Sympathy?

Unchartered Poster Joined: Mar 17, 2011 Posts: 19

Yes, I've only been playing 4 months now since returning, but even in those 4 months, I've never had as tragic a turn as I did this last cycle... 0-10 on Wednesday... My warriors went 0-10, well, 0-9 with 1 sent to DA. This was after specially studying what is most likely the proper strategies for my warriors, making sure all weapons were well suited, making certain nobody was overburdened, and only fast warriors underburdened... and what do I get? An 0-10 record. My team in 81 is 0-13 in the last 3 weeks, and that's after DAing 2 warriors to make sure I designed guys properly and having another 2 killed unintentionally, neither of which I can even TRY to REVENGE in blood feud because I don't have even a single warrior with MORE than 1 win (those that did were the ones who were killed unintentionally, at least *I* didn't want them killed). Now I have only one warrior in 5 who even HAS a victory, and that guy is 1-5. I'll grant he was designed to be a long term project (high wit, high will), but 0-10? 0-10!?! I'm embarrassed. This makes me 4-24 in Shadowspire (81). Were I 8-22, I'd still be getting slaughtered, but I doubt people would be laughing at me... Now they're laughing at me, or if they're not, they should be.

I'm yet to find a "favorite" weapon any of my warriors, probably more because I have no idea exactly how one realizes they're fighting with a favorite weapon. Is there any really experienced manager out there who'd be willing to take a look at the stats of my warriors in these arenas and write up just ONE turn for me for me for these guys? There's nothing more I hate than being pitied, and I can't help but think people are taking pity on me now. How is it I'm consistently having 3-2, 4-1, turns and even my first ever 5-0 turn in other arenas, heck, even 5-5 in two turns in an arena where I wasn't happy with ANY of the set-ups, but in 81, I'm 4-24. No matter HOW bad you are, either you've got to have really REALLY bad luck, or you have to be TRYING to lose to go 4-24. UGH! <shaking head, casting my gaze downward>... I just don't get it. <sigh>

The_Chief

ArchMaster Poster Joined: Mar 10, 2008 Posts: 1999

If you are doing well in other arenas and not so well in 81 I wouldn't worry too much. Its a bad record but nothing you can't overcome. And regardless of what people say, 81 is an extremely competative arena where people are always challenging and avoiding. Most arenas 90% of the people are just running a strat to get their warriors FE for tourney's or running 1 or 2 to get them graduated.

Not so in 81. Pretty much every warrior is challenging or being challenged every turn. Its tougher than a lot of managers think IMHO.

I would say just stick it out and plug away. Make good challenges.

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:50 pm

I feel for ya. I also had a horrendous start in DM 81. I've only now just reached a .500 record. The way I look at it, the 0-5's just make the 5-0's that much sweeter when they come, because you know how stiff the competition is. All I can tell you is to run good quality warriors, know their strengths & weaknesses, and use your challenges and avoids to good effect.

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:15 pm

Yeah, don't let 81 get you down. I just started up there a few turns ago myself, and my 12-18 is far below my expectations. I made the mistake of sending in a "B" sheet that I thought was decent, when I should have sent in the best rollup sheet I could find!
At least someone did me a favor this turn and killed one of mine off, I was contemplating DA for him and a few others.

Advanced Master Poster Joined: Apr 11, 2011 Posts: 394

Its not hard to sympathize with someone who has hit a dry spell. The person starts questioning there skills as a manager, if they were any good at all to begin with, they even start wondering why they play this game in the first place. The reality is, this happens to (almost) everyone. If you record is 4-24 in a arena that is one of the largest arenas out there, honestly (and take this however you want too) your record honestly could be worse, literally. With an arena that size knowing what type of warrior your challenging is one thing, but who your challenging is something else you have to take in consideration. "If challenged" strategies are just as important as challenge strats, and avoids are more important that challenges IMHO. In arenas like this though, you almost always have ppl that head hunt new warriors fresh out of the gate.

The best thing i can tell ya to do about finding faves without a potion is to just use every weapon available to that class. When they start critting with every swing with a certain weapon, you might have found your fave weapon. Other than that, i couldnt tell ya.

Good luck in the future man, and keep plugging away, you'll eventually start turning the tables.

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 5:38 pm

What Trip said. 81 is as competitive an arena as you will find. You learn to play well there and you can play anywhere. Also realize that you can't send in average warriors and expect them to win. A mediocre 15-15 wit/will setup that might go 16-4 in some arenas is going to struggle in 81.

