Welcome Comrades to the 64th edition of the Dispatch
BAM! KRAKK! ker-POW!
We're like Chuck Norris bringing in a triple roundhouse kick to your face so fast you have to take a minute or two to realize your mind has just been blown. Issue #64 is a new dawn, and quite appropriately marks the 3rd anniversary of the Dispatch! First, we have shiny new graphics courtesy of recent addition to the Entertainment Team and mapmaker extraordinaire, [player]DiM[/player]! Second, the new Office of Strategic Services premieres with a few articles I think you'll enjoy (along with an extensive, analytical introduction, thanks to now-Strategy Reporter, [player]DoomYoshi[/player]) Third, [player]Leehar[/player] and his Clan Team has put together a fun contest for Clan League Season 4 with a plethora of premium to be won (up to 15 months!) - check out the "Friendly Fire" section under the Platoon Report! If you have questions or comments regarding the new graphics or Strategy section, feel free to post them in the issue thread!
But no, no, no, we certainly aren't done yet! It's time for the Subscriber of the Issue! And our featured Subscriber is none other than former Social Media Contributor, [player]squishyg[/player]! PM me the name of the Strategy Reporter whose article you liked most, and a General Achievement medal is yours!
Of course, we're not all flash and glamor (though we are quite glamorous ) - we have a quality issue for you all, from a little tango with the Civil War with [player]DoomYoshi[/player] to Doodle Assassins with [player]crazymilkshake5[/player] to a historical anniversary article from [player]Dukasaur[/player] to more Foundry News with [player]koontz1973[/player] to clan rankings with [player]Gunn217[/player]!
Enjoy the fruits of our laboring fingers!
[player]Victor Sullivan[/player] Chief Executive
If you would like to apply to join the news team, please visit the thread below for more details!
Hello again Freestylers, we have an article with some backstory about the American Civil War, an Ask A Mod from Sully, and an interview with SoC mod, [player]dhallmeyer[/player]. He talks about California, troublesome students, and coffee.
[spoiler=Interrogation of dhallmeyer]What exactly do you do as Team Leader? I oversee the operations of the Academy. I add and remove students, teach in the Training Fields, develop new teachers, and work on streamlining our program.
What are you in charge of? Everything. We try to divvy up the tasks but ultimately it comes back to me to make sure it gets done.
Do you still teach like the other teachers? I do. I wish I could spend more time in the Training Fields than I do, but it seems like the time I have is better suited to helping our staff help many students, instead of just me helping a few students. Sort of a multiplier effect.
What are your thoughts about the whole institution of the SoC Training Grounds? I'm a huge fan. We help folks get acquainted with the way the site works so that they can get what they want out of it.
When the teachers get together and play a classic esc. game, who usually wins? Me, of course. We actually played a series of games recently between the grads and the Academy staff, and it was pretty even.
What aspires you or inspires you to serve in Conquer Club? I teach because I was taught. [player]Wacicha[/player]found me wandering around here without a clue and showed me how to make it fun. I enjoy sharing that experience with others.
Do you find serving in Conquer Club, really highly rewarding or just worth it? Yes. Most of the time it is very rewarding to see the students "get" what we're teaching and then they start to soar. I still remember [player]macbone[/player]was one of the first students I taught. There are many tasks that go along with the job, and sometimes that starts to feel like work, but overall I'm glad to be a part of the Academy.
Can you say if Conquer Club contributed anything positive to your Character in general and if so What? Hmm, I don't think so. When I first found the site, I was looking for a place to blow off steam and play a game I liked, and that's what it still is for me, in many ways.
Why the name Society of Cooks when you take all ranks? I'm not really sure. I didn't create it, [player]wacicha[/player] did. I'll have to ask. I think, back in the dark ages when we were just a quiet little usergroup, the focus was on finding cooks and showing them the ropes. I joined as a cadet.
Does the classic map make the best training map? Yes. Mostly because it's simple and familiar. Once a student has mastered our program, most other maps are easy to pick up.
Why do you use a map with two territ names on? (London E2) Ah, another vestige from the dark ages. Before we had our current classic map, there were several revisions related to legal issues. One of the maps only had the two digit code and we found it was really easy to teach with. When the current map came on, we asked to have our members see both the code and the regular name.
