DUEL 2 NEWSLETTER

Date   : 07/14/2023    Duedate: 07/27/2023

NOBLISH ISLAND ARENA

DM 93    TURN 639

This Week's Top Honors

THE DUELMASTER IS

PROFITEROLE
SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)
(93-11085) [7-1-0,82]

Chartered Recognition Leader   Unchartered Recognition Leader

POSITION IS EMPTY              PROFITEROLE
                               SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)
                               (93-11085) [7-1-0,82]

Popularity Leader              This Week's Favorite

SALMON                         MUD PIE
HUNGER GAMES (1882)            SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)
(93-11022) [5-4-0,52]          (93-11087) [5-3-0,33]

THE CURRENT TOP TEAM

SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)

          TEAMS ON THE MOVE            TOP CAREER HONORS
Team Name                  Point Gain  Chartered Team
1. SAY WHAT (1880)               49 
2. HUNGER GAMES (1882)           20    BRUTE STRENGTH (491)
3. AGONY OF D'FEET (1897)        17    Unchartered Team
4. MY DIET FOOD (1900)           15 
5. FIVE DAYS (1887)              14    MY DIET FOOD (1900)

The Top Teams

Career Win-Loss Record           W   L  K    %  Win-Loss Record Last 3 Turns    W  L K
 1/ 1*MY DIET FOOD (1900)       19  10  1 65.5   1/ 1*SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)   10  5 0
 2/ 3*SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)    24  16  1 60.0   2/ 3*MY DIET FOOD (1900)       9  5 1
 3/ 2*BASH BROS TBALL (1899)    20  15  0 57.1   3/ 2*BASH BROS TBALL (1899)    9  6 0
 4/ 4*SAY WHAT (1880)           23  18  4 56.1   4/ 4*SAY WHAT (1880)           8  4 1
 5/ 8*FIVE DAYS (1887)          10   9  2 52.6   5- 5*BANGERS & MASH (1901)     5  5 1
 6/ 5*MOUSE HOUSE (1881)        23  22  1 51.1   6/ 6*MOUSE HOUSE (1881)        4 11 1
 7/ 7*HUNGER GAMES (1882)       13  13  2 50.0   7/ 8*FIVE DAYS (1887)          3  3 0
 8- 6*BANGERS & MASH (1901)     10  10  1 50.0   8/ 7*AGONY OF D'FEET (1897)    3  7 0
 9/ 9*AGONY OF D'FEET (1897)     9  16  0 36.0   9/ 9*HUNGER GAMES (1882)       2  2 0
10-10*PLASTIC BOYS (1866)        0   2  0  0.0  10-10*PLASTIC BOYS (1866)       0  1 0
11-11*XXX (205)                  0   1  0  0.0  11-11*XXX (205)                 0  1 0

    '*'   Unchartered team                       '-'  Team did not fight this turn
   (###)  Avoid teams by their Team Id          ##/## This turn's/Last turn's rank

                                    TEAM SPOTLIGHT

"Strategy question:  Suppose you are a basher who gets the jump on a lunger. You use a 
WH. But then you find out that you favor a GA or a Maul. Should you now use the bigger 
weapon even if that lunger wears only leather? Or if you are a lunger and find out 
that you favor a shortsword, should you use that against plate armor? Which is more 
important--using your favorite weapon or using the weapon best suited for the opposing 
armor? -- Struder of Bangers & Mash"

The basher -- do you really know you favor the maul or greataxe? Even if you do, 
realize that both are "slower" than a warhammer, and they could reduce your chance to 
jump. If your WH hits well and often then I would favor continuing with it at the 
lesser opponent armor levels. In general, though, this is really a question of choice 
and what works best, and you will need to work that out in subsequent fights.

The lunger SH question, again I ask are you sure the warrior favors the SH? There are 
not many/any lunger weapons that really like plate armor. The Consortium favorite for 
that duty is the longsword. However some warriors surprise us with what they do with 
weapons. You really have three choices -- your warrior's favorite weapon (as defined 
at birth by RSI), the weapon/s best suited for the armor, and the one/s which is 
getting you the most criticals and wins. Consortium folks tend to favor the third 
option.