I remember the first time I started playing outside Talcama (when Talcama was one of the toughest arenas around) and thought the game was easy.

Definitely don't compare your record in 81 with any other arena. It is certainly closer to tourney level difficulty than what you're seeing in your other arenas.

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 6:33 pm

A) It is a tough place.
B) At 4-24 you are having bad luck. You must be.
C) No point in saying don't let it get you down. That record would make me a cranky S.O.B.
D) Even though you should feel like shit about it, don't beat yourself up. Know you are going to get it done and start feeling better about it. You can't blame yourself while you have so much to learn.

I started out not quite as bad but nearly as bad in Sunset. I had winning percentages in the high 20's there I believe. I have been rolling in there of late and just went over 45% and have not reached my 20th turn there. You can turn it around. I can tell it matters to you. Losing at anything eats me up but as long as I am patient I know I can always turn it around. You can probably sense the same thing. Until about 6-7 turns ago maybe a little longer I had been over 50% in Shadowspire. Now, I just DA'd 3 and am at 43%. It has been rough for me lately. I DA'd not because the set ups were bad but because they just weren't learning the right things at all and got hosed on physicals. One was hosed in crucial skill areas, another hit a glass ceiling due to improper learns and another was about to. It just gets a little shitty sometimes and it takes time to see what your way out is. I fully expect to be back on my feet knocking people out of my way soon. As far as strategy maybe you are over-thinking it. Don't use the Terrablood fave rhythm, weapons and tactics page if you are while studying what to do. That would be one thing I recommend. Keep it simple. Run your offensives 10-10-6->8 and go for arms an legs. Move cautiously with your defensives; low/low and use the parry tactic but not riposte or responsiveness (unless you are challenging a striker with a piker). That record is really really rotten but nonetheless not impossible to turn around. Good luck to you.

_________________

Advanced Master Poster Joined: Apr 11, 2011 Posts: 394

with all this buzz about 81 being a competitive place, and the fact that its a tourney baby free arena, sounds fun. I might throw a team in there to get a feel of some old fashion competition again.

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 7:05 pm

Khorvinus wrote:

with all this buzz about 81 being a competitive place, and the fact that its a tourney baby free arena, sounds fun. I might throw a team in there to get a feel of some old fashion competition again.

Dude, you really should. The non-computer generated Spy report every other turn is almost enough in itself. The arena is alive with challenges and personals.

Advanced Master Poster Joined: Apr 11, 2011 Posts: 394

just need to get a better than decent team together to put in there

ArchMaster Poster Joined: Mar 10, 2008 Posts: 1999

Khorvinus wrote:

just need to get a better than decent team together to put in there

Its a fine line. Don't look for that super stud tourney team to put in there with warriors that won't develop until ADM anyway. Thats a mistake a lot of people make going in.

Advanced Master Poster Joined: Apr 11, 2011 Posts: 394

nahh, just a solid team with a mixture of diffrent types of warriors on it. im gonna try and go a diffrent route this time in D2.

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 10:44 pm

What everyone said earlier is true, but I agree with your original assertation that 4-24 should be an extremely unlucky occurrence (like once in a lifetime with the way DM is balanced). Thus, it doesn't hurt to get a second opinion...to make sure you're not doing anything really wrong....

Quote:

I'm yet to find a "favorite" weapon any of my warriors, probably more because I have no idea exactly how one realizes they're fighting with a favorite weapon.

Crit percentage is the #1 way of finding your favorite weapon, however, as I'm sure you've seen with your young warriors--young warriors rarely throw crits with any weapon. In order to really go favorite weapon hunting, you need a developed warrior and a more stable environment. (Like the Challengers tourney) The odds of finding your favorite weapon before that are extremely low.

Quote:

Is there any really experienced manager out there who'd be willing to take a look at the stats of my warriors in these arenas and write up just ONE turn for me for me for these guys?

I can do it if no one else has already volunteered.

Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 1:03 am

We,too, would be willing to take a look/do so.
We are off line for a week, leaving in 2 hours.
If you want to wait until next week .......

Advanced Master Poster Joined: Apr 11, 2011 Posts: 394

same here man, i was meaning to mention it earlier, but i got sidetracked. but i am always willing to help anyone, even though my strategies are sometimes dubbed......unorthadox Very Happy