How did you first get involved with the Society of the Cooks? When I first joined the site, I stunk. I didn't know how to join the right games, or where to find help. I scoured the Strategy forums and kept hearing about this mysterious "Society of the Cooks." So I asked [player]wacicha[/player], the founder of the group, if I could join and he let me. Lots of water under the bridge since then.
What made you want to be a teacher? 2 things. 1, I've always been good at teaching others. 2, I really appreciated the time that my teachers had put into training me.
What are your favorite maps and settings? I make my living on Classic, 6 player escalating no fog. That's my bread and butter. I usually have 1 or 2 World 2.1 no spoils going, and right now I'm trying to figure out Pelopponesian War (3 player escalating is my favorite.
What is the single greatest challenge of leading the SoC Training Academy? Balance. Trying to make sure we're honoring the faith our students put in us, but still taking time to do the things I enjoy.
What is the greatest benefit? Seeing the students get to the point where they are mastering the program and taking my points.
What would you say are the biggest differences between playing Escalating and No Spoils? They are very similar at times. Both require lots of practice and patience to know the right time to strike. Escalating takes longer to develop, but things tend to happen quickly toward the end while no spoils can shift back and forth many times over the course of a game.
Want to play doubs sometime? Only if you're in the mood to donate.
Is it true that you want to change the teaching map to Stalingrad? That would be interesting, wouldn't it?
How many SoC teachers does it take to screw on a lightbulb? Never tried. We'll have to look into that one.
Is it true that you actually played a game with wacicha? Which one of you would win in a fistfight? Yes I played a few with him. I would probably win because I'm younger and in better shape than the last time I saw him. Then again, age + guile beats youth + strength 6 days a week and twice on Sunday.
What do you when you're not online? Work, eat, sleep, read. My life is pretty simple right now. Gave up golf a couple years ago. I'm married, and we have 6 kiddos and another on the way. So time is spent on my family a lot.
Do you wish they all could be California girls? So many directions to take that one. No idea. I did marry a CA girl, and I think I'll keep her.
What's better, peyote or pot? Wouldn't know.
Who's your favourite singer? Actor? Comedian? Don't have one. I like lots of different styles, all in their season.
How did you get such a silly name? Back at ya! Total lack of imagination on my part.
If you had the choice of taking O first turn and be called a bonus monkey would you still do it? Yup. I wouldn't try to take E in an escalating game though. I actually dropped 5/7 there once in a teachers' game and strongly considered it, but the brainwashing is complete; I couldn't let myself try.
Are the dice really rigged? It feels that way sometimes. I wish we could see the defensive dice that others get. Might make it feel more fair.
Why doesn't SOC strategy work on the RISK board game? It does. I win about half of my table games since I joined the SoC. It is harder because the table-talk aspect has to be considered.
Who was the worst student ever...no names of course...but come on there has to be at least one? I block those out. Very rarely do we have problem children.
Do most people listen or are they out for a medal? The ones who want to learn stick around, but the ones chasing medals tend to fade. It's not an easy medal to earn.
Why has the food at school of the cooks gotten so bad since you took over? I only know fried eggs and pancakes.
How has SOC changed from the early days to now? We've gotten a lot bigger, and added a team-teaching dept.
What sort of salary do you get paid for the responsibility you take on? Warm fuzzies.
Whats the easiest way to cheat? Don't know. any suggestions?
In your own words, please tell us what makes you think that you are the best person for this job? One word, attrition. j/k. It's a leadership position with means my job is mostly about helping my people help their people.
What previous "Dispatch" experience, if any, do you currently have? I worked for 2 different newspapers while I was in high school.
What would you do first/second if you were to observe a fellow employee preforming an unsafe activity? Hmm, don't have any fellow employees. Hard to say.
What would your first step in disciplining an unruly student? First, we try to make sure the student understands what we're doing and what they can get out of it. Often it's a case of misunderstanding at the outset.
Do you have anything else you'd like to add? Big thanks to all the teaching staff that makes the world go 'round.