Realize, choices and strategies can be quite different in regular Duel2 as compared to 
Advanced D2 (e.g. after graduation as a Freshman on up to Primus). You will find many 
managers not fighting with the RSI given "favorite weapon" as they are sometimes just 
not the best choice.

Your question is a great one, and not one easily answered by anyone. Each warrior is 
so unique in ways that often the only way to confirm the best strategy is empirically. 
(Fight and gather data.) Good luck.

                                          -- Parry and Carry -- A Case Study

***---------*---------*---------*---------**---------*---------*---------*---------***

    The effects of carrying too much are somewhat hard to quantify.  I recently 
decided to test the effect on parry of being woefully over-encumbered.  This started 
when I showed a so called friend the following replacement setup: 3-10-13-3-13-15-13.  
He challenged me to run it with both of the 3's left as 3's.  Great.  So I'm going to 
run a 3 str/3 wit warrior.  Well my past experience prepared me well!  Nobody stands 
around with no skills better than a total parry scum.  Delays, 3-16-13-3-19-15-15 TP 
was born.  Normally, I would have poured some of those points into strength, but not 
so here.

    Delays starts with 9 parry, 43 hit points (takes tremendous), normal endurance, 
and CAN ONLY CARRY A VERY LITTLE WEIGHT in armor and weapons. In fact, the minimum 
amount of weight.  The most commonly and easy to remember formula for carry is STR + 
Lesser of STR/CON - 6.  3+3-6 = 0 weight according to the formula.  I happen to know 
this formula is broken down there from other experiments.  4 strength is more than 
enough to carry DA ALE/LE without penalties.

    Off to the races.  Delays comes out with APA/F SM/SM.  Strategy 1-1-1 parry 

Fight 1: Zaius (1-1-0), APL SH/SH PR.  
M1: Zaius makes 3 attacks and flails once.  Delays DODGES 2 of them and takes a hit.  
M2: Zaius flails four times.  M3: Zaius attacks twice, Delays dodges and parries (not 
sure what is going on with the dodges, but I'll take it. Zaius is getting tired.  M4: 
Zaius attacks, parry.  M5: 2 attacks, 1 flail, 2 dodges.  M6-M9: 2 attacks, 1 flail, 
some weary armed attacks.  1 dodge, 1 parry.  M10: Delays attacks twice, gets his 
first tired message and a weary armed attack.  Zaius falls from exhaustion.  So from 
an attack deficient PR, Delays defends just fine.  10 attacks, 5 dodges, 4 parries, 
and 1 hit. Train Will.

Fight 2: Rose of Sharon (Consortium) challenges Delays with Lilac ALE/L LO AB. 
M1: Ok, now we see a real warrior fight.  6 attacks (1 of them a crit), 3 hits, 2 
parries, and 1 dodge.  I would have expected zero dodging from Delays, but that isn't 
the case.  M2: 5 attacks (1 crit), 1 hit, 4 parries, 1 broken SM. M3: 1 crit, hit and 
knockdown, another crit and attack for 2 more hits and the fight is over.  14 attacks 
(4 crits), 6 parries, 1 dodge, and 7 hits. Train Will.  I expected to lose this fight, 
but the defenses were not terrible.

Fight 3: Rose of Sharon does the mean thing again... 
M1: 8 attacks (2 crits), 4 parries and 4 hits.  I am a bit discouraged, because I 
didn't need to run a 3 str TP to see that AB's can beat scum. Train Con.

Fight 4: Boozy Soozy (3-1-0) ALE/S LS LU (Not this is what I want to see!!!).
M1: 7 attacks, 6 parries, 1 hit.  M2: 4 attacks, 4 parries.  M3: 8 atttacks, 7 
parries, 1 hit.  M4: 3 attacks, 3 parries, drops from exhaustion. 22 attacks, 20 
parries, 2 hits.  Sweet, except no train. 

