[pb74 spoilers] FUNNY IMAGE THREAD

[Qgqqqqq]

I disagree strongly with your take on PB66. Plemo was losing the war to MJMD. Sure, they were both losing, and he had cut out MJs top cities with cunning tactics - but he, not MJ, was losing ground, both in raw hammers and in territory. He then alpha struck Gavagai - yes Gava ought to have been better prepared, but I don't think it's a testament to his own skill.

And the end result was a draw, when Plemo had been undoubtedly the frontrunner before the modern warfare began. A lot of that is down to MJs play, but I don't exactly see the latter half of that game as proving his dominance.

I'm also surprised at you rating him so high. I was impressed, sure, but that was one game, and not one featuring many of the other players you've named as impressive. He ate a snack early and played well, but it's not like he turned in a TBS level performance.

I have thoughts on the others, but I'll save them. Thanks for the analysis!

[greenline]

I disagree strongly with your take on PB66. Plemo was losing the war to MJMD. Sure, they were both losing, and he had cut out MJs top cities with cunning tactics - but he, not MJ, was losing ground, both in raw hammers and in territory. He then alpha struck Gavagai - yes Gava ought to have been better prepared, but I don't think it's a testament to his own skill.

And the end result was a draw, when Plemo had been undoubtedly the frontrunner before the modern warfare began. A lot of that is down to MJs play, but I don't exactly see the latter half of that game as proving his dominance.

I'm also surprised at you rating him so high. I was impressed, sure, but that was one game, and not one featuring many of the other players you've named as impressive. He ate a snack early and played well, but it's not like he turned in a TBS level performance.

I have thoughts on the others, but I'll save them. Thanks for the analysis!

I suppose I was not looking at the graphs enough in PB66. I thought that mmjd was definitely getting the worse end of that war, just because he had seen his capital and kremlin / hq cities burned. That puts more points in favor of mmjd as a serious contender, although he isn't in this game. I also am taking the german forums word that Plemo would be an A+ player, he apparently is always in a dominant position when he plays there. I think that has been the case for the games here, but I am not certain.

[Qgqqqqq]

I should say that MJ threw himself, as number 2, at number 1 with a vengeance, in a way that probably took him out of contention and is rarely seen. Perhaps points to us finishing some games too early. I know little about the German games

[greenline]

I personally don't blame the #2s of these various pitboss games for not fighting #1. MMJD took himself out of the running doing that, so a lot of the time it is essentially putting yourself out of the running so #3 and #4 can win. Although there are some genuine turnarounds (REM vs taotao in pb29 or whichever number)

[Mjmd]

So while I did suffer, there wasn't a guarantee Plemo was going to be able to do the damage he did, that is hind site you are bringing in. And the alternative was to let him win? Its fairly rare that a #2 can even push back a #1, so I'll take it. I couldn't do anything with his geographic positioning in relation to mine until he was pushed back.

These quotes from my thread sum it up pretty well. I've bolded and underlined an accurate short description.

T250

I've successfully done what everyone in 3rd and 4th place in games dreams of. The #2 player has successfully dragged back the #1. The #2 is now #4, but ignore that, GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!

T256

VICTORY!!!! - IE I got peace. I got all my war aims, but at a high cost in cities and time (both in actual turns and actual real time). A Pyrrhic victory. 

Post game thoughts

Again, I think some people will forget this game that Plemo had such a forward presence. I also managed to knock him from 46 cities to 39 with 3 of those being recently refounded. T/C of course also got 4 cities from my efforts. AND we won't talk about the cost to me. Still, I'm rather proud of the campaign.

Anyways, I think any percent over 20% is probably too high in these big games. Too many things happen. Also, you definitely have some people down the list I would move up, but all subjective fun musings.

[Qgqqqqq]

I should say, I think throwing yourself at Plemo was 100% the right thing to do, and you demonstrated very well that he could be taken down. While that game was hard to follow, I honestly expected you to take more damage than you did, especially as no one else ever jumped in (as expected). And while you did take yourself out of contention, you didn't do so in a king-making way - as everyone acknowledged in the end, it was difficult to see anyone who had a path to victory at the end, given how finely balanced it all was. It's possible you could have navigated the diplomacy towards a commanding power / production lead that would have left you the final victor.

I agree re percentages as well. I don't think I'd give a top-tier Krill over 12% in this game, for instance - there's 19 players, lots can happen!

[greenline]

I think giving someone over 20% is warranted if they are the only person in "a tier" compared to the rest of the field. If mackoti and TBS are both in a game, then the outcome would seem very much in doubt. But I think if it was just mackoti, and then a bunch of the A or B+ players, then mackoti would tend to be the winner (assuming he does not quit halfway through). The results of the PB games I have read seem to lean towards that conclusion.

[greenline]

we begin:




I moved the scout on the hut and didn't get a tech, only gold 

With a start this bad and techs this bad for the start, I am afraid the only way out here that makes sense is WB first. I hate it, you hate it, but it has to be done.

My naming scheme will be naming each city after the location on the RFC world map the terrain most resembles:




Lurkers, please give a cookie to any other player who figures it out.

Now to not report for the next 50 turns.

[greenline]

alright, the game is restarted, and i confidently move my scout forward. what do i get? two more gold than the last time




if i don't pop meditation from a hut in the next ten turns i'm going on tilt

[greenline]

48 hrs and the turn still hasn't rolled