If you had a choice between any CC mod position and SoC position, which would you choose and why? I like it where I am.
When you play instructors games vs students, do you go for the win ? or do you play inactive? I always play for the win. anything less would be uncivilized.
And exactly where is "the un-nutty part of CA"? I didn't know such a place existed. SF, LA, and Sac are all too kooky for me. I'm almost exactly halfway between them.
How would you characterize your leadership style? Maybe you should answer this, macbone. I believe in training, then delegating.Many hand make light work, only if we're all working together.
If you could make any changes you wanted in Conquer Club or the SoC Training Academy, what would they be? Always have games ready for me but never miss turns.
What do you like on a pizza? No anchovies or pineapple. Other than that, I'm somewhat adventurous.
What's your favorite beverage? Dr pepper.
How long you foresee yourself being a mod? Hopefully a long time. Life changes are the only reason I can see leaving in the near future, but there aren't any on the horizon.
Did you vote for Schwarzenegger? Not the first time. I liked McClintock. I may have voted for him the second time as the lesser of two weevils. Can't remember.
Q. What is your response to the accusation that the Society of Cooks is merely a well-crafted ruse for farming inexperienced players? Hadn't heard that one. It's amusing to say the least, since most of our staff never gets above major for long. We donate lots of points.
Q. Why "Train a Cook today, lose to a Sergeant tomorrow?" Why not "lose to a Colonel"? Hmmmm? Don't know, the phrase has been around longer than I have. Just guessing, I'd say that our goal is to give students enough know-how and confidence to get out of cook-land and up around 1500. Our system can do that if they stick with it. I haven't seen many folks get past major while playing public 6-player escalating games, which is what we emphasize.
Q. Is it true that in order to be an SoC instructor, one has to best you in a 7-game 1v1 match on World 2.1? No, but maybe we should look into that. Might be a good way to donate some of my points back.
Q. Did you pick up my (macbone) dry cleaning? Yes, and I shipped it on a sailboat.
Q. When's the next all-you-can-eat ribs and wings SoC extravaganza? (I (macbone) know you said my invitation got lost in the mail the last five times, but I'd really like to make it for this year's.) It's in the mail. Not my fault you live in HK.
Q. So.. how is my (anonymus) acceptance as a graduate going? Pending.
Q. When do we see some answers to all our questions ? How bout now?
Q. When you teach someone who's a low rank, do you relate to any of the issues they might be having? Absolutely. I joined the Society of the Cooks (that's what we used to call it) as a private with less than 10 games completed and had no idea what was going on around me. Wacicha brought me in and showed me how to have fun with the site.
Q. How much do you still learn being a seasoned vet of cc? I have a standing goal to get positive on every map. -1000 on doodle makes that interesting, but I enjoy figuring out new maps and which game type works best for each one.
Q. Is your name related to the Dallmayr coffee, in other words the greatest German coffee in human existence...? Doubtful, but a share of the ownership might be nice.
Q. If you were going to be stuck on a deserted island, what would your bring with you? A deck of cards...As soon as you start playing solitaire, someone is bound to show up and correct you.
Q. If you were going to be stuck on a deserted island, who CC'ers would you want...or not want...with you? Depends on whether or not we've got a certain game with us that shall remain nameless.
Q. Was the anger of Achilleus directed at the body of Hektor in anyway caused by a bonus monkey? Could be, I'll look into it.[/spoiler]
Welcome to the newest section of the newsletter! Now, strategy writing is perfect casual reading. By it's very nature, anything written here is of a timeless nature. That doesn't mean you can put off reading this section. Strategies can, and do, evolve. So you will need to follow along to keep on top of the current zeitgeist. In this week's article, we have a continuation of my old column, random game analysis. Also, [player]crazymilkshake5[/player] has asked some selected AssDoodlers about the strategy inherent in that type of game. Of course, this starts the age-old debate. Is there strategy in AssDoodling?
To answer that question, we must know what strategy means. There are many different ways to define strategy, but there is one main way to define it in terms of Conquer Club: Game Theory. The concept of strategy in game theory can be boiled down to one main concept: can the choices a player makes affect the outcome of the game?
