Open Team Battle – Forming Two Teams

[Cross]

Double Deuce and I are going to start an ‘Open Team Battle’.

We want to form two teams (3-6 players a team would be ideal), Allies/Axis.

This will only be a single battle, played by two teams. If the game is 30 turns long, and there are 5 on your team, you may get to play 6 of those turns, maybe more, maybe less.

This type of team battle has never been played before, that we are aware of, and should be interesting.

It actually requires very little commitment on your part, because your team members can finish the battle with or without you.

As a team member, you will get to play some, but not all, of your sides turns; but you’ll be kept informed of how the battle is going as it progresses.

If you think you might be interested, read on:

Overview of Team Battle
The battle would be created in Basic Security, so it can be played by anyone on any PC.
All game turns/files will be posted to a dedicated thread at The Blitz forum, not sent by email (except the first turn played by the team leaders).

The idea is that anyone on your team (but only one person) can download and play a turn.
Team members should not take it in turns, but whoever is available first can download and play the turn; which will make the battle faster.

Downloading Turns
• If players check/tick the Email notification box on the forum thread, they’ll know as soon as there’s a new post.
• The first person on your team to download the turn, gets to play it.
• When a player intends to download the turn, they post on the thread so everyone knows who has the turn, and so no one else tries to play the same turn. THEN download the turn AFTER your post appears on the thread. If two or more team members post claiming the turn, the first poster gets the turn and is the only one who should download it.
• Players are not allowed to play two turns in a row.
• Players should only download the turn when they are ready to play it; so we can expect the turn to be re-posted an hour or two after it’s downloaded. No downloading the turn, and then sitting on it. If a player takes more than two hours from the time of his post claiming the turn to the time of his posting the completed turn, his team will be penalized*.
• Players not playing a turn, must not download the turn, not even to view the replay.

Uploading Turns/Communication
• When a player uploads a completed turn (to his post in the thread) he should give a brief ‘During Action Report’ of what happen, for the benefit of both sides.
• He should also send an email to his team and give a more detailed report (sitrep). How detailed is up to the player/team; but it may prove important.
• Players will enter into the battle partially blind; the ‘fog of war’ will be thicker than usual – for both sides - and they’ll have to rely on team members communication to keep them informed.

Team Leaders
Team leaders are the ‘Commanding Officer’ (Lt Col) of the Team’s battalion. Other Team members should see themselves as the Majors and Captains.
• Team leaders are responsible to run their team, including:
• Informing everyone about who’s on the team, with email addresses.
• Setting up the battle according to agreed preferences.
• Providing the password to team members.
• Gathering intel and advice from team members, particularly from those who’ve played recent turns.
• Encouraging communication (could be decisive) regarding enemy units, and the status of the battle.
• Informing their team of the overall team battle plan/strategy; and attempting to get players to stick to it.
• It’s not a big deal if players want to drop out before the end of the battle; and team leaders can let players join their team even after the battle has started.

We will use the Blitz scoring system to determine the winning team.

The Battle
SPWW2
German vs British
July 1944, Caen, France
Meeting Engagement
Points: 3000

Preferences
To be negotiated.

*Penalty
We are considering awarding 100 points to the other teams final score, if download post to upload post exceeds 2 hours. Then an additional 10 points for each hour thereafter.

Joining a Team
Post here if you want to join a team, and state whether you’d like to join the Axis or Allied team. Double Deuce is the German team leader, I am the British team leader.

We want the teams to be roughly the same size, and will probably want no more than six a side in this first battle. But this would be up to the two team leaders.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to ask.

[seabolt]

This sounds like it could be a lot of fun, and should be a great way to ensure that the battle keeps moving along. Plus I'd be obligated to write my AARs! A lot of readers find my AARs full of concise technical details and tactical merit.

[crickets chirp]

What the hell, count me in as a Brit, anyway! Walrus, get in here!

[Walrus]

Hi Guys
I think I can get into this one...especially with the large kick in the arse from Seabolt
I guess I will go the allied side too if that's all good with you lot.

Good idea chaps...I hope being in the southern hemisphere doesn't screw up the system.

Cheers
Walrus

[Cross]

Walrus Wrote:Hi Guys
I think I can get into this one...especially with the large kick in the arse from Seabolt
I guess I will go the allied side too if that's all good with you lot.

Good idea chaps...I hope being in the southern hemisphere doesn't screw up the system.

Cheers
Walrus

Cool...Welcome aboard Walrus :) and you Seabolt ;)

I actually think things will work even smoother if there are players from many different time zones. You can play a turn while your team mates are asleep.:zzz:

[Walrus]

...except here's me awake at the same time as you
I am a night bird (night-walrus?), so the situation may not pan out perfectly.

Still...cheers for the welcome.
It should be fun.

Walrus

[GUNSLNGR]

I was about to comment that, like Walrus said, with different time zones, work, etc. it may be difficult and one team player could dominate the game...but then I read the fine print that no player can do two turns in a row. That's great, I'd like to be included and either side is fine with me.

[Cross]

GUNSLNGR Wrote:I was about to comment that, like Walrus said, with different time zones, work, etc. it may be difficult and one team player could dominate the game...but then I read the fine print that no player can do two turns in a row. That's great, I'd like to be included and either side is fine with me.

Excellent...how about you join Double Deuce's Axis team?

Which means we have 3 on the British team and 2 on the German team, so far.

[GUNSLNGR]

Axis it is...Thanks!

[DoubleDeuce]

GUNSLNGR Wrote:Axis it is...Thanks!

Welcome to the team! ;)

[Cross]

Thought I should mention, you will NOT need the CD version of SPWW2 to play this battle.


Regarding a possible penalty if someone takes more than two hours to repost a turn after downloading it.

As I said to Double Deuce while discussing this:

Two hours is plenty of time to play a turn (with a 3000 point force). But then dinner may be ready, washing up to do, one of the kids gets a marble stuck up his nose, cat to rescue... It can all quickly fall apart.

I guess the idea is to just encourage a quick turn around, so players don't sit on turns. It's fine if the turn sits on the thread, but we don't want it sitting in an inbox because someone wants to play it later. Which would be unfair to team mates who do have time to play.

And I guess we shouldn't download a turn just before dinner, or just as the little guys are coming home from rugby practice and need a bath. :rolleyes:

We could just say that the opposing team reserves the right to impose a penalty of 100 plus 10 per hour if it happens more than once?