A day in "ROOKDOM"

[Grimm]

Originally posted by humble
was just JB73 in town in GV...amazingly rooks out of woodwork as soon as I hit cap

Hey,  I saw ya there Humble  

It was pretty impressive how quickly guys reacted.  

Your right about "My side is better than yours"  Thats not really true,  each country is populated by many fine people.   Nobody is Better.   Each Country may have a flavor,  Rooks seem to have alot of interaction between members of other Rook squads.   communication is really open.   It happens to fit for a bunch of people.   It doesnt make Rooks better,  its just our flavor.

[GScholz]

Ah, the good old days. I joined the Rooks immediately after subscribing seeing how they were always outnumbered. I though that they could use another pilot, and that it would be better with a target rich environment ... well at least I was right about the Rooks needing pilots . I remember one of my first great "experiences" flying for Rooks, I had probably not been playing for more than a month, and was lonewolfing in a Dora.

One of our bases was taking the full brunt of the Bish steamroller and I thought it might be a good idea to run interference. I climbed to 25K (perhaps now you Knits and Bish understand why Rooks are altmonkeys, we learned the hard way that alt is life) and flew over to the Bish base being used as staging point for the steamroller. Once there I attacked the 20 or so Bish that were constantly in the process of upping and climbing towards our base. I managed to cherry pick a few unobservant pilots, and forced some others to jettison their ord.

After a while I had 10+ angry Bish circling and climbing to get this pesky Dora that was buzzing over their airfield making poor half-assed gun passes on their steamroller effort. I had come to the point where all I could do was spiral climb, I was totally defensive and was trying to plan my escape when I suddenly heard a voice on vox.

"Hang in there GS, we're almost there!"

Having those 10+ Bish on my six and disrupting their operations had allowed the Rooks to break the siege and were now pushing the Bish back to their own base. 15 minutes later a Rook goon dropped troops on their flattened town and I landed my first multi kill sortie in AH. I was so proud.

I miss that time. I'm a Rook and proud of it.

[Widewing]

Originally posted by Karnak
There were constant updates on where the enemy was, what he was

Yeah, but Check 6s don't really count as enemy position reports...




My regards,

Widewing

[68DevilM]

Originally posted by Zazen13
Yup, I noticed the same thing in reverse. I fly Rooks, but also fly Knights occassionally. It's really weird being on Knights after flying for Rooks. Noone says anything, nobody is typing any information on country or range channel. There's almost no communication whatsoever. I'm Rooks because of all my long-time friends are on Rooks. But, I'd want to be Rooks anyways, numbers or not. You just can't put a price on great teamwork, mutual support and communication, it has a pronounced 'amplification' effect on everyone's performance.

Just the other night I was Knights, helping against a Bishop CV attack. It was me and about 7 Knights, 40dogmaw and some others I recognized. I was doing like I do on Rooks, clearing 6's, calling out new contacts and enemy moves. No one says anything, no one types anything. I begin to wonder if my vox is porked, I ask on range channel if my vox is working. I get the reply, "Nope we hear you fine". I ask, "You guys don't talk much do ya?". The reply, "No, we're just listening to you, thanks for all the information".  Anyways to make a long story short, we made short work of the Bishop's attack, and as is their trademark they quit, with their CV still intact to go fly greener pastures.

I think so many people have never been on Rooks, they are not even sure what good teamwork is. It never occurred to those Knights I was with to communicate, although they appreciated the effect my communication had on our overall success. When Slapshot speaks of Rook comraderie, this communication factor is a HUGE part of that. Why the other countries haven't picked up on that and emulated it to some degree is beyond my comprehension. Surely, those that complain about Rooks, "Coming out of the woodwork" and even Rooks gang-banging must realize this all happens do in great part to the fact we are always communicating, we are always telling each other where we are, where the enemy is (heading, alt and vector) and other basic combat information on range, country and vox.



Zazen

i always am yappin either on range, team , or texts , both country and 200, and i notice too the lack of comunication, theres only a few players that will come help when i call out an attack on the 1mc....

pilots like us should start our own country, lol nobody would stop us:aok

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Originally posted by Widewing
Yeah, but Check 6s don't really count as enemy position reports...




My regards,

Widewing

Classic.