Let's examine a heavy assdoodling (8-players with nukes). What would happen if a player were to move randomly? As in, their deployments, assaults, advancements, reinforcements and whether or not to cash were all random. Clearly, that player would have a reduced chance of winning. If your target is on Sarah Desert and you instead assault Conga, you are obviously wasting a move. What's worse, is that you might kill another player's target and make some very angry players. So, we have identified that there is at least some strategy.
Now, that doesn't actually tell us much though. Ok, so moving randomly doesn't work, but you already knew that. How can we test how much strategy there is? One way is to compare different strategies. Let's say player A decides to sit and not assault until he can make a clear run on his target and player B decides to attack non-stop en route to his target. Which one is more effective? I don't have the answer for that, but it seems the more commonly successful strategy is all-out assault. So, now we have identified that some strategies have different outcomes than others.
So, in step 1 (comparing moving randomly to non-randomly), we identified that strategy (if only as an abstract concept) does in fact exist. In step 2 (comparing different strategies to each other) we identified that specific strategies existed, although we would have to calculate statistics to see if one works over another. The main reason doodle earth is not considered strategical is that there are very few options. The total number of possible strategies is very limited, but there is some strategy, as there is in every game on Conquer Club.
Next time, I will cover the military definition of strategy and answer another age-old question: what is the difference between strategy and tactics?
Special thanks to Victor Sullivan for letting me write the intro to his new baby of a section!
[player]DoomYoshi[/player] Strategy Reporter
No, thank you, DoomYoshi In addition, our very first Strategy Team recruit, [player]Viceroy63[/player], talks about the dilemma of cashing spoils in Escalating games - a great read for all of you subscribed to the SoC Training Grounds! I hope you enjoy this brand new section as we have enjoyed putting it together for you
Hello again my friends, and welcome to your favorite part of the Newsletter, "War Games", where you can find information about CC Tournaments!
This is the 3rd anniversary of the CC Dispatch, and in celebration I have produced a little retrospective on the evolution of the War Games section. However, it is not the lead article! The lead article definitely has to be [player]plurple[/player]'s article on the Prime awards, for 2011's best tournaments. Speaking of the Primes, nominations have now closed, and voting has begun. A special subforum has been created for the voting process, you can get to it here: http://www.conquerclub.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=678YOU ONLY HAVE TWO WEEKS TO VOTE so get in there promptly!
[player]DaveH[/player] has provided us with not one but two (!) installments in his Tournament Tips series, [player]sensfan[/player] has produced another excellent installment of TPA Wrap, [player]fuzzy316[/player] interviews one of the winningest tournament players in CC history ([player]shoop76[/player]) and [player]NoSurvivors[/player] continues our longest-running series, Join This? Or Not! Enjoy!
Meet the Tournament Winners: shoop76by Fuzzy316 [spoiler=shoop76 interview]Hello again everyone! This month I have the distinct pleasure of bringing a special interview with this issue's Tournament Winner. Recently this player became a member of a very elite club, matched so far by only one other CC tournament player, [player]HighlanderAttack[/player]. He currently holds the spot for 2nd most tournament victories. Earlier this month he became only the 2nd person to win his 100th tournament, which, if you think about it, is a staggering number to win. Let's give a great big hand to shoop76!
There are many tournaments out there and many players take part in them, but to actually win 100 tournaments, WOW what a feat. I myself have been playing for a few years and only managed to win two so far. With the KISS Champion of Champions tourney win, did you realize that this was your 100th tournament win when you actually won this tournament? Thank you. Yeah it is something I keep track of very closely. I talk to HighlanderAttack almost every day and he mentions it to me as well. He somehow thinks I am a threat to him. Like I am ever going to catch him. 267 tourney titles now that is an achievement.
You won this tournament due to your having won multiple qualifying spots to enter this tournament and then by advancing and winning both of the semi-final match-ups against your competitors, one the aforementioned HA, and the other [player]EBConquer[/player]. Taking a look at the actual tournament path you used to win, how did it feel to not have to actually win a final?
Definitely nice to win both semis. HA and EBConquer are both great players so to not have to play a final against either of them was great. With the multiple entries though, it kind of felt like those 2 matches were my final.
