GM Mike's Group 07 - Forest Lake

All about the online version of classic WOK games.

Moderators: Duke, trewqh, korexus

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Hannibal
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Post by Hannibal » Fri Dec 08, 2006 1:34 pm

Hi. Just to correct an impression that trewqh might accidentally have given...

By "Even with players agreeing on a deadline", he didn't mean a deadline to hurry things along; he really meant allowing each other a very LONG deadline. Basically there IS no "deadline" in DUEL; ... ie. take as long as you want.... the Turn won't run till both players have put in orders ... none of that last-hour-panic-order-submitting. After all, in a 2-player game, it's a bit pointless to win by default rather than play, and there are no VP's to covet.

So DUEL is the least time-pressured game in WOK. Each player understands that the other didn't want to rush his orders to some deadline or other.
There are two ways to write: Short-hand, and Long-Han'ed. ~ Han

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs"......... it's probably just that you're the last person to appreciate the enormity of the catastrophe about to

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Hannibal
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Post by Hannibal » Fri Dec 08, 2006 1:36 pm

But trewqh is right to imply that it requires some big chunks of time and concentration; it is a real brain-burner every turn, given all the options you have!

Once a turn runs, it takes me a full 30-40 minutes to go through my 3 Turn Reports for my 3 colours. But it's an exciting 30 mins of high-adrenalin, how-did-my-orders-pan-out, what-did-I-run-into, what-did-my-opponent-do.

Next day or so, I'll run off a copy of the new map, and scribble all over it what my 3 colours have where, what I've spied that my opponent has where, and where I think his 3 colours have their main force, etc. And the OOP. And where the Roboplayers are headed next turn and the turn after... Oh, and which of MY colours is currently napped with which of HIS colours, so that I don't waste orders trying to attack or bomb or spy on an enemy colour that I'm not allowed to yet.

Then comes some planning and deciding. Can I take a Robo's province after he's attacked out but before he moves armies back to defend? What did my opponent do with his 3 colours, and what do I think he's planning to do next? What is the OOP? How can I co-ordinate my 3 colours? Maybe one bombs then the other attacks, maybe one attacks to weaken him then the other attacks ... maybe one of my colours goes to mess up HIS plans while another of my colours is concentrating on Neutrals to build up max power for later ... Maybe I can make use of my "A" colour being napped with his "A" colour, and quickly build a screen to cut off his "A" from my "C" ....

You can probably see that when you are in charge of THREE colours (and so is your opponent), your thinking and options are MORE than 3 times as great, because of inter-linked possibilities. Add to that the issue of avoiding or exploiting the Robos, and working around the aspect of your colours being napped with his (A to A, B to B, C to C), and you've got a rich mix of tactics and strategy...and the biggest determinator IMHO is double-guessing your opponent and exploiting accordingly!

AND THEN ... I gotta put in some orders! It can take me an hour or two to devise orders for all 3 of my colours, considering lots of interlinked options, crossing out for a new idea (hey, if I left prov XX for my Browns, I could use my Reds to ......etc.). Two hours can fly by, rather than maybe 30 minutes if you were playing a standard game with relatively limited options to consider for just one measly colour!

Oh, and then 30 minutes instead of 10 to actually SUBMIT the orders through the SAOF online, alert the GM and taunt the opponent...

ADDING IT UP, that requires about 3-4 hours of my time for each turn (more if I'm enjoying the agonising). But it's fun time! Heck, I regularly spend 5-6 hours in one session playing face-to-face AGOT, or Imperial, or Antike, or Kremlin, or Railroad Tycoon or so.

DUEL is no place for "It's half an hour to deadline, must throw in some orders". You just can't throw in orders for 3 colours, Duel rules, in 10-20 minutes before the deadline. SO THERE IS NO DEADLINE!. No rushed orders.

So, DUEL takes maybe 3-5 enjoyable hours per turn. But two things about that:
1) There is zero diplomacy, since there are but two of you, and naps are automatic and not extendable, so that takes no time, and no need to wait for replies.

2) DUEL lasts fewer turns! No Sleeping. There is action from Turn 1. I reckon that generally the winner will be obvious by Turn 5 or 6 (otherwise it's a great close game all the way, even better).

I've only played one-and-a-half games, and GM'd one-and-a-half games. Anyone want to challenge me before I get the hang of it? Or put out a challenge for others. Or even contact an old ally/adversary and try it together?
There are two ways to write: Short-hand, and Long-Han'ed. ~ Han

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs"......... it's probably just that you're the last person to appreciate the enormity of the catastrophe about to

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Post by korexus » Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:21 pm

Speaking of which, are you ready for the next duel turn to run? I see you've entered orders, but have no mail to confirm that they're finalised...


Chris.
With Great Power comes Great Irritability

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Hannibal
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Post by Hannibal » Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:33 pm

korexus wrote:Speaking of which, are you ready for the next duel turn to run? I see you've entered orders, but have no mail to confirm that they're finalised...


Chris.
What? You mailed me on Wed 6 to say EE's orders were in. So I got my orders in the next day and mailed you:

Bob Roscow to Korexus
show details Dec 7 (2 days ago)

My orders are in. Roll that turn!


You didn't get that mail on Thur? My new gmail account failing me?

Anyway, I left it two days patiently, then mailed you a WASSUP? this morning. Some time later I get this morning's pm from you asking whether I was maybe ready for the turn to run yet? WHAT?! You were online at the time so I both mailed and pm'ed with YESSSS! PRESS THE D**N BUTTON! Clear enough? Mail, pm and forum: PRESS IT!! :wink:
There are two ways to write: Short-hand, and Long-Han'ed. ~ Han

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs"......... it's probably just that you're the last person to appreciate the enormity of the catastrophe about to

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korexus
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Post by korexus » Sat Dec 09, 2006 2:50 pm

I received none of those mails. What address did you sen them to?!

Running turn now.

Chris.
With Great Power comes Great Irritability

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Hannibal
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Post by Hannibal » Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:10 pm

I posted them to korexus@throneroom.GodsOfWok.com Where else!

Han
There are two ways to write: Short-hand, and Long-Han'ed. ~ Han

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs"......... it's probably just that you're the last person to appreciate the enormity of the catastrophe about to

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Hannibal
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Post by Hannibal » Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:37 pm

Hannibal wrote:
You didn't get that mail on Thur? My new gmail account failing me?
Aha! I just checked. It WAS failing me. Or, rather, I was failing it. A typo in my writing of yr e-mail address over to my gmail address-book. I thought it would have noticeably bounced and warned me of no such address?

Drat! Double drat!! Hey, that means you were spared that really long mail I sent ....Don't worry, I'll just add to it and send it again!

Tcha. My bad. Sorry. :wink:
There are two ways to write: Short-hand, and Long-Han'ed. ~ Han

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs"......... it's probably just that you're the last person to appreciate the enormity of the catastrophe about to

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