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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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 Posted: 26-Feb-2006 22:02 Post subject: A thought from TotalCon... |
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...I'm amazed at the number of people that don't know even the basics of the rules and call themselves "experienced".
If I hear "they must have changed it" about a rule that's been the same since the first printing of this game I'm going to lose it.
Pics and stories tomorrow.
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Col. Dwight Chandra
Lewis' Executioners
C.O., Alpha Co.
Joined: 15-Aug-2002 00:00
Posts: 170
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2006 09:40 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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As long as the "gripe line" is open, may as well chuck-in my $0.02...
I'm always amazed when someone spends 10 minutes agonizing over how to move a battlemech. Chihawk's advice from a couple years back frequently applies: "sometimes your best option is not a good option --but it's still your best option."
Horhiro, I am liking your turn-clock idea more and more.
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2006 10:15 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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First off, thanks for reminding me I had to change my .sig. 
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On 2006-02-27 09:40, Col. Dwight Chandra wrote:
I'm always amazed when someone spends 10 minutes agonizing over how to move a battlemech. Chihawk's advice from a couple years back frequently applies: "sometimes your best option is not a good option --but it's still your best option."
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"Sometimes your best option still sucks" is the latest version.
I was shocked at how slow some of those guys moved...I was also shocked at how quickly others did without really looking at what they were doing.
Case in point...in one of Chandra's games using the miniature rules I had a lance (stock Shadow Hawk, Jenner, Locust, Javelin) vs infantry, jump infantry, and a few vehicles. I quickly saw that I could not prevent my opponent from achieving a couple of his victory conditions, so I simply decided to kill as much infantry as I could.
So I used the Shadow Hawk and Jenner to drive the jump infantry away (killing some of it as I "gave chase") and then turned off to attack the regular infantry that I pinned down in the woods with the Locust and Javelin.
From that point I made sure the easiest mech to hit was the Shadow Hawk (because it had the most armor) and my opponent blindly shot at it every turn despite only needing 1 worse to hit vs either the Locust or Javelin--mechs he could have easily killed if he simply shot at them.
The fact he figured his to-hits using a calculator was very amusing. 
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Horhiro, I am liking your turn-clock idea more and more.
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That will be a "must" next year I think.
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Raven!
Clan Snow Raven
Galaxy Commander
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1326
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2006 10:49 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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I played a game once where the opponent (this was in high school) took an hour to move. AN HOUR. I was like "This game is over. I claim victory cause as your commander sat in indecision my assassination squad broke in and shot him." I was furious. I had only a small amount of time and he wasted it! God I hate people who move slowly.
When it isn't your turn consider your next turn: IT IS NOT THAT HARD.
As to calculators, I'm doing that cause I can't keep the damn numbers straight in my head. A calculator or someone telling me what it is (who is neutral) is a big benefit.
Raven!
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2006 11:00 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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On 2006-02-27 10:49, Raven! wrote:
I played a game once where the opponent (this was in high school) took an hour to move. AN HOUR. I was like "This game is over. I claim victory cause as your commander sat in indecision my assassination squad broke in and shot him." I was furious. I had only a small amount of time and he wasted it! God I hate people who move slowly.
When it isn't your turn consider your next turn: IT IS NOT THAT HARD.
As to calculators, I'm doing that cause I can't keep the damn numbers straight in my head. A calculator or someone telling me what it is (who is neutral) is a big benefit.
Raven!
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An hour?
After a couple minutes I'd have told him it was no longer his turn anymore...
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Horhiro
Draconis Combine
Samurai
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1625
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2006 13:11 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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Timing movement is a must at conventions. First off people are not only playing the event but they're trying to catch up with other players that they may not have seen in a year. The game can get bogged down very easily. Most of the time playing is going to get chewed up during fire resolution, so I make it a point to keep movement and declaration times to a minimum. That is why I also do a secret fire declaration. After the movement phase, each player had 3 minutes to write down on the back of each of his mechsheets :what ,and at who they were firing. If duing resolution their target was destroyed before they had a chance to fire...tough, c'est la guerre!
In my first event we had 12 players with a total of 53 Battlemechs. We got 7 full turns in in just 3 hrs and 45 min! There was 28 destroyed mechs at the end. The movement phase for each turn only lasted 8-10 minutes, yes that is correct, 8-10 minutes to move 53 mechs. How do you like them apples?
Only on my last event on Sunday did I not use the clock. It was because we had 7 very experienced players (well, maybe 6). I ran 4 mechs as did 2 other players, and the other 4 players ran 2 mechs each. We got in 8 Turns plus a movement phase in turn 9 all in a 4 hour slot. Plenty of time to achieve mission objectives.