Yes they are definitely worthy adversaries and great players, as I myself have come to experience. Obviously having won this many tourneys, you are an avid tournament player. Do you have specific tournaments that you look for with particular settings, or do you look at a tournament and join it based on its organizer, or how the tourney is put together, etc?
I had a time where I would join pretty much anything. That resulted in my game count getting out of hand and cc interfering in real life. Now I look for the simple 1 v 1 tourneys and am a lot more selective not that good at I avoid it.
I have had the game overload a time or two myself. How is it you have been able to win so many tourneys? Any tips on what to do to accomplish this level of mastery?
Play a lot of them for one thing, and have a great knowledge of a wide variety of maps. Everyone here has their own goals. For some it is to become conqueror or be part of the top clan; for me it is winning tournaments. My best advice is to join tourneys that are quick and to join ones that you will enjoy and are on maps that you are good at. For me if I play maps and tourneys I don’t like it just takes away from the fun of cc.
Do you have any memorable wins that really stand out among all the tournaments you have joined, regardless of if you won the tournament or not?
The first one that I won: Hitman Europe and the team tourneys I have won especially, 2009 NCAA Track & Field Championships that I won with Witt13, dcc1220, & The Mantis. Also any tourney that I beat HA in the final, although he has historically owned me in semis and finals.
I definitely tend to get owned myself most of the time from HA. Occasionally I get to beat him in a game. What got you started playing here on CC in the first place? Did you stumble on the site? Were you looking for a strategy game online? A friend perhaps?
Actually my brother, [player]oneeyedjackz[/player], introduced me to the site. He never really played that much though, but sure got me addicted.
Awesome addiction though. A friend and former co-worker introduced me to the site. How long have you been playing at games like this, and what got you interested in them to begin with?
Never really been that much in to board games. They usually take too long to finish if they wind up finishing at all. Played a lot of cards growing up though. I am a very competitive person so games like this really interest me especially here when you can play so many at once.
I love to play cards, Texas Hold'em fan here myself. I know what you mean about the games taking long. Used to play Axis and Allies with friends and one time we pulled a marathon game that we literally played for 19 hours straight before taking a break and finishing it on the next day. Have you created and run many tournaments? If not, do you have the desire to?
I have run a couple of tournaments. They were all small. I didn’t really enjoy it. Felt like it was a chore updating them. I have some ideas for bigger tournaments but not sure if I will get the desire to put in the effort. I really admire all these organizers that do such a great job running their tournaments.
I definitely know how much work goes in to creating and updating tourneys. I currently have my 50th in sign-ups, and although it can be time consuming, I find it both challenging and relaxing at the same time. Do you have any favorite Tournament Organizers?
There are a lot of great tournament organizers and I don’t want to upset anyone for leaving them out. HA always tries to push the envelope and come up with great new concepts. [player]Greenoaks[/player] and [player]merch313[/player] are running 2 of my favorite series. But I would have to say [player]flexmaster33[/player] is still my favorite especially his NCAA basketball tournament. The amount of work he puts into it is amazing and then still doing all the updates so quickly.
I agree with your analysis of flex's NCAA tourney, and what it takes to run that one, being in the midst of running a league tourney myself right now. Do you know how many tournaments you have actually joined, in regards to the number you have won?
I have no idea, but it would be cool if they would update the databases so you could search that. I have played in 15,657 tourney games. Not sure if that is something to be proud of.
Hehe... your tourney game count alone is more than double my entire game count. What is the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything?
Can we skip this one?
Nope, sorry, the answer is 42. What are your 3 most favorite maps and settings for them?
Wow, there is many these days. Treasures of Galapagos for 1 v 1 games, No spoils, chained and foggy. I love World 2.1 for multi-player games as long as it is not escalating. I guess I have something for those games that never end. The random one is always interesting as I feel my overall map knowledge is stronger than most, even though that is becoming less of a factor with all the new maps coming out.
What are your hobbies outside of the CC arena?
My wife and 2 kids keep me busy most of the time. Used to play a lot of online poker but really don’t have the time anymore. I do like to watch sports and play fantasy football.