Fight 5: Julian (2-3-0) ALE/H LO/HA PR (the most bizarre fight of the bunch). 
M1: 10 attacks (2 crits), 7 parries, 3 hits.  M2: 8 attacks, 2 parries, 1 dodge, and 5 
hits.  M3: 6 attacks, 1 parry, 3 dodges, 2 hits.  M4: 8 attacks, 4 parries, 3 dodges, 
1 hit.  M5: 6 attacks, 2 parries, 3 dodges, 1 hits.  M6: 3 attacks, 1 parry, 2 dodges.  
THEN...  1 attack, Delays is too tired to defend.  This is the first indication of an 
endurance issue.  Not a single tired message before this.  Very strange.  Delays 
parries the next attack.  M7-8: Delays actually attacked once, but it was all Julian.  
Delays loses in 8.  Julian learned 5 skills, so likely a high wit PR that has a 
favorite weapon of LO.  Nice warrior.  41 attacks, 17 parries, 12 dodges, and 12 hits.  
No Train.

Fight 6: Osric (4-3-1) APM/F WH BA.  
M1: 9/7/0/2.  M2: 5/3/0/2.  M3: 6/6/0/0.  M4: 4/2/2/0.  M5: 3(1)/2/0/1. 27 attacks, 20 
parries, 2 dodges, 5 hits.  No Train.

Fight 7: Isham (1-4-0) ALE/L GS BA.
M1: 8/7/0/1.  M2: 4/3/0/1.  M3: 2/2/0/0.  14 attacks, 12 parries, 2 hits Train 
Deftness.
  
Delays, for his last two fights upgrades to LG/LG.
Delays sadly lacks the strength to use this weapon!
Delay's strength is woefully inadequate for his off-hand weapon!

Fight 8: Bladderwrack (7-2-0) ACM/H SH/SM TP.
Delays outlasts (huh?) Bladderwrack in 16 minutes.  Train Deftness.

Fight 9: Crepe Myrtle (3-1-0) N/N WH BA.
M1: 7(1)/6/0/1.  M2: 7/6/0/1.  M3: 7/5/0/2.  M4: 5(1)/3/0/2.  26 attacks, 20 parries, 
6 hits.  Train Con.

All total: Delays saw 162 attacks.  Delays parried 103 of them and dodged 20. Not 
counting Lilac, Delays was 6-1.  Even with Lilac, 6-3.  Even scummed another total 
parry (making rolls is a GOOD thing -- 21 will helps you make those rolls).

My conclusion is that encumbrance has almost zero impact on parry.  I've suspected 
this for a long time.  Others have noted it as well.  This case study supports that 
theory well.  Surprisingly, Delays dodged much better than I would have expected, 
also.  If you can't move because of your armor and weapons, you "shouldn't" be able to 
dodge.  From past experience (and examples), I know that the most measurable impact of 
being overencumbered is on endurance.  And sure enough, Delays had endurance troubles.  
How do I explain Fight #8?  21 will helps you make the rolls to stay standing.

In practice, what this means is that if you are making a scum setup, that can't carry 
much, 7 strength is now a cutoff.  You don't get any parry skills after 7 until 15.  
I'm certainly not suggesting that 7 strength is better for a scum total parry. (The 
17-21-3-3-17-12-11 guy is super fun as a total parry.)  But it does open up some 
strategies that perhaps you wouldn't have thought of before.

