Tournament One

This is where to continue the discussion we were having on the blog about the when, how, and what of Tournament Number One. I'll copy here what was posted originally on the blog:

To get us going as soon as possible, I propose that we, the Gettysburg Group, start a tournament using the SOW:Gettysburg program. Here is my suggested tournament format, together with some suggested House Rules. The Tournament idea, the Format and the House Rules are all subject to change. Today being 2 February 2012, I ask each interested player – whether a member of the Gettysburg Group or not – to ‘sign up’ for this first tournament by commenting after this post. If at least seven other people are interested, then we shall have a tournament.



Why seven? The tournament will be between teams of four players so seven signing up plus myself equals eight which is to say two Teams of four players each. The Teams will play four Division-level Sandbox Scenarios (or Four Rounds) all players against the AI. The Division will be made up of two Infantry Brigades of three regiments each and one Cavalry Brigade of two regiments each. That gives a command position for each of the team. The first and second Scenario will be identical – or as near as one can make in the Sandbox! – except that in the first the players will all be Confederates and in the second they will all be Union. The third and fourth will be a different Scenario but once again, in the third, they players will all be Confederates and in the fourth, all will be Union. At the end of each battle, as you know, a victory screen appears in the form of a faux newspaper of the Civil War era. There is a second screen with more details including points awarded. Each player will be required to take a screen shot of that detailed point screen and email it to me. (I shall be acting as Tournament Coordinator and assure you all that I shall be the soul of fairness.) The Teams will be allowed one week to complete each Round. Thereafter, I will post the points for each Team here in a Tournament box on the right hand side of this column. After the Tournament is completed, the winning team will be posted there as well. Bragging rights are all very well and good, but I shall think up some sort of digital prize or somefink of the sort for the members of the winning team in addition. Those who wish to play but who disagree with one or more of the items in the Tournament Format – which is what you’ve just finished reading – or wish to point out something I have overlooked or gotten wrong – please comment with those disagreements as well as your willingness to participate.

Here are the proposed Tournament (House) Rules:

1. Team Speak is not to be used for scouting reports as the Cavalry CO’s will send couriers with that information.
   
2. Commanders are not to be used for scouting; that’s the cavalry’s job.
   
3. To avoid the courier bug that seems to be plaguing us, do not use couriers to our subordinate units, but rather click on the icons instead and use couriers only between the players which seems to not be causing the program to crash.
   

Those who want to play but who have objections or qualifications or reservations about the proposed Tournament (House) Rules, please please don’t just say “Well, that’s bullocks! I’m not going to play!” Please comment with your objections, etc and if most people object or agree upon other Rules, we’ll use them instead. I hope to have the Tournament begin 17 February and be completed by 16 March 2012. I also hope to have as many as four Teams ‘sign up’.

Continue with the discussions. With the breakthrough in having our MP battles start in the MP Lobby rather than via Hamachi, we may find it easier to use the Lobby. One less bit of routine to remember, for me, at least.

Here is the current list of players for Tournament One:

Ike – (AS_Johnston in SOW)

Jeff – (Blaugrana in SOW)

Martin

Genty

Digby

Pee Dee

WSH Baylor – (Baylor in SOW)

CoB4thTEXAS.

I'll update this list as more folks join up.

Admin wrote:With the breakthrough in having our MP battles start
in the MP Lobby rather than via Hamachi, we may find it easier to use
the Lobby. One less bit of routine to remember, for me, at least.

Hi Ike,

I think only some people are able to host without Hamachi (those who have wrestled with port-forwarding on their PCs, and won). I imagine Hamachi will remain a necessary option for establishing a link between PCs.

HTH,

Blaugrana

Probably right, sir. So we ought to retain the capability to use Hamachi when it is required by the folks' who are hosting the battles.

Well after a few technical hiccups I got my login working. Thanks, Ike.

I've never tried hosting a game of SoW and don't pan to during this bad/cold weather as I'm sure it affects my internet in this rural area via the phone lines but when my connection settles back down again I'll give it a go.

As to the tournament I'll give it a go though fighting vs the AI is not my preference.

Glad to see you, Digby! As far as fighting the AI is concerned, in response to folks' remarks, my format is changed. We'll have a Corps CO and three infantry Division CO's on each side. That is the simpliest way to organize the tourney. Then, after that first battle, we'll have a second on the same map and same OOB but change sides. The team which scores the highest points according to the final screen after the battle will be the winner.

This tournament is intended as a live test of everyone's ability to connect and my ability to host; I shall ask another to host the replay with sides reversed.

Once we have suceeded with this introduction, we can schedule a battle once a week setting up the Sandbox Scenario to match the number of players on each side. Just divide the number present by two and invite them to choose a side. With each player taking a division command, we can thereby have a Corps level battle each week, over various terrain with different folks hosting .. keep in mind: no one is forced to host. We can introduce cavalry commands during these 'weeklies' and see how that plays out in terms of enjoyment and 'realism'. I don't expect nor want to repeat history, only to see how close we can reproduce the conditions under which the corps and division (and brigade) commanders had to lead their formations.

Also after this introductory tourney, we can begin planning how we want the campaign to be played: maps, operational-level rule (campaign), size of the campaign (Army or Corps), shall the players sign for to fight for one side and must they remain throughout the campaign ... all of those and more I'm sure.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of things we can do or ought to do or will do, just ideas to get us fighting battles amongst ourselves frequently, as frequently as we can without losing our jobs, alienating our spouses and allowing our children to forget what we look like. Nor do I believe myself to be the Supreme Autocrat. Everyone is encouraged to post their thoughts and ideas and if possible we'll try each one out and see if we like it. Many ideas can be introduced as a regular feature; e.g., once a week division-level battles for those who prefer to lead brigades.

Right, then! It has devolved upon me to split up the eight players into two teams of four. So, in no particular order, here are the teams:

Team One

• Ike
  
• Martin
  
• Digby
  
• Baylor
  

Team Two

• Blaugrana (aka Jeff)
  
• Gentry
  
• Pee Dee
  
• CoB4thTEXAS
  

Now I shall create a small private forum for each team and grant access only to those on each team ... well, except for me as I'm the forum admin, but I promise not to read anything in Team Two's private forum.

Here are the Tournament House Rules, in no particular order:

1. Team Speak is not to be used for scouting reports as the CO’s will send couriers with that information.
   
2. Commanders are not to be used for scouting; that’s the line units' jobs.
   
3. To avoid the courier bug that seems to be plaguing us, do not use couriers to our subordinate units, but rather click on the icons instead and use couriers only between the players which seems to not be causing the program to crash.
   

It appears that I've been pushing too hard and so the tournament will be postponed until more interest is expressed in it.

Just set a date and time and i'm there.

I appreciate thatCoB4thTEXAS and I'll be sure to let everyone know.