What do you like most about tournament play? The competition. Seeing if you can go from start to finish and be the last one standing. Dislikes? Making it to a final and losing because I had a bad drop or bad dice.
What do you like most about regular game play?
They don’t really interest me that much. Its 1 game and its over. Especially with the point structure the way it is takes the fun out of winning a normal game.
Thank you very much for your time spent with us after this historic win. Once again, congratulations and good luck on trying to catch HA.
Hey Fuzzy thank you very much. Please don’t wait to 200 to hit me up again.[/spoiler] Tournament Tipsby DaveH [spoiler=Single Elimination Games]In edition #62, Sensfan gave an overview of the easiest format of a tournament which is a 16 player single elimination tournament i.e. [bigimg]http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/695/tt681.jpg[/bigimg]Player A plays Player B in game 1 and the winner goes through to game 9, meeting the winner of game 2 between players C and D etc.
In this edition I will give you a few tips on making the management of such a tournament as easy as possible. Obviously you can use Challonge as previously mentioned, though you may want to have your own "tree" image which also gives the game numbers. However, whereas the graphical "tree" format as above gives a very clear illustration of players progress through the tournament, it is not the easiest format to use in managing the various invites etc. For instance the following format is better to use:
Let's consider that you want to link both spreadsheets so that, by updating the table, the graphical representation is automatically updated.
Let's consider the table first. The players' names are copied (or automatically looked-up as I have explained previously) from your randomised player list into the table with the game numbers. When the winning player's name is copied in, then that can automatically be copied into their next game match-up. For instance if A wins game 1, then cell F4 holds his name and cell C12 needs to have that player's name for his game 9 match. Cell C12 can therefore have the text "=F4" in it to automatically insert the name. However, this will insert a "0" if there is no name in F4, so a better formula is "=IF(F4="","",F4)" which inserts a blank instead of "0".
OK so you can complete the table so that the games are all automatically inserted. Of course, you can also do the same for the graphical "tree"! Let's assume you have created this on sheet2 of your spreadsheet. You can then go through this spreadsheet and change the player references to link to the table in sheet1. For instance cell B4 on sheet2 contains "=sheet1!C4" and so on for the players and then the winners. Now you can put in the games numbers - for instance cell B5 on sheet1 contains ="Game "&Sheet1!E4. And so on. Yes it's quite a bit of work, but if you are wanting to run a series of games using the same format, it will be well worth it!
If you want to know how to copy your graphical tree into your tournament thread then you simply take a picture of the tree by pressing your PrtSch (print screen) button; open "Paint" or another similar programme and paste the image into it. You can move the image so that the top left corner is positioned correctly and you need to save it as a ".jpg" image. To crop off the right and bottom irrelevant parts of the image, I use Microsoft Office Picture Manager and then upload it to ImageShack or other free image repository site. (I am sure there must be an easier way, though, if anyone wants to let me know it!)
I have created a template that can be used for single elimination tournaments that can be viewed at the following address: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhVfEnhd4J0cdGJDZFZTa0tPTFIyS0pFU0Z1ejZJQmc&hl=en_GB#gid=0 It has 3 sheets; the first to insert the players' names and then sort into a random order; the second is the spreadsheet tracking progress, with invites and progress lists to make it easier to update the tournament thread; the third is the above "tree" that can be used if you want a graphical representation of the progress. Note that these documents do not display exactly as in Excel, so you need to look at each cell to see its entire contents, should they be m,asked by the next column.
(These "tips" are ones that I have tried to make it a bit easier in managing my own tournaments. I am sure there are many different and better methods than these, so please let me know. Any queries on the above I'll be glad to respond to!)[/spoiler] Tournament Tipsby DaveH [spoiler=Double Eliminations Tournaments]If you scan through the list of available tournaments, you will find all kinds of inventive game formats. There are the straight elimination tournaments, with 1, 3 or 5 games to find the winner. Obviously the more the number of games played per round, the less the opportunity for lucky deployments and dice to play a part in the result.
In the last editions Sensfan and I looked at single eliminations and round-robin tournaments. In this I look at double elimination tournaments and I'll be giving you a few hints on managing them.
