Chickenboy
Posts: 24520
Joined: 6/29/2002 From: San Antonio, TX Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Canoerebel Thanks for the comments regarding PDU, gents. I am listening carefully. One of my favorite things in AE (and WitP) has been the occasions when I really had my back against the wall, facing a Japanese auto victory and pulling my hair out. That kind of delicate balance between excitement and fear, and the challenge of coming back, is exhilarating. (Never mind that I contributed very much to my predicaments, as some folks might accurately point out.) I hope you gents won't mind me being frank with you about my performance in the game as I see it. I am going to be honest about where I see strengths and flaws. No need in replying, because that will just devolve into a long, "No, you're really good," "No, you suck worse than you think," cascade. The situation in this game has come about from a variety of factors. I did some really good things early on, I had some luck early on, I was smart enough to act on an excellent suggestion about Palembang (thank you, Nemo), and every action has been met by an equal and opposite inaction on the part of my opponent. It just seems like everything I've touched has turned to gold and frozen my opponent solid. It must be said that much of what has happened wouldn't have happened against many players. I am not walking away from this match with an elevated opinion of my abilities. I don't think what I've done here would work against the vast majority of experienced IJ players. I've been most fortunate. On a scale of 1-10, measuring a combination of experience and skill, I'd rate myself a 6 or a 7. The rating of any player who plays as the Allies is probably going to get a decent bump due to the inequities between the two sides. Taking that into consideration, a 6 is probably a better measure. I have done some really fine work in predicting where the game would be months down the road. I knew where I was going and I was able to do it when I said (with the inaction by Japan contributing much to that record). I've also managed to skillfully, in my opinion, build on the position in Sumatra and the Java Sea without sticking my nose out to far and taking a drubbing in the process. The Allies are in a very, very strong position. I am proud of that. With all the work that has gone into doing so much all over the map, I don't want to see the game end. But the truly elite players of this game - the 8s and 9s and 10s - would have pushed forward and already eviscerated Japan. Where I took a cautious course, they would have been bold and, given their skill, would have succeeded. There are too many nitty-gritty details about the game that I'm not interested in and that doesn't suit my preferences. You cannot be a top-level performer without doing and knowing the things I shrug off. I am good, but I am not great. But I sure do love this game! Canoerebel, I hope you'll forgive my flippant response yesterday. Please know that it was in jest only. I hope you don't mind me being frank in some comments about your gameplay: I spent 6 years of my formative life in Texas and have dealt with many Southerners in my job. Enough so that I can identify a-forgive me please for the gross generalization-character trait amongst them that gives me pause. That is unnecessary (and sometimes false) self-modesty. The Southern gentleman thing gets my goat for some reason. The 'aww-shucks' response from someone with an impeccable pedigree of accomplishment, be it science or leisure or whatnot, gets under my skin. So, I have to watch myself when dealing with Southerners, particularly those with these tendencies. You could have-and have been in the past-very aggressive in your Allied conquests. I believe that you have held back in the interests of not 'breaking' the game. This shouldn't be seen as weakness on your part, but strength in your sense of fairness and gameplay. That you're not ripping your opponent's guts out and stomping on them isn't because you don't know how to do that, but are restrained out of fairness to your partner. This is a sign of an experienced and excellent Allied partner, in my humble opinion. Perhaps your feats have not been satisfying to you-I can understand this with a disengaged opponent. Don't let your opponent's blase attitude towards this game affect your introspective view about how you've played, given the cards dealt. You need to know that you're an excellent Allied player. Full stop. You did what you needed to win this war in 1942. Very few Allied players could do that. A 6 or 7? Naw. Not buying it. Sorry.
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