Fresh from a whoopin’ received at the hands of the DS in the last PoWeR game, I still have enthusiasm for a “pure” PoWeR game, or a one week turn around. Specifically, I would like to give it a try in a GunBoat format.
Is anyone else interested in PoWeR Gunboat-1650? Clint told me that this needs to be customer driven, and I see that the number of players committed of the currently filling 1650-GB is at 2. In particular are the 2 players who have committed to the 1650-GB that is filling, willing to “jump ship” to a PoWeR 1650-Gunboat?
Come on former foes and teammates from PoWeR 2 and 16, I encourage anyone to once again try and steamroll me in this format!
John,
are you proposing a 1-week turn-around GB?
Or a 2-turn/week PoWeR GB?
If I might add one note of caution for you to ponder: I’ve played in and am playing in GB games. I think they’re FANTASTIC. Caveat: if/when people drop, it’s a big problem. This would be hugely exacerbated in a more rapid turn-around format. First, the detection of the “drop”, and then the scramble to fill the position(s) dropped would all have to occur on an accelerated pace.
As such, I would urge you not to go for a 2-turn/week PoWeR GB as I can see that any drop would likely miss 2 turns, not just one. Clint/Rob can probably comment more accurately, but even in the “no-drop” GBs, there has been one drop… But I think that’s only one out of the three “no-drop” games, so that’s a vast improvement over normal GB, where I haven’t been in a game without drops.
Anyway, my $0.02… Personally, I’m already in 2 “no-drop” GBs and can’t commit to a third GB at this time.
I concur that 2 turn/week game would not be the best PoWeR format. I had in mind either a 1 week format, or the format of the original game. The original game ran the turn when everyone had submitted orders, capped by a one week time limit.
The risk of dropped nations in gunboat will exist in any format/scenario. So much so, that it motivates my GB strategy to a degree. I did note in an offhand sort of way, there seemed to be fewer dropped nations in both PoWeR games than normal. Albeit 2 games do not provide great statistical relevance.
I have played in a few GB games, and I think the PoWeR format willl compliment GunBoat quite well.
John,
I agree that GB could be a 1-week turnaround easily.
I also would be willing to place a side bet that a true PoWeR format with a one week cap would be exactly the same result as a 1-week game if it was GB. Chances of at least one of the twelve people taking the full week seem to be 100%… even with all the nagging both teams did in PoWeR 2, we almost never beat the one-week turnaround…
But, it’s not up to me. It’s up to the 12 people that sign up. I think GB could easily be a one-week turnaround and that would make it even more fun. So you certainly are on the right track!
I’d suggest that a 1wk GB game would be ideal as a test format. PoWeR would only really work with the chivying and in normal games that’s difficult enough.
As for it being a No-drop game - well I’ve got some interest in that format so it’s upto you guys.
Note to self. HMC’s spouse is off my mailing list. Looks like we need 4 or 5 players now.
Maybe we can get some of those players from the recently concluded 2950-GB? Y’know, a Power GB format may conceivably start and end before the next 2950-GB begins. Why not play a 1650-PWR-GB style game while you wait…
You know it! Who needs two weeks to figure out there nations’ orders in this scenario? No one. Seriously though, a one week turn around GB seems ideal for GB enthusiasts.
DS:
11/20 Witch King/Dark Lieutenants
12/21 Dragon Lord/Corsairs
13/15 Dog Lord/Blind Sorcerer
14/24 Cloud Lord/Rhudaur (CL town @3428 goes to village, CL town @3629 goes to MT)
16/19 Ice King/Long Rider
17/18 Quiet Avenger/Fire King
Note: lots of different GB pairings have been tried in experiments to determine what is the best for game balance. Some of us feel that the DS are at a disadvantage in GB due to the dependence on information exchange to mount a credible “character war”, which the DS depend on so heavily.
In GB 94 & GB 96 (maybe 97?), which are “no-drop” GB games, we beefed up Rhu/WK positions to experiment with game balance. For 94 & 96, the following were the original pairings and pop center improvements:
By the way, even with the character war disadvantage, I had a blast playing DS in GB 14 in 2004-2005 (though the FP, notably Tim/Tony Huiatt, finally swarmed into Mordor and that was all she wrote for the DS).
Just don’t tell my other half! Lol