The easiest way of creating a double elimination style tournament is to double the number of entrants; for instance, in a 16 player tournament you enter each opponent twice as though you had 32 players. Once you randomise your player list and assign them to games there is, of course, the possibility that a player will be playing himself, so you need to say that in this circumstance he will go through automatically to the next round - losing one of his "lives"!
You can also have a double elimination tournament which is made easier by using Challonge.com. If you lose one match you then have a second chance of winning. Dazza, though, in one of his tournament series, has made it even more interesting by entering each player twice, so there are 4 chances of winning - hence his "double-double" series title! [bigimg]http://images.challonge.com/dddRA.png[/bigimg]Of course you can always enter each player "n" times into a single elimination type format game (as in deantursx's 1v1 Random Multi-Entry tournament with 4 entries per player). However the advantage with the double or triple elimination format used in Challonge is that, once eliminated, you rejoin at an appropriate position in the tournament rather than at the start.
You don't have to use Challonge though. You can create your own double elimination tournament and manage it using Excel. For instance: The "tree" is the same as in a single elimination tree, where Player1 plays Player2 in Game A etc. However, there is a "second chance" option which is as follows: In this, the losers of games F and E battle it out to play against the loser of game I; and so on.
And, of course, there are various related options that you can try. Butters1919, for instance, has used his own results table in his series of triple knock-out tournaments:[bigimg]http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/7088/tko6steamworks.jpg[/bigimg]Doesn't it look lovely! Note the way he used colour coding for the number of lives lost. (As the runner-up from this particular tournament, the downside to this format is that Leintz and I seemed to be playing each other an inordinate number of times!) Sometime, we'll have to find out how he produced the image and any hints on how he managed it.
(These "tips" are ones that I have tried to make it a bit easier in managing my own tournaments. I am sure there are many different and better methods than these, so please let me know. Any queries on the above I'll be glad to respond to!)[/spoiler] Join This? Or Not!by NoSurvivors
Hey there, folks! Well, it's actually Sully again. Hippo missed the wagon this issue, I guess, so here I am! At any rate, koontz has us covered again with another "What's Where" and "Foundry News". Hippo will be back next issue, however
Welcome to another exciting edition on the latest news on the clan scene, as we also celebrate the 3rd Anniversary for the newsletter.
We have a cracker of a section in store, and first up on the agenda is an overview of the 4th Season of the Clan league, by the Tournaments director DJ Teflon, and then we have an exciting competition in store for Clan Aficionado's as we offer more than a year's worth of Premium + assorted other prizes in our Competition Purse! Thereafter Alt1978 returns to the Dispatch team after a short hiatus, with a preview of The All Comers Cup Final, and we have an exclusive regular monthly section to offer our readers as the much vaunted F400 officially unveils it's column in this edition of the newsletter, courtesy of the services of [player]Gunn217[/player] QuikSilver also starts a new column on the recruitment usage of Clan Training Grounds.
Sign up here for the Virtual Clan League. 6 months premium and a General Achievement medal to the winner, and 3 months premium and a General Achievement medal for both 2nd and 3rd place Contestants, while additional 3 months prize premium is available if competition entries surpass all projections and 50+ contestants participate
It's simple. Rank the clans in the order you think they'll finish in phase 1 of the regular season - and then fill in the following table to show all the clans that go out in the respective phases, and finally the winners of Division A, B and C
Entries should be sent by PM to [player]Leehar[/player], but can also be submitted in the thread created for this purpose in the Clans Sub-Forum (though all liability of the use of your competition submission falls on you) Only one entry per player and no duplicate entries will be accepted. Remember we're not counting phase 1 results, but the ultimate outcome for each clan which will only start being decided at the end of Phase 2 whence 18 clans will be eliminated. A point will be given for each correct placing up til Phase 3, while 2 points each for the winners and runners-up in Phase 4 Therefore, you'd get 1 point for correctly predicting that OSA (for example) exit the competition in Division B-Phase 2, another if you predicted that IA only exit the competition in Division A-Phase 3 and 2 points if you correctly picked TNC as the winners of Division C. Tie-breakers will be decided on amount of Phase 4 Winners correct.
