I don't think I've admitted my culpability in my role as a Ref in the last event... so I'll *kinda* do that now. The reason I won't jump into the toejam with both feet is because.... well... Refs have egos TOO dammit
Now - as far as Mathman goes... he's out of the discussion. Like I said before, there was direct and *constant* communication between us, and he did exactly as I directed... and I salute him for that.
Mathman communicated to me that the LW were split into two groups. Problem. I knew this from the outset. On the other side though, Hangtime directed his flyers to roll staggered (ie... Jim roll.... ok now John roll... ok now Frank roll.... etc.)Again, a problem. It was brought up that this was for FPS reasons. I've witnessed plenty of launches and well.. I wont waste space by entertaining that idea.
HAD I joined the Luftwaffe and Allied private BBS where they discussed tactics, perhaps we coulda nipped this in the bud. But I chose to stay completely out of that to avoid any kind of conflict or claims of bias etc. My job was to watch and to make the call. Btw Hang, I also missed this "roll" order because I didn't join your *squad* channel where these orders were given... for exactly the same reasons stated above. I just witnessed the effect.
Now what we got on one side is two tightly formed, distinct groups, versus one one spread out trail. BOTH of them are equally merge blowing afaic. Picture 10 planes spread train-like single file, d300 apart. For all intents and purposes, it's the same thing.
Now here is why I told Mathman to go ahead and call "fight on" when he saw the main bodies of the two flights pass eachother.
I could not be there to witness the merge myself... I was in Hang's plane, and he pulled out of the fight. Culpable for that reason? Should I have called fight off 'till we could ensure both Refs were in the air? Yeah, it turns out that probably wouldn't have been a bad idea. But... just as easily I would have let it all happen just the same. Who knows.
Secondly, my mental picture was of a merge that was on one side split, and on another side daisy chained. I got the impression that there was not even the inclination to meet in the middle as one force. I thought the way the merge shaped up was *intended*... perhaps even expected strategy. Because of that 'fog', I probably shoulda called fight "off" before the merge. It just seemed so... so... planned... by both sides. Calling it off would almost open me up to accusations of exposing the two side's strategy to eachother. It clearly looked like there was strategy on both side's part. However, I should have kept to the letter of the ROE and called foul to *both* sides before the merge took place. My fault again.
Thirdly... I think everyone knows the huge task involved in getting everyone sorted, balanced, and rolling at the same time. Everyone did their level headed best to ensure a simple 10v10, but look how easily *that* simple notion got messed up. We finally launched at about 20 minutes after the hour. There was a snapshot tourney coming up in just 40 minutes now. I swear to God this innevitability was like a cloud that effected every desicion I made, from balancing the sides, to calling a halt to the registration (even though we probably could have gone with 13v13 or more).... right through to letting that merge happen as it did. This again was my fault. Had I fully internalized what was at stake for you guys, I would have not allowed that to be an issue... It turns out the stakes for this Rumble would make calling the Rumble off for another weekend justifiable.
In the end, I sincerely apologize for a pile of decisions that, end over end, stacked up to the chaos that ensued.
It's funny... I woulda thunk that by now I'd have outgrown it...but there it is... KISS rocks!