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Originally posted by humble
I didn't mean this post as a "one side is better" deal. As someone who never actually flew for "another team" I was suprised that I could TELL I was on a different side so quickly. Regardless of the numbers issue their is something to be said for the Rook "team chemistry". Today Rooks were still not highest # so I stayed since I could only fly 1 hop or two....happened to up at A25 (Was under attack)...got up in an la-5, was able to tool around helping out till i got down to bingo fuel..got killed trying to land. Another vulchee deal on relaunch so took a 38 out of A42...was just JB73 in town in GV...amazingly rooks out of woodwork as soon as I hit cap (along with a few others and base cleared in 5 min)...again faster better quicker than I'm used to as a knight. I will always be a "knight" but that doesnt mean you dont give credit to the other guys for doing things right.

I know what you meant, and I enjoyed flying with you.

I'm not saying Rooks are better either.

I wouldn't want them to be. Equal countries make better fights and better wars.

You are not alone in what you are saying either.

You know Hitech says that a check of accounts shows the difference between the countries to be in single digit percentage points, yet the Rooks seem to have more people flying more often. Is what you describe the reason (or perhaps COULD what you describe be the reason)? And if it is, why can't the same happen for the Bishops and the Knights?

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Originally posted by JB66
Hey 73!!

IMHO I think the reason Rooks communicate goes back to the days when the rooks were the whipping boy.  One of the main reasons the JB's moved to rooks is the level of communication the Rooks demonstrated.  It was right after a Rook reset several years ago when the Rooks had the lowest numbers, but through team work the Rooks were able to overcome being the underdogs.

One thing I've noticed is the established Rook squads even on squad nights, will let the stragglers and smaller squads fly with them, treating them as squadmates for the most part.

RJO is just another way the Rooks organized.  It was done to show numbers on one planned night so that we could open a can of whoop a**.

Oh absolutely.

Like the JB's, a squad I have a great deal of admiration for, in the 327th, we always try to include loners and other squads in our runs, squad night or not. We have several guys that just live to create a mission.

Something I noticed about that. Squads that do that never have "recruiting" in their name, nor do they have recruiting posts. They don't NEED to. Being very friendly and including others along with co-operation seems to draw new members constantly. We pick up new people every month. And we always have people asking if they can fly with us and join on the squad channel.

[BUG_EAF322]

Oh we are so extreme unbelievable totally tubular good.

we love ourselfs and everything else sux.

i admire us

where just to good.

[VolsCAF]

Clearly all that cooperation is causing problems for the majority of players. We need to find ways to cooperate that don't piss them off.

Wish there was a way to make the game work for both the cooperative player and the individual player without taking too much away from either or to get some kind of leadership going in each country that coordinates and builds teamwork so that the competition becomes more balanced.

Hope in the end we can all make that work before too much is changed to drive the game in one direction.

[Coolridr]

Originally posted by Urchin
Man, and here I thought this was gonna be a blow by blow

"Took off with 15 friends to go hit an undefended base.  Saw one enemy plane 10k lower than us, 3 of us went after him, but when we found out he wasn't AFK we dove to the deck and ran back home.  Landed.  One safe landing!  Go me!  

Next Sortie:  Well, I'm feeling pretty brave after that last successful sortie, so I decided to go on another base attack.  Just me and 43 of my closest friends.  Man, it is so scary flying around at 37k with only 43 other people around you.  You just know an asteroid could come out of the sun and hit you at any minute.  We didn't see anybody this time, guess whoever planned this attack did a good job!

Next Sortie:  Well, my streak continues.  To date I am 478 / 0 against fuel tanks.  The last one almost got away, but I was in my Typh, so I just held the trigger down as I dove from 15k.  It was very scary going to the target that low, but I kept WEP on the whole time so nobody would catch up to me.  I did have one Bish that tried to follow me home, but I got on country channel and yelled for help like this "HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP I MIGHT HAVE TO FIGHT !!!! OH MY GOD NO!!!  SOMEONE PLEASE COME QUICKLY!!!"  Lucky for me, 18 rooks heard me, and in no time flat there were 10 La7s, 5 P51s, and 3 other Typhs on the poor dweeb.  I turned back around once he started fighting the other 18, but he died to fast.  So we all talked some **** about how great we are, then we landed.  I think I should get an assist for that.  Maybe even a full kill.  After all, that guy wouldn't have died if he hadn't been chasing me.  Maybe I'll make a post on the BBS about it."  

I had so much fun in Rookland today.  I'll talk to you tommorrow diary, after I play with my girlfriends some more.  "  

I think that's probably how a typical day in Rookland goes.