We'll show everybody's chosen scores after entries are complete, and run updates through the season to let you know how you're doing. Entries close at the end of Wednesday 29th February, but to encourage early entrance, 0.5 points will be penalised per result completed before submission. (As scores are given to clans in their division tables upon completion of their week matches) Do you know your clans? Can you look into your crystal ball and see what the season will bring? Sign up and prove it! See if you can win that premium and the glittery gold thing. Disclaimer: Contest Organizer reserves right to adjust format to correct unforeseen errors, or to increase clarity in explanation
Example picks: Phase 1 unnecessary for competition purposes, but needed for clarity
Division 1 Foed ID AFOS OSA TLW SOH
Division 2 LOW AOC VDLL DB IF HH
Division 3 KORT IA TNC GR DBC LOTZ
Division 4 Tofu PIG 1RFG KOA MD MB
Division 5 EMP LEG TFFS LHDD MM
Division 6 Pack DYN BOFM OTP RA
Division 7 TSM G1 WAR MYTH AKA
Phase 2: Division A Foed ID AoC LoW (unnecessary immediately for competition purposes, but needed for clarity, and used later)
Out: (and whereupon points start getting awarded) KORT IA Tofu PIG EMP LEG Pack DYN TSM G1
Division B AFOS OSA VDLL DB
Out: Assorted 3rd and 4th place clans from Phase 1
Division C Assorted 5th and 6th placed clans from Phase 1
Phase 3 Division A Foed ID
Out: (points awarded) AoC LoW
Division B ~
Div C ~
Phase 4 Div A Winner: Foed Runner-up: ID (2 points awarded for each)
Div B Winner + Runner-up: ~
Div C Winner + Runner-up: ~
Stay Tuned for the next issue of the ConquerClub Dispatch for an interrogation of [player]BigBallinStalin[/player]. Post any questions you may have for them here --> Interrogation with BigBallinStalin
Submitting Your Own Articles
If you have a story you think the ConquerClub Community would find interesting, you can submit your articles to [player]Victor Sullivan[/player] and you may just see your article published in the Newsletter!
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i put mine questions 2 month ago,but then when dispach start,i realised only minor, low priority,and question what can answer almost everybody here will be presented in cc dispach. Question like " what its map foundry?-How many games fremium can play?- What its clan?" and other joke question will be answered. Ofcourse mine question are ignored,and nobody will answer.
qwert wrote:i put mine questions 2 month ago,but then when dispach start,i realised only minor, low priority,and question what can answer almost everybody here will be presented in cc dispach. Question like " what its map foundry?-How many games fremium can play?- What its clan?" and other joke question will be answered. Ofcourse mine question are ignored,and nobody will answer.
That's not true, qwert. It just means I haven't answered it yet. If you don't like the "joke questions", then post some better ones. I certainly won't be able to ignore you if you post a whole bunch of questions
I liked the Random Game Analysis. And I agree with Doom, in Arms Race if I start with a foothold on both continents I do try to preserve both. The missile is only a last resort.
“Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” ― Voltaire
I must say, I rarely read these, but some of the articles are very well written. Very interesting to read, good work Entertainment team, and all who contributed!
xman5151 wrote:I must say, I rarely read these, but some of the articles are very well written. Very interesting to read, good work Entertainment team, and all who contributed!
Second, the new Office of Strategic Services premieres with a few articles I think you'll enjoy (along with an extensive, analytical introduction, thanks to now-Strategy Reporter, [player]DoomYoshi[/player]) 
And our featured Subscriber is none other than former Social Media Contributor, [player]squishyg[/player]! 
) - we have a quality issue for you all, from a little tango with the Civil War with [player]DoomYoshi[/player] to Doodle Assassins with [player]crazymilkshake5[/player] to a historical anniversary article from [player]Dukasaur[/player] to more Foundry News with [player]koontz1973[/player] to clan rankings with [player]Gunn217[/player]!
We actually played a series of games recently between the grads and the Academy staff, and it was pretty even.
-1000 on doodle makes that interesting, but I enjoy figuring out new maps and which game type works best for each one.
