start attacking.
Which is my main issue with a timer. You've planned for a massive attack only to run out of time and end up getting creamed.
But I agree that we've had a few slower players recently.

[Dominae]

Originally posted by rah


I think that's just a few poeple dragging the rest down.
When It's just the regulars, they move quite quick until the SODs start attacking.
Which is my main issue with a timer. You've planned for a massive attack only to run out of time and end up getting creamed.
But I agree that we've had a few slower players recently.

You can definitely execute a massive attack under the Slow timer. Turn off your animations, use Stack Attack, and know all the grouping commands. I guess it takes practice. Also, it's not the end of the world if you miss some things on your long turns, chances are your opponent is running out of time too.

[MasterDave]

I am used to blazing, which is what 99% of the random lobby games use. Turning off the animations is a huge help to more efficeint play, although if other people with their animations on attack you, you get frozen too while watching their units carry out their attacks.

I also tend to automate my workers once I go to war.

I sort of like not having the pressure of the timer on the Saturday games, but when one or two people consistently take 2-3 minutes longer than everyone else it gets painful for me.

[rah]

I haven't used stack attack. What are the pros (besides speed) and cons.

[Snotty]

I assume it only works with combat animations off.

The biggest reason I use stack attack is to stop my enemy moving more defensive units into his city while I am attacking him. As everything you have grouped together attacks one after another without pause they dont get the chance to move more units in.

It speeds things up a lot as from our point of view all the attacks from the units in the stack are resolved instantly

I dont know for sure, but I dont think your stack will choose its best attacker for whats left of the defense.

I tend to use stack attack first to suicide a pile of catapults all at once, then a throw a stack of fodder troops at the city in one group, then a clean up stack. no matter how big my army, my way takes essentially the same amount of time as choosing 3 units to attack individually.

Of course a savvy defender will move fresh defense into the city after I have suicided my catapults, but I guess theres nothing I can do but pull my hair, gnash my teeth and wish it was turn based for war

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by MasterDave
Snotty-Dauphin double team, but it cost me my only elephant, and I permanently lost my tech lead and score lead due to the need to pump out a million hwachas and later crossbows and maces.

I attacked to help out Snotty, then he buggered off.

I'm just glad I was able to hold off the hwachas indefinitely on my main cities. In retrospect I would have been better off not trying to defend that first border city.

[Snotty]

I had bigger fish to fry

Once I saw MasterDaves power graph rocket I knew he had gone into military mode and it would be tough to take him out. So tried to take down another leading power who wasnt in defensive mode. It would probably have been Rah if he wasnt tucked away in the corner.

As MasterDave said, he had to react to our attack and lost his tech lead. You cant let these Poly builder types play the game the way they want, you have to force them to react to you, and then youre calling the shots. Ideally the northern hemisphere should have been under pressure all game.

[Dominae]

Originally posted by Snotty
You cant let these Poly builder types play the game the way they want, you have to force them to react to you, and then youre calling the shots.

That's one way of looking at it!

[Drogue]

Originally posted by rah
But I agree that we've had a few slower players recently.

I'm sorry for this. I have to say I've no idea how you guys all play so fast! Admittedly the computer was terribly slow, but just moving units, occasionally checking cities and production took far more time than you guys all did, and that's without bothering to look at the powergraph or anything.

Originally posted by Dominae
You can definitely execute a massive attack under the Slow timer. Turn off your animations, use Stack Attack, and know all the grouping commands. I guess it takes practice.

True, and this only works with a fast computer. With a reasonable amount of slowdown, it becomes impossible to do this.

Originally posted by Dominae
Also, it's not the end of the world if you miss some things on your long turns, chances are your opponent is running out of time too.

This is what I'd have a bit of an issue with. It's a completely different game if it's one bounded by how much you can move in time, with all people missing out on some moves.

Personally I can't stand timed games, both with the bias for experienced players (which exists anyway, I know) and those with faster computers, but more importantly because with anyone they have longer and shorter turns. Some turns are just click end turn, others have lots of movements, productions coming to an end and workers to move. Having a timer means even if you play many turns fast, you get caught out occasionally.

I see the need to move faster, but turn time limits always strike me as a bit brutish.

[Gibsie]

Do you have the game at home now Drogue?

I hope to join in this Saturday- when's kick off (And what I should do in advance so I can just click a few buttons and be in the game without spending half an hour wondering what minute setting isn't attuned correctly)..?

[rah]

I'll have to remember to turn off the animation.
I like it on in sp games.

change the popup option so they come up at the end of your turn.

Start time depends on when people show. We've started anywhere between 5:30 to 7:30 US central time.
Obviously the earlier the better because if we get enough players early we usually get to impatient to wait very long for others.