                                          -- Assur

                                      SPY REPORT

     Welcome NOBLISH ISLAND.  I, Olaf Modeen remember this place well.  Many the 
fights have I fought here.  The celebrations, the disappointments...  SAY WHAT showed 
NOBLISH ISLAND what they were made of as they fought with a vengeance to walk off 
with 3-1-1.  What's with POTATO?  It actually beat MOUSE HOUSE's MIGHTY MOUSE, and 
walked away with 20 more points from the fight.  Major screwup at MOUSE HOUSE.  
MIGHTY MOUSE lost 17 points to POTATO.  Some new strategies, perhaps?  Maybe MIGHTY 
MOUSE will provide more easy wins...  CONVICTED ASSASSIN was reminded on the sands 
why PROFITEROLE is Duelmaster.  Advice to fighters with a 1 will--give up fighting!   
     Speaking of cowardly avoiders and unfair challenges...  How well I know the 
feeling of being in the most avoided team!  Don't fall out of practive, BASH BROS 
TBALL!  Management must be dealin', as the boys at MY DIET FOOD ain't reelin'!  BASH 
BROS TBALL's mad!  How well I know the feeling of being the most challenged warrior, 
HOFFA!!!!  Don't make idle boasts, they may come back to haunt you.   
     A fighter's lot is filled with strife, revenge, and killing.  Some fighters 
don't accept this.  The best do.  I like to see warriors put young whippersnappers in 
their place.  I guess you could say SAY WHAT'GET OUT did just that.  Right BASH BROS 
TBALL?  CHICKEN SAUSAGE of MY DIET FOOD got 13 points for removing another young 
punk.  Tough luck, BASH BROS TBALL!  How long have I been here?  I got people to see, 
places to go...   
     Who knows what the future holds for a warrior.  More fights, there's no doubt.  
All work and no play makes Olaf a dull fighter.  Work and play no fighter dull Olaf.  
Olaffighterwork and no play.  I don't want to overstay my welcome...-- Olaf Modeen  

DUELMASTER                     W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 PROFITEROLE 11085             7   1  0  82         SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)    

CHAMPIONS                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 GET OUT 11006                 8   1  2  77         SAY WHAT (1880)           

CHALLENGER ADEPTS              W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 TUESDAY 11058                 6   3  1  64         FIVE DAYS (1887)          

ADEPTS                         W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 NOT NOW 11120                 6   2  1  56         SAY WHAT (1880)           
 FRIDAY 11055                  4   5  1  54         FIVE DAYS (1887)          
 SALMON 11022                  5   4  0  52         HUNGER GAMES (1882)       
 MAISEY MOUSE 11020            4   5  0  48         MOUSE HOUSE (1881)        
 POTATO 11124                  4   2  0  46         MY DIET FOOD (1900)       
 WHAT? 11007                   5   4  1  43         SAY WHAT (1880)           
 CANNOLI 11086                 6   2  0  42         SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)    
 SNACK DUTY 11115              5   2  0  40         BASH BROS TBALL (1899)    
 MINI MOUSE 11015              4   5  0  40         MOUSE HOUSE (1881)        
 MICKEY MOUSE 11019            5   4  1  38         MOUSE HOUSE (1881)        
 RE-HOUSED MOUSE 11016         5   4  0  37         MOUSE HOUSE (1881)        

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 MUD PIE 11087                 5   3  0  33         SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)    
 CHICKEN SAUSAGE 11127         4   2  1  33         MY DIET FOOD (1900)       
 HOFFA!!! 11008                3   6  0  29         SAY WHAT (1880)           
 MIGHTY MOUSE 11014            5   4  0  25         MOUSE HOUSE (1881)        
 CREAM PUFF 11089              4   4  1  25         SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)    

CHALLENGER INITIATES           W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
-PORKY 11134                   3   1  0  25         BANGERS & MASH (1901)     

INITIATES                      W   L  K POINTS      TEAM NAME                  
 CHUPACAPYBARA 11105           4   1  0  23         AGONY OF D'FEET (1897)    
-EYE SCREAM 11130              3   1  0  21         BANGERS & MASH (1901)     
 SALAD 11125                   4   2  0  20         MY DIET FOOD (1900)       
 PIGSQUATCH 11109              2   3  0  18         AGONY OF D'FEET (1897)    
 HARD BOILED EGG 11128         4   1  0  16         MY DIET FOOD (1900)       
 DIET MT. DEW 11126            3   3  0  16         MY DIET FOOD (1900)       
-XENA 11133                    2   2  0  15         BANGERS & MASH (1901)     
 TOO COLD 11118                3   4  0  13         BASH BROS TBALL (1899)    
 COOKIE DOUGH 11136            2   2  0  13         SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)    
 BORED KIDS 11137              2   0  0  12         BASH BROS TBALL (1899)    
 PIGBAG 11106                  2   3  0   9         AGONY OF D'FEET (1897)    
-GIBRALTER 11132               1   3  1   7         BANGERS & MASH (1901)     
 KEBAB ROSS 11108              1   4  0   7         AGONY OF D'FEET (1897)    
-WALTER 11131                  1   3  0   6         BANGERS & MASH (1901)     
 PIGTOOTH 11107                0   5  0   5         AGONY OF D'FEET (1897)    
-SIGMUND 10929                 0   2  0   2         PLASTIC BOYS (1866)       
-KELTHAN 1128                  0   1  0   1         XXX (205)                 

