What's The Rook Problem?

[Kieran]

Mandoble-

Clearly there are. Read the originating post in this thread.

[Kieran]

FWIW, any post that contains the words useless furballers or strat potatos are downgraded to useless noise on my monitor... it's all valid play.

It's the same tired "people won't play my way" argument, yadda yadda yadda...

[Apache]

Originally posted by Citabria
rooks run from a fair fight and complain when outnumbered

BS.

[Fariz]

Yes, rooks are in number disadvantage. Problem that with every reset more people leave rooks, which leave them in bigger disadvantage... Etc.

I think one of possible decisions is: HTC make some "numbermeter", which records number of people every half hour and makes average. Right now newbies join new country randomly, but it can be done depending on that average numbers. So, for examply, if numbers for last week were 40% knighs, 35% bishops, 25% rooks, rooks get 40% of newbies, bishops get their 35%, and knights get 25%.

Sure, newbies can switch, but some people are loyal for country they first logged for, and this way it may be ballanced at least some way.

Fariz

[Pepe]

Originally posted by Citabria
rooks run from a fair fight and complain when outnumbered

Fester is never heard complaining

Perhaps nobody hears him, his runaways take him too far out

Oh! wait, does anybody remember shooting him down?

[Morsa]

The few numbers of rookland isn't the problem, is the consequence of the real problem:
Lack of lidership, individuality and selfish behavior.
Result: an utter mess.

It is not by hazard that the spaniards toreadors play this country. If you know rookland, you know Spain  

[Kieran]

I have a much better solution, and it doesn't involve HTC.

Everyone that doesn't like the way the Rooks fly leaves for better climes in Knightland or Bishropia. Then all that will be left are the people that don't complain, and even if it is pounded by the other two sides 24/7 we will never hear "Why don't you guys care if we lose twenty sev-uuuuuuuuuuuun?! *sob*"

Problem solved.

'Course, I forwarded this idea before- all strat guys go to Bishops, furballers to Rooks, etc. You guys have the power to make it happen. If you want a two-sided war (as if that would change anything) you can have it by going to only one or the other sides. Do we have to have HTC legislate every form of play?

[Masherbrum]

I agree Kieran, get rid of the complaining, stand on your hind legs and FIGHT!!!!!

We don't need complaining!

Jay

[ZXMAW]

It's true, Rooks have been out #ed and have been reset repeatedly because of it. Their numbers have declined further as a result but how could they fix the problem. All three of the countries have their share of selfish players and lack of team work at times. Any problems that Rooks have had, the other two countries have had also.
 Bish I would have to say (IMO) are the most team oriented and it could possibly be due to the fact that they constantly run missions.
Knights, up until maybe 8 weeks ago were in the same perdicament as the Rooks until repeated calls for team work were called for. The calls for community help were not affective alone and will never be. When successful missions were added things began to change and many squadrons gained members because of it.
Rooks need mission leaders who can rally players and be successful in running missions to pull them together. You guys have two squads that I know of who should be able to do what Bish and Knights have already done. The Arabian Knights and Flying Tigers AVG are 2 of probably 7 squads you have who could help. These are the teams you must support to be affective or dwindle away.

[Replicant]

I think it is a question of loyality and the new players first impression of the different countries.  I remember when I first started in Feb 2000, I tried all three countries and I found the Bishops (at that time) to be the most cooperative and that's where I've been ever since.

In the early days the Knights always had the most players and were the strongest country.  Bishops have now caught up with the Knights but poor old Rookland still lag far behind.  It is a shame really because when Rookland want to fight they can kick everyones ass!  Not being a cRook I really don't know who plans their missions but everyone in Rookland should try and participate more on the mission planning.  That's simply what has happened with Bishlandia; people expect missions all the time and if no-one plans a mission then someone else plans one etc.

Yes, people do switch sides and again I think it's mostly the newish pilots that haven't decided on their 'home country' yet.  It is these people the Rooks should be trying to keep.  Give them all the support they need, help them with their missions, etc.  Quite often I've killed some Rooks and then the next thing I see them flying alongside me!?!  Uh?  Didn't I just kill you??  

So yes, it is a numbers game, but it all comes down to what time you log on.  The best times to check the roster is probably the weekend when most people are on.  I guess this would give you a better perspective as to the ratio between countries.

Just my 2 pence worth....  (BTW, Pepe, a true Rook!!   )

Regards

[Pepe]

Originally posted by Replicant

....  (BTW, Pepe, a true Rook!!   )

Regards

OK, since it's you, I won't take the offense  

Nexx  

[Kieran]

...what's really needed is for some of us Rooks to take our useless, disorganized, just-fly-for-fun-in-the-hour-we-have show on the road and visit the other countries. In time, our doctrine will be spread and people will lighten up and realize it's a game...

[MANDOBLE]

Originally posted by ZXMAW
Rooks need mission leaders who can rally players and be successful in running missions to pull them together.