[ This Message was edited by: Horhiro on 2006-02-27 13:17 ]
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CSS_Herod
Free Worlds League
Private, First Class
Joined: 24-Dec-2002 00:00
Posts: 30
Location: United States
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| Posted: 02-Mar-2006 14:01 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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Let me hijack this thread to say hello, and say I had a great time again at Total Con again this year.
Great seeing everyone - wish I could have stayed through Sunday.
Who won the BT Championship on Sunday anyway?
Herod aka John
[ This Message was edited by: CSS_Herod on 2006-03-02 14:01 ]
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ICER
Clan Hell's Horses
Galaxy Commander
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1663
Location: United States
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| Posted: 02-Mar-2006 14:12 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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I have seriuosly have got to try and make it up there one year.
I love that saying "sometimes even your best option...still sucks" it's a great way to think about life as well.
I have banned players who sit for 20 mintues trying to find a mech that will give them the edge over he other players...then take an average of 15 - 20 mintues to move, again. to try and find the edge. at that point I show them the edge of my foot up their everloving...well you know
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Horhiro
Draconis Combine
Samurai
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1625
Location: United States
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| Posted: 02-Mar-2006 20:06 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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On 2006-03-02 14:01, CSS_Herod wrote:
Let me hijack this thread to say hello, and say I had a great time again at Total Con again this year.
Great seeing everyone - wish I could have stayed through Sunday.
Who won the BT Championship on Sunday anyway?
Herod aka John
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Lets just say it WASN'T MORDEL!!!!
Actually it was Nathan who beat my brother Tommy in the finals. Nice job Nate!
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Mordel
Mordel.Net
Administrator
Joined: 03-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 6061
Location: United States
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| Posted: 03-Mar-2006 13:45 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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Lets just say it WASN'T MORDEL!!!!
Actually it was Nathan who beat my brother Tommy in the finals. Nice job Nate!
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I was so look forwarding to ousting both brothers from the tournament. Just goes to show you that when you roll 7 a lot, good things happen. 
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 03-Mar-2006 14:04 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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On 2006-03-02 14:01, CSS_Herod wrote:
Let me hijack this thread to say hello, and say I had a great time again at Total Con again this year.
Great seeing everyone - wish I could have stayed through Sunday.
Who won the BT Championship on Sunday anyway?
Herod aka John
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You have to make sure you get to stay for Sunday next year... 
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 03-Mar-2006 14:07 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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On 2006-03-02 14:12, ICER wrote:
I have seriuosly have got to try and make it up there one year.
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You will not be disappointed if you come...
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Nightmare
Lyran Alliance
Kommandant-General
Joined: 03-May-2002 00:00
Posts: 2214
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| Posted: 03-Mar-2006 14:11 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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On 2006-02-27 10:49, Raven! wrote:
When it isn't your turn consider your next turn: IT IS NOT THAT HARD.
As to calculators, I'm doing that cause I can't keep the damn numbers straight in my head. A calculator or someone telling me what it is (who is neutral) is a big benefit.
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Some people just can't think about their next turn until their opponent has finished moving. That's why I really liked GW's old Space Hulk board game. The Marine player had exactly so much time to move, depending on if his Sergeants and/or Captain was still alive. What would be so hard about having a similar thing in Btech?
And don't mention the cursed calculators! Modifying to-hit rolls is confusing at times, but we've one guy in our gaming group who can't even do straight addition without one! Last time we played D&D he used a calculator to figure out the result on his to-hit rolls. 
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Stinger
The Knights of Chaos
General
Joined: 30-Apr-2002 00:00
Posts: 1833
Location: United States
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| Posted: 03-Mar-2006 18:34 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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(slight thread derail follows).
Where is Total Con at anyway? And does it take place at the same time every year?
Just wondering because I was thinking I may try and go next year (and I need to start planning now so I have the time off, money and the ball and chains permission).
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Stinger
If it's "creepy" to use the Internet, military satellites, and robot aircraft to find a house full of gorgeous young models so I can drop in on them unexpected, then FINE, I'm "creepy". Howard Wolowitz. BBT.
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 03-Mar-2006 19:56 Post subject: RE: A thought from TotalCon... |
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On 2006-03-03 18:34, Stinger wrote:
(slight thread derail follows).
Where is Total Con at anyway? And does it take place at the same time every year?
Just wondering because I was thinking I may try and go next year (and I need to start planning now so I have the time off, money and the ball and chains permission).
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Mansfield, MA...and it's held the Thursday to Sunday after President's Day.
http://www.totalcon.com
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