'-' denotes a warrior who did not fight this turn.

THE DEAD                W  L K TEAM NAME            SLAIN BY              TURN Revenge?
BAD COACH 11117         6  1 0 BASH BROS TBALL 1899 GET OUT 11006         639   
COMPETITIVE DAD 11119   0  5 0 BASH BROS TBALL 1899 GIBRALTER 11132       637   
WINDY 11116             4  3 0 BASH BROS TBALL 1899 CHICKEN SAUSAGE 11127 639   
BRISKET 11027           2  5 0 HUNGER GAMES 1882    MICKEY MOUSE 11019    637   
TEXAS TWINKIE 11024     3  3 1 HUNGER GAMES 1882    GET OUT 11006         636   
NO 11011                1  4 0 SAY WHAT 1880        FRIDAY 11055          635  NOT REVENGED

                                     PERSONAL ADS

A salute to Profiterole, Duelmaster. -- The Thin Man

I have no idea why Hard Boiled Egg did not fight last round. None. Coulda been my 
fault for not sending a strategy? Don't think so. Coulda been an inaccurate or 
somewhat illegible ID number? Don't think so. But this does bring out the warning -- 
make sure your strategies are complete, accurate, and legible. Do it!
Probable reasons why Hard boiled Egg did not fight:
  1. RSI wizardettes don't like hard boiled eggs.
  2. Assur hacked in and shut down Hard Boiled Egg whom he fears greatly.
  3. H. Egg decided to play hooky. (Never trust an egg, but us eggheads are o.k.)
  4. The strategy sheet was misplaced by someone with a milk shake in each hand.
  5. Leprechauns were at work.
  6. The dog ate it. (Not MY dog!)
          -- The Thin Man

Assur, nice turn, you Meanie. -- The Thin Man

Hoffa! You are mine. -- Salad (no meat for you, Bud)

Gibralter, The Commission's portrayal of our fight as "crowd pleasing 1 minute 
gruesome one-sided duel" was unfair for you. Why, you are a famous rock! -- Potato (Am 
I from Idaho)

Xena, what the heck, that was my line! -- Diet Mt. Dew

Windy, I hope a fan blows away all your boss's papers at the next Face! -- Chicken 
Sausage

Health. Humility. Honor. -- The Thin Man (quoting The Consortium motto)

                                  LAST WEEK'S FIGHTS

CREAM PUFF was devastated by MAISEY MOUSE in a 1 minute mismatched Challenge fight.
DIET MT. DEW unbelievably bested TOO COLD in a 6 minute Challenge battle.
MUD PIE savagely defeated HOFFA!!! in a crowd pleasing 4 minute bloody Challenge duel.
PROFITEROLE overpowered CONVICTED ASSASSIN in a 1 minute one-sided Title fight.
GET OUT viciously butchered BAD COACH in a crowd pleasing 1 minute brutal fight.
TUESDAY devastated RE-HOUSED MOUSE in a 1 minute gruesome one-sided competition.
SALAD was vanquished by WHAT? in a 1 minute uneven duel.
NOT NOW won victory over CANNOLI in a 2 minute gruesome fight.
MIGHTY MOUSE was vanquished by POTATO in a exciting 1 minute one-sided fight.
MICKEY MOUSE was handily defeated by FRIDAY in a 1 minute one-sided bout.
SNACK DUTY was subdued by SALMON in a 2 minute match.
HARD BOILED EGG was devastated by MINI MOUSE in a 1 minute mismatched conflict.
WINDY was murdered by CHICKEN SAUSAGE in a 1 minute mismatched match.
PIGSQUATCH narrowly defeated EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 2 minute amateur's conflict.
KEBAB ROSS was defeated by EMBEZZLING SCRIBE in a 1 minute novice's duel.
PIGTOOTH was bested by COOKIE DOUGH in a 2 minute beginner's duel.
PIGBAG was outlasted by BORED KIDS in a unpopular 18 minute gory amateur's brawl.
CHUPACAPYBARA overpowered CONVICTED THIEF in a 1 minute one-sided match.