No way. Every country has a % of players flying for fun and for only few minutes. Also a % of players just learning the game, not really a factor for any mission. And, finally, a % of players really available for missions or for whatever. With our usual numbers, this last % may represent about 20 players or less, probably the same % of any other country, but not enough to do successful missions while also keeping the borders defended.
As far as I rememer, every time rookland has had numbers to play with, we have been taking enemy bases one after another.

Think that every time we are outnumbered, we become the "easy" meat for bish and knights, and the inmediate effect is the gangbang.

[Widewing]

Originally posted by Preon1
It's been a number of months since I've flown rook or nit.  I spent most of last semester with Busher hounding me to come back home.  When I finally did, I noticed a major difference.  There are some people on the Bish side that are not only very loyal to .country 1, but are willing to give up a lot of their time to recruit people for missions.  Over the last couple of months, it's gotten to the point that a mere name draws enough numbers to take a base against superior opposing numbers (especially now with AHV).  I've been lucky enough to lead a few of these missions but the ones that I put up are usually 50/50 on whether or not people join.  People like Falcnwng, DsrtRat, and Fariz consistantly put up missions and people will lawndart their planes to join.  I don't remember the rooks having anything vaguely like this.  Do they now?

The answer to your questions is, sometimes.

Last evening, I discovered a large group of GVs, backed by two C-47s threatening P4, with only 1 GV defending. I attacked and killed the two goons, and blasted an M3 and Flak. However, I was low on gas and ord, so I asked for help, being specific as to the threat. Within two minutes, at least 10 Rooks had arrived, grabbing GVs or diverting in their aircraft from other locations. It took me 15  minutes to rearm, refuel and return. By then, the enemy GVs were eliminated. That rapid response saved the port from capture. Team work was excellent.

Saturday was a different story. About 7 of us attacked and eventually capped a Bish field. More and more Rooks arrived, but no one bothered to bring a goon, despite several of us repeatedly asking for one. As things went from good, to fair and then to bad, Bish fighters began arriving from their nearest field. Naturally, most of the Rooks began chasing these, rather than cap the field, which became an issue as an FH came up. Low on gas, out of ammo and patience, I RTB'd and logged off. It wasn't worth getting seriously aggrevated over.

Again, last night my squadies and I were working the south side of the map. Usually, if there are two or more =Ghosts= logged on, we will fly together. Last night we worked with other squads very effectively.

Maybe it's my imagination, but I find that there is considerably less cooperation on weekend days, than that typically displayed at night. Which is why I don't fly as much during the day any longer.

One point about setting up missions. When you're badly out-numbered, it will always be problematic filling out the mission ranks. Most people are too busy defending. It is of no value to take 20% of your force for a mission with limited objectives and almost no chance of reversing the onslaught. Mission planners need to consider the tactical situation before setting up a mission of limited value.

My regards,

Widewing

[Don]

Seagoon:
Ahhh the mystery of Rookdom!:)
From my perspective I see it as a multi faceted problem
Tactically Rooks have done amazing things with overwhelming numbers or with fewer numbers.  In this respect I believe there is a direct connection with the number of dweeb wanna bees who happen to be online and in the arena. You can tell by the number of furballs and, in those furballs count the number of pilits in a conga line chasing after one lone, low nme fiter. Then look behind and above them to see the number of nme fiters who have superior alt and energy diving down after them; these are not very smart players.
Then there are the :"for the greater glory of (add squad name here)" types who, strategy and sound tactics be damned, will go to some ill advised nme area and start a fight they cannot finish. They call out over ch:2 that they need help. Smarter Rooks look at the map and wonder why in hell they are there and, how screwed up their location is tactically.
Also there is the time of day which determines the number and quality of pilits up in the arena. Rooks seem to have the fewest numbers up at all hours except at night IMO. There seem to be a larger number of veteran groups up during the later hours. In my experience in Rookland, this is the time that more consistent success and better teamwork occurs.
What we face has always been since I and my squad moved to Rookland. Nits will fight Rooks only most days, and Bish will take advantage of their absence to either milk their land or  milk Rooks land. When Rooks have overwhelming numbers the whines from nits and Bish fill CH1
Teamwork is not: dropping what yer doing because some guy you never heard of has a great idea for a mission that'll take 60 minutes to organize, and those who he wants to fly in it will have to wait; screw that, I logged on to fly, fight and have fun.
The best missions are the ones that can be prepared quickly; that are sound tactically and that will yeild results.
Success is: NOT spending resources attacking freakin VH fields.
It IS protecting your HQ; it IS keeping your flanks sound; it IS attacking no more than 2 targets at a time and porking targets you are going to eventually hit or, targets that will slow down the defense an nme can put up.

These things take a little thought, and no amount of yelling or insult will get those I described above to do things differently. What does work though, is a few squads with a purpose to cooperate and others in Rookland will join in; it is a strength we have that the others don't I think.
And once Rooks get rolling we are hard to stop and tough to beat.