When Did a Difficult Fight Become Something to Complain About?

[MDStampf93]

A Word About FSO, Competition, and Sportsmanship

I'd like to address something that has become increasingly frustrating, and it applies equally to both sides of the arena.

First, let me make something clear: constructive criticism is always welcome. I encourage feedback, and I recognize that not every decision I make as Campaign Manager will be perfect. If something genuinely needs improvement, I want to know about it.

However, there is a significant difference between constructive criticism and complaining simply because a scenario didn't unfold in your favor.

Not every frame is supposed to be an overwhelming victory. Not every aircraft matchup is supposed to favor your side. And not every mission is supposed to be easy.

Operation Venezia's second frame is a perfect example.

The Allies were presented with an advantageous defensive position, and they made excellent use of it. They coordinated, fought hard, and earned their victory.

Meanwhile, despite facing considerable opposition, the Axis managed to destroy approximately 65% of the available ground-target points.

That's not a force that accomplished nothing. That's a force that fought through difficult circumstances and achieved substantial results.

Yet before the scores were even calculated, the complaints had already begun.

When did a difficult fight become something to complain about rather than something to overcome?

Somewhere along the way, it seems we've started confusing competition with the expectation of success.

The entire purpose of FSO is to challenge ourselves. To adapt. To work together. To overcome disadvantages. To experience scenarios that force us to think differently and fight harder.

Sometimes you'll have the advantage. Sometimes your opponent will. Sometimes you'll execute a brilliant plan and still lose.

That's competition.

If every frame were designed to guarantee both sides an easy fight, we'd have no meaningful competition at all.

I spend a considerable amount of my personal time researching, designing, balancing, configuring, and managing these events. I do it because I enjoy creating something worthwhile for this community, and because I want to see FSO continue to succeed.

I'm not asking for praise, and I'm certainly not asking everyone to agree with every decision I make.

But I am asking for a little perspective.

Before declaring a scenario unfair, consider whether your opponent simply performed better. Before criticizing the design, consider what your side accomplished. And before complaining about the difficulty, remember that overcoming difficulty is part of the experience.

If there is a legitimate imbalance, bring it forward. If something didn't work as intended, tell me. I'll examine it, acknowledge mistakes, and make adjustments where necessary.

But losing a battle, suffering heavy casualties, or facing a disadvantage is not, by itself, evidence of poor scenario design.

This applies to Axis and Allies alike. I've seen complaints from both sides, and I'm equally tired of the mentality regardless of who is doing it.

We're a relatively small community, and these events survive because people are willing to invest their time and effort into keeping them going.

Let's not lose sight of why we're here.

Fight hard. Adapt. Take your losses with some dignity. Give your opponents credit when they've earned it. And remember that a victory means considerably more when it wasn't handed to you.

I will continue working to make these events competitive, challenging, and enjoyable.

All I ask in return is that we approach them with the same spirit.

<S>
Rider
FSO Campaign Manager

[Molsman]

 Very well Said Rider and especially the amount of time we as designers put into making FSO and even the Scenario Team puts in the time and work to make these events stay alive. We also make these events on the limited planes we have and have to use other models to sub for planes that we don’t have. I have also noticed every one likes Air Spawns but they were also limited back in the day and only a few fsos used them back when we had hundreds of players fighting with the 1 life had. We can’t make everyone happy these days so we have to play the best we can and that also falls a lot on the CiCs who come up with their sides attack and defense plans not the Admins we just create and send the objectives out… And take constructive  criticism as a learning tool and to make the events better.

Just my 30 cents worth

Molsman

[AKKuya]

I totally agree 100% with above comments.

Challenge is the essence of competition.  That being said, the romantic part of challenge is taking the underdog position in a fight.  Fighting with your back against the wall gives you the best exhilaration possible.  That's a perspective.  Not all subscribe to that concept.

In a perfect scenario, both sides would be evenly matched in numbers and aircraft, both sides would have equal experience and skill per pilot, and both FSO Orders would be equal in design for offense and defense.  That's not the case.  If so, would that be any fun?

I, myself, prefer being Allied in early war and Axis in late war both as a general pilot and as a CIC.  Those are my favorite challenges.  At the same time, as a bomber pilot, I enjoy the challenge of LW in BoB and 8th AF over Germany 1945. 

Everyone has their individual preferences.

Why do lopsided victories happen?  Three reasons.  One is assigned CIC creates lazy Orders.   It happens.  Two is assigned squad doesn't follow assigned Orders.  This happens also.  The last reason is the most damaging.  One side suffers too many pilots not showing up for a frame.  These reasons have been hashed out over the decades.  Nothing new.

Ultimately, it's the squad COs to help ensure the proper perspective per design and most importantly for speaking out for anything not balanced.  Squad leadership is crucial in making a bad situation into something fun.  In the Arabian Knights, at the beginning of takeoff, someone will say, "We are all gonna die", in a sarcastic quip for positive morale especially when the mission might go sideways. 

Just my to copper coins.
 

[JimmyD3]

Rider, well said. I don't do FSO much anymore, but I can imagine what  you deal with. As you know we have many of the same issues in the MA. 

[LCADolby]

Allied pilots are generally wimps, expect nothing less.

[hazmatt]

In the Arabian Knights, at the beginning of takeoff, someone will say, "We are all gonna die", in a sarcastic quip for positive morale especially when the mission might go sideways. 

I don't recall if I was flying with the AKs at the time but we were assigned to fly betty bombers and did not have fighter escort. The fighters were free ranging to try to clear the air ahead of us. I swear we flew for an hour to get to the target area. We actually got close enough to the target that we started lining up and calibrating. We got bounced and I don't think a single betty survived long enough to get bombs out.

Nobody cried, that's just the way it goes sometimes in FSO... Sometimes you draw the short straw.