Think Business Knights...........

[kamori]

Why the loss of knights? I believe this is a very simple concept. Like any business, people are attracted to many different things. It could be the service ,product location, or even the word of mouth,which attracts someone to a particular place, or the lack of that which turns them away.

    It seems to me that the knights are suffering from self inflicted problem.

    The loss of popularity can be fixed by the way they recruit and serve each other as a fighting force.
    I have experienced alot of help in general on the rooks, from the majority of the players. I have also heard from knights that have moved over both the bish and rooks are providing a better enviroment...

    Please dont turn this into some social problem where people have to move over because its dictated by AH or Squad Leaders move squads because they feel sorry for the knights.

    The knights need to act more like a large squad which will change the way they treat fellow fighters. When a team mate knows someone will come in and help clear them even though they dont belong to their squad or know them.

They will come back or join because its a Good place to be.



Kamori....

[stegor]

Kamori you say "you have heard....", but have you ever flown as a Knight?
I guess not

[Zanth]

Has long been my belief that the squads that regularly rotate between the countrys are the catalyst behind balance problems.  In particular this occurs when a large squad cycles over to a already larger country and that cycle happens to coincide with other squads doing the same.

This is further exacerbated by a second phenomenon, as miscellaneous individuals pile move to the larger team for the safer flying and vulching.  This becomes something of a vicious cycle and I have only ever seen it end when some rotating squads again get back to the smaller team.

The three teams draw from the same constituency - players are players are players.  I have never noted any difference in one teams operational methods over another.  The team with numerical superiority will always seem more organized - but that is only a perception.

Hitech has said in the past that he was considering preventing squad rotations.  That was probably good idea then, and is probbaly a good idea now

[SKurj]

knits no different to any other team in AH.

Of course there could be a couple idjits flying knit that scares off the newbies.

SKurj

[ghostdancer]

I would say I disagree about it not being cultural thing but as you pointed out I have not flown Knights or Bishops so I can't really tell. I do know from chatting with squads that fly Knights and Bishops that each country does have its own culture which is to some extent different from each other.

The Rooks have worked very hard at changing our culture and developing inter-squad relations, operations, and reliability, looking at everyone as countryman and helping them out. Various levels of success. But it did help dig us back out of the bucket that we were in for a very long time.

But I don't know if a cultural thing with Knights so can't really comment or offer suggestions or even saying what we did would help you or not.

Knight numbers have dropped but basically only in the last two month drastically. Right now they seem to be at parity level with the Rooks or just below with Rooks still building strength while the Knights are losing numbers. Bishops still have a large pilot base.

This is an excel file I started tracking a while back that several squad leaders and I have talked about when Rooks were experiencing severe number problems. Its interesting and will be interesting to see if this is momentary glitch for the Knights or a start of a longer trend. Basically before now its has been the Bishops with the most pilots, then Knights, and Rooks with the least.

http://www.dgideon.org/countries.xls

[Dead Man Flying]

Originally posted by ghostdancer
I would say I disagree about it not being cultural thing but as you pointed out I have not flown Knights or Bishops so I can't really tell. I do know from chatting with squads that fly Knights and Bishops that each country does have its own culture which is to some extent different from each other

As someone who routinely hops countries to find a fight, I find exactly the opposite of what you describe.  No virtual, pixelated, artificially-generated country significantly differs from any other; you have good players, poor players, generalisimos, furballers, chatty Kathies, silent cowboy types, people who use teamwork and those who do not, etc etc.

I feel that any other differences, frankly, result from the imaginations of those who feel the need to qualify and quantify reasons for staying in or leaving one "country" over another.

-- Todd/Leviathn

[ghostdancer]

I will say that do disagree with you that their no difference between the countries. Yes, the same components are there but basically you can say the same about comparing two states in the U.S. or regions. New England culture is different than Midwest, etc., etc. And yes, I know their is no weather difference here, population center, or geographic difference in the virtual arena.

However, there are communities. Where the difference lies is these multi-squad communities. The Knights had MAG-33 that I know. The Rooks have the RJO. The squads participating in these multi-squad communities where they work together do approach things slightly differently. We are talking shades of gray here.

Those who fly independentally or just with their squad don't experience these communities fully don't see the community chat on other text channels. I would hazard that their are some cultural differences and that its not all just imagination of people just trying to justify why they fly for a country.

After all there are definite cultural difference between squads. Their are many squads that are very similiar or could be the same but their are others who have a distinct culture to them.

But overall we are talking shades of grey here.

[Grimm]

Todd,  
Interesting Prospective.    I counter that moving around also doesnt give you time to really develope tight country bonds either.    Not saying that good or bad,   Just that your prospective would be different than mine.  I do agree that for the most part,  every country has many simularitys.  

I of course tend to agree with Ghostdancer overall.  

I feel that the team work things the Rooks do with Joint ops gives many players a chance to really work side by side with countrymen outside there squad.   It builds friendships and trust on a larger scale.    

I know first hand that many smaller squads love a chance to run a mission or be a part of one,  that they wouldnt be able to do without joint coperation with other squads.   This helps build country loyalty and keeps folks around when the chips are down.

I also know that doing things to make it fun to fly for your country builds moral and helps keep guys interested in flying night after night.

I know Iv planned some Silly, Fun Raids,  Like a Large Zero and Wildcat raid,  Put the word out a few days in advance and had hoards of gusy show up for a little craziness.   They have Fun!

Thats the Key I think...  Help your country men find ways to have fun and I bet you will see an increase in attendance.

[Grizzly]

Certainly players are players and should not differ because of the country they are in. Especially those who move from one country to another.

But the character of a country might be shaped by a few vocal players. For example, when someone asks for help or suggests a better strategy. If they are responded to with insults and called mini-generalz, their request or suggestions will go ignored and the country look like non-team players..

If 1% of the players are vocal and 99% not, who do you suppose sets the tone for the country?

[kamori]

Stegor,
        I spent my first 1 1/2 months as a nit......

try again

[ramzey]

Originally posted by Grizzly

If 1% of the players are vocal and 99% not, who do you suppose sets the tone for the country?

after 2 days of flying knights i can say 80% of vocals and 20 % of peoples fighting.

We call mission to retake bases around knight HQ, but LOTS of "voices" make mess suggesting we should attack closest base to HQ. Passing 2 sectores of enemy area.
Only ONE knight join us "aka"
Where was rest of knights? usless going to sloughterhaus in his panzers, ostwinds...........

After my expirience flying all sides till now. Knights are less organised then others. With a lot of "experts" in tactics and strategy;)

So far as i see only few know whats going on, all the rest are just meet

just my 0.02 $

ramzey

[nopoop]

Well I for one make it a point to not know what's going on..

[Overlag]

LoneKnight: Can i have some help at P15 please?
Ch2: *silence*
LoneKnight: Can i please have some help at P15? I cant defend it on my own...
Ch2: *silence*
Host: P15 has been captured by Rooks
LoneKnight: Sigh

thats mostly what i do all day........

[Rutilant]

Bish takes the cake for unorganization.

[nopoop]

Well jeez Overlag P15 is a VH base.

And no matter how fast I go I can't get one of those tin cans to take off.

Not that I haven't tried.

Alot..