complete works of sluggo XIII

Article 121                  [ top | bottom ]

Subject:      Re: Ettiquette
From:         chdillon@ucla.edu (Charles H. Dillon)
Date:         1996/05/05

In article <4mj7qr$19k@hermes.cair.du.edu>, ruhl@odin.cair.du.edu (Robert
A. Uhl) wrote:

>
>Are we talking about the same move?  I mean building a pill next to an
>enemy pill, building several walls on the other side thereof, hiding
>therebehind and then leaving the alliance so that the pill is now an
>enemy pill which shoots through the other?  This requires no skill and
>no co-ordination is required.  Now, perhaps it is that on a small map
>the enemy will come along.  But not on a medium or alrger map.
>Perhaps you are writing about another sort of move, one which requires
>some small amount of skill?
>

Building walls and leaving alliance requires very little skill.  But
setting the whole thing up, executing it and actually getting away with it
against any opponent who is paying attention does.  I think the move that
Mel was originally referring to was actually a variant of the slide
refuelling technique, where you place one of your own pillboxes next to a
hostile pillbox then leave alliance so that the two pills kill each
other.  This can be a very fast way of taking pillboxes without using any
ammunition, but the risks involved in doing it are more often than not
much greater than the rewards.  If any enemy happens to notice you setting
it up, he can easily kill you, your pillbox and the neutral pill with one
shot.  Also, unless this maneuver is executed perfectly, you can easily be
left at point blank range in front of an angry pillbox.  My point is that
although these techniques may arguably not require the same skills as more
conventional techniques, they do not present one team or the other with
any particular advantage and are equally available to either side.

snuggles


Article 122                  [ top | bottom ]

Subject:      Re: Ettiquette
From:         chdillon@seas.ucla.edu (Charles H. Dillon)
Date:         1996/05/05

In article <4mhj2t$nuj@hermes.cair.du.edu>, ruhl@odin.cair.du.edu (Robert
A. Uhl) wrote:

> Melvin Carvalho   spake thusly:
> >
> >Many players in the US conisder the leave alliance trix to be bad 
> >ettiquette .  I for one wonder why?  
> 
> Because it is unsporting.  It takes advantage of a side effect of the
> game and does not require any skill to perform.
> 

Using this argument, using walls, pillboxes or decoys to kill a pillbox
are all unsporting as well.  Using alliance tricks requires a great deal
of team skill and coordination to be effective unless the opponent is
braindead.

> >It is not fair on people that use autoslow (like me).  But, to be honest, 
> >its your loss - if you are skilled you will adapt, if not you will die 
> >out - Darwinism at its very best.  
> 
> And, according to every evolutionary theory (including Darwin's),
> man's harming of his environment is natural.  As an intelligent fellow
> once said, all things are permitted, but not all things are good.  The
> use of alliance tricks is not gentlemanly.  It is not fair.  It is not
> skilful.  There is no challenge.  It is dumb.
> 

Darwin, Schmarwin.  In a team game, either team is equally capable of
using the same tactics.  Using alliance tricks does not give either side
any particular advantage, unless the other side is particularly stupid. 
The nice thing about Bolo is that for any nifty trick or tactic that
anyone can come up with, there is at least one way to counter it. 
Alliance tricks are easily countered and present no more of an advantage
than using decoys.  As far as challenge goes, there is not much challenge
in hitting the leave alliance button, but there is plenty of teamwork and
coordination required to successfully take out a spike using such a
tactic.  As far as using these tricks to take neutrals, they are not a
magic bullet in any way, and are more likely much less effective than most
conventional methods taking pillboxes.

sgloomu


Article 123                  [ top | bottom ]

Subject:      Re: Ettiquette
From:         chdillon@seas.ucla.edu (Charles H. Dillon)
Date:         1996/05/06

In article
, Melvin
Carvalho  wrote:

> On Sun, 5 May 1996, Charles H. Dillon wrote:
> 
[lots of stuff i didn't say]

doh, make sure you quote the person who said it, not the person who replied.

schmuglump


Article 124                  [ top | bottom ]

Subject:      Re: What is the best multiple pilltake
From:         chdillon@seas.ucla.edu (Charles H. Dillon)
Date:         1996/05/07

In article <4mopnc$gmm@net.auckland.ac.nz>, mrok001@auckland.ac.nz (Murray
Roke) wrote:

> Q.
> If you are given two NME pills in this positioning what
> is the best way to take them?
> 
> ------
> ------
> ------
> --0---
> --0---
> ------
> ------
> -----t
> 
> like this and just refuel? or do you use a block?
> 

I just like to drive straight into them with guns a-blazin'.

Plow King(tm)


Article 125                  [ top | bottom ]

Subject:      Re: Ettiquette
From:         chdillon@seas.ucla.edu (Charles H. Dillon)
Date:         1996/05/07

In article
, Melvin
Carvalho  wrote:

> On Sun, 5 May 1996, Charles H. Dillon wrote:
> 
> > tactic.  As far as using these tricks to take neutrals, they are not a
> > magic bullet in any way, and are more likely much less effective than most
> > conventional methods taking pillboxes.
> 
> That is where you are wrong ... it is faster than anything you have ever 
> seen ... I can take pbs faster than anyone but ... this is ridiculous and 
> it saves time having to get ammo , and you get more of a view of the 
> battle area if it is an enemy pill.  The main technique involves massage 
> of course.
> 
> 
> My last ibl game we lost and went from 3 pills to 10 with no bases and 
> just this trick ... of course the counter is to fire one shot into the 
> enemy ... so maybe it does sