What are we going to do about side balance?

[Devil 505]

How do you fix this event when the sides are off by 20 players?

This is not a complaint about the design.

This falls on the squad leaders who do not update their commitment levels every month. There are squads who are habitually outside their commitment levels. There are squads who have not updated any aspect of their side/ride preference or squad commitment in months.

How can a CM be expected to properly balance sides when the squad leaders can't do the bare minimum of work when it comes to managing their squad?

Get your act together, guys!

[waystin2]

How do you fix this event when the sides are off by 20 players?

This is not a complaint about the design.

This falls on the squad leaders who do not update their commitment levels every month. There are squads who are habitually outside their commitment levels. There are squads who have not updated any aspect of their side/ride preference or squad commitment in months.

How can a CM be expected to properly balance sides when the squad leaders can't do the bare minimum of work when it comes to managing their squad?

Get your act together, guys!

I agree the disparity in numbers put me off from the get go last night.  After looking at last nights logs and all USN squads hit their minimum plus 1 in most cases, several hit their maximums and a couple hit their maximum + 1, all allowable under FSO rules.  On the flip side the IJN squads one squad did not make minimum, a few were 1 less than minimum, several hit minimum, and only one squad hit their maximum.  There is your 20 plus plane difference.  I remember getting quick emails from CM's when I went over commitment a year or so ago.  Do they do the same thing for not meeting commitment levels?  Blowouts like last night will destroy the event if it happens more than once.   

[KCDitto]

Always happens with PTO set ups

I showed up but made plans after the first hour. I was 20 minutes early for my plans.  Some people say why bother to spend a Friday night in a torch. Not complaining , just the reality of it over the years

[waystin2]

Always happens with PTO set ups

I showed up but made plans after the first hour. I was 20 minutes early for my plans.  Some people say why bother to spend a Friday night in a torch. Not complaining , just the reality of it over the years

That's a tough call.  It is an ongoing problem.  What to do if you get assigned suck?  Like JG11 the Pigs fly and fry no matter what we get assigned.  If you penalize them they have already been stomped into the ground what does it matter?  Sidelining them the following month defeats the purpose.  Not sure...

[Devil 505]

Always happens with PTO set ups

I showed up but made plans after the first hour. I was 20 minutes early for my plans.  Some people say why bother to spend a Friday night in a torch. Not complaining , just the reality of it over the years

This was a problem last month as well, Ditto. Design was to have the Axis with 10 plane advantage but wound up down 10 every frame. 20 man swing.

[KCDitto]

 

All we can do is show up and do our best.

As a CO, if you know guys are going to be a no show, for whatever reason, maybe we can let the CIC or CM team know.

We could have a commitment of 7-10 for the month, but stuff happens and that can change.

Just a thought

Take roll   

[Devil 505]

All we can do is show up and do our best.

As a CO, if you know guys are going to be a no show, for whatever reason, maybe we can let the CIC or CM team know.

We could have a commitment of 7-10 for the month, but stuff happens and that can change.

Just a thought

Take roll   

Yeah, but what exactly can be done? That what I want to know. Like Waystin said, the CM's used to send nastygrams to squad leaders who were habitually outside their commitment level. KN was even suspended for a month for going over too often without adjusting our numbers, but that was back in 2013. Now there is no oversight by the CM's on the issue and certainly no threat of penalties for habitual offenders.

Now I don't want to see squads suspended, but what other penalties can be enacted to bring the offenders in line?

Can other procedures be enacted by the CM team to alleviate attendance issues before a sides are locked in?



What I'd like to see is the CM's take charge of the situation of squads who do not give realistic commitments or outright neglect to update before the sides are set. Make it a rule that every squad is required to update their commitment level and preferences every month. Make it so that failure to do so equates to "no side/ride preference" and commitment is the average of the previous month. That squad gets placed wherever they may for that month and they get a nastygram telling them exactly why with a warning for further disciplinary action if an update is not made for the following month.

[Nefarious]

I've mentioned this before, as a tip to Admins, there is a method to applying squads to sides that allows you to use squads that typically go under and over on sides you want to emphasize a perceived advantage or disadvantage.

In this FSO, seeking a 50/50 split, I would try to place squads that usually come in low on the Allied side, while placing squads that might typically come in high over on the Axis side.

It's just another way to tweak numbers for better play, it's not the easiest way to do it, but is something that should always be kept in mind when your plane set might not be the most desirable for a certain side.

<S>

[perdue3]

I've mentioned this before, as a tip to Admins, there is a method to applying squads to sides that allows you to use squads that typically go under and over on sides you want to emphasize a perceived advantage or disadvantage.

In this FSO, seeking a 50/50 split, I would try to place squads that usually come in low on the Allied side, while placing squads that might typically come in high over on the Axis side.

It's just another way to tweak numbers for better play, it's not the easiest way to do it, but is something that should always be kept in mind when your plane set might not be the most desirable for a certain side.

<S>

While good in theory, we also try to place squads where they prefer to be placed (KN on Axis, AK's on Allied, etc.) This month, the high squads were placed on Allied and the low squads on Axis. It is something that should be taken into account by the Admin, without question. But, I think the priority is to make as many people happy as possible. Balance fits into this equation as well.

[Nefarious]

This month, the high squads were placed on Allied and the low squads on Axis.

And it shows. While the side split says 50/50, it was actually closer to 60/40. (58/42).

Being "retired" I don't get the squad update emails anymore, so I don't know what squad picked what. So I can't say for certain who I would place where, I'm just sharing a trick I have used to help get better balances in the past. We've reached a point in FSO where numbers are so tight that traditional rules for squad placement might not always work for everyone involved.  Looking at the squad assignments, G3-MF is the only squad that shows a ride preference for the F6F.. VF-17 likes blue birds, but didn't update their prefs, still shows 109... (They may have updated to Allied, I don't know because I didn't get the email)

I've always said in the past, if you don't update your prefs or numbers you will most likely get placed where I need you... Those squads who don't update, typically don't have good attendance records. That doesn't always mean they have to fly Axis, in fact that's a sure fire way to get less pilots than you wanted on the Axis side, which was my original point.

<S>

[SlipKnt]

Devil505 and all...

This is absolutely being discussed and addressed. 

We will be taking some action as we can. 

All we can ask from the masses is please show up.  The rest will be dealt with behind the curtains. 

We are working on it.

 

[DubiousKB]

Devil505 and all...
We are working on it.

 

Simply acknowledging that for one side, it was not enjoyable at all (due to numbers) is a step in the right direction... Yes it's no doubt worse than herding cats, but perhaps last minute "reassignment" is needed. I dunno, this pilot was pretty frustrated from that last FSO.

Do what you can boyz (and girlz?)