Maybe it is a typical Rook day...
Maybe the Rooks have goals and not just want to furball all the time...you can't talk **** about them for that.
Maybe high alt is a good tactic?
Maybe good communication and teamwork makes AH for the Rooks more fun.
 With your logic it should always be low alt even match up? 1 v 1 or 2 v 2 or so on.

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Originally posted by BUG_EAF322
Oh we are so extreme unbelievable totally tubular good.

we love ourselfs and everything else sux.

i admire us

where just to good.

Bug, you know, I can sympathize with your problem of having the P-38 restricted, I've had it happen to me as well, and few love the P-38 more than I do.

But in this case you have to acknowledge that some of the people offering such high praise for the Rooks are players from other countries. People who find it oddly impressive how well Rooks work together are often people who normally fly Knights or Bishop.

One more thing. Since you are so pissed off about the ENY balance system taking your favorite plane, perhaps you should lay blame for that where it belongs, at the feet of the people who fly Knight and or Bishop who complained so long and loud about numbers that Hitech was FORCED by them to do something. In the event that you complained constantly about numbers, and I'm not saying you did, maybe you didn't, you helped convince Hitech he needed to take your plane when your side had numbers. Think about it.

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Originally posted by acetnt367th
Guys and Girls,

All I keep hearing is that flying rook is so much better than the other countries. This may be because those in other countries, like myself, have not been properly taught how to be helpful. May I suggest that some of the rooks change sides to help us along. It will make our side friendlier and will even make the game more fair since the sides would be more balanced.


Regards

Acetnt

Rather than have Rooks switch, why not have leaders for Knights and Bishops step up and work on their own problems? The best solutions come from within.

From what I've heard from Rooks who DID swap sides for a while, it certainly did not make that side more friendly, especially to the Rook who swapped sides. I hear a lot more stories about being told to "shut up", "mind your own six", "stop being a little general", and "hey, you're a spy". Not what I'd call a warm reception.

[SlapShot]

One more thing. Since you are so pissed off about the ENY balance system taking your favorite plane, perhaps you should lay blame for that where it belongs, at the feet of the people who fly Knight and or Bishop who complained so long and loud about numbers that Hitech was FORCED by them to do something. In the event that you complained constantly about numbers, and I'm not saying you did, maybe you didn't, you helped convince Hitech he needed to take your plane when your side had numbers. Think about it.

I can't believe that you wrote that paragraph.

I don't think that anybody FORCES HiTech to do anything.

There is no "blame" here and there is no need to try to assign blame.

[JB66]

A long time ago in a virtual world far, far away.  The Rooks were the underdog.  

The Bish and Knits had overwhelming numbers, and dominated the Rooks easily.
There were a few Rook Jedi who organized the beaten Rooks into a formidable Force for good.  And the numbers remained low, but the Rooks fought on, and it was fun.

The evil Bish Empire had overwhelming numbers and conquered all with an iron fist.

Then there was a tremor in the force, before you knew it, the evil Bish Empire crumbled, and numbers were once again in balance, if for only a short time.  And the masses didn't bother HT (who is the true Empereor).  And he went on to create a new virtual world for the masses.

While HT was busy creating new worlds, the numbers changed once again, for some reason unknown to all, the Rooks who had fought the good fight, attracted the hoard, and the Rook numbers soared.  

And now the underdog former dominating Bish Empire and their Knit counterparts, are once again pestering the true Emperor.  Seeking "Balance" in the force.  

The Rook Jedi are laughing at the Bish and Knit stormtroopers, remembering what it was like to be the underdog.  Ah, the good old days


Sarcasm off.


I actually miss the times when the Rooks were outnumbered.   There were plenty of fights, and everyone covered everyone.

[Modas]

Originally posted by kj714


Amazing how rooks can conjur up e in a "tight" 1 v. 4 (or 5) turnfight to make it a rope and clear. How long you guys had RATO's on your fighters? Did he clear all 4 (or 5)?

Acutally, no RATO for me.  I personally prefer my nuclear sub-light drive which actually provides increased effciency.  Its a special upgrade after you acrute a certain high number of perk points.

Seriously, its all about managing E.  A twisting turn fite does NOT automatically imply that I am out of E.  And not, he did not clear all 4.  I got two of 'em, a spit and nik IIRC.

Now, I have to go back to working on my sub-light drive.  Got a couple of hoses to replace