                                    BATTLE REPORT

             MOST POPULAR                        RECORD DURING THE LAST 10 TURNS     
|FIGHTING STYLE               FIGHTS        FIGHTING STYLE     W -   L -  K   PERCENT|
|LUNGING ATTACK                   9         SLASHING ATTACK   24 -  11 -  3      69  |
|BASHING ATTACK                   4         TOTAL PARRY       17 -  13 -  0      57  |
|STRIKING ATTACK                  4         LUNGING ATTACK    42 -  36 -  2      54  |
|SLASHING ATTACK                  3         WALL OF STEEL     16 -  15 -  1      52  |
|TOTAL PARRY                      3         PARRY-LUNGE        4 -   4 -  0      50  |
|AIMED BLOW                       3         STRIKING ATTACK   24 -  24 -  1      50  |
|WALL OF STEEL                    3         BASHING ATTACK    23 -  24 -  3      49  |
|PARRY-RIPOSTE                    2         AIMED BLOW        18 -  20 -  2      47  |
|PARRY-LUNGE                      1         PARRY-RIPOSTE      6 -  11 -  0      35  |
|PARRY-STRIKE                     0         PARRY-STRIKE       1 -   3 -  0      25  |

Turn 639 was great if you     Not so great if you used      The fighting styles of the
used the fighting styles:     the fighting styles:          top eleven warriors are:

PARRY-LUNGE        1 -  0     LUNGING ATTACK     4 -  5         5  SLASHING ATTACK
SLASHING ATTACK    3 -  0     AIMED BLOW         1 -  2         3  STRIKING ATTACK
BASHING ATTACK     3 -  1     WALL OF STEEL      1 -  2         2  AIMED BLOW     
TOTAL PARRY        2 -  1     PARRY-STRIKE       0 -  0         1  BASHING ATTACK 
STRIKING ATTACK    2 -  2     PARRY-RIPOSTE      0 -  2     

                               TOP WARRIOR OF EACH STYLE

FIGHTING STYLE   WARRIOR                     W   L  K PNTS TEAM NAME                  
SLASHING ATTACK  PROFITEROLE 11085           7   1  0   82 SIMPLY DESSERTS (1893)
STRIKING ATTACK  TUESDAY 11058               6   3  1   64 FIVE DAYS (1887)
LUNGING ATTACK   SALMON 11022                5   4  0   52 HUNGER GAMES (1882)
BASHING ATTACK   MICKEY MOUSE 11019          5   4  1   38 MOUSE HOUSE (1881)
Note: Warriors have a winning record and are an Adept or Above.

The overall popularity leader is SALMON 11022.  The most popular warrior this turn 
was MUD PIE 11087.  The ten other most popular fighters were TOO COLD 11118, NOT NOW 
11120, POTATO 11124, PROFITEROLE 11085, GET OUT 11006, SNACK DUTY 11115, SALMON 
11022, MINI MOUSE 11015, MAISEY MOUSE 11020, and TUESDAY 11058.

The least popular fighter this week was BORED KIDS 11137.  The other ten least 
popular fighters were PIGBAG 11106, PIGTOOTH 11107, KEBAB ROSS 11108, WINDY 11116, 
HARD BOILED EGG 11128, SALAD 11125, RE-HOUSED MOUSE 11016, HOFFA!!! 11008, DIET MT. 
DEW 11126, and CREAM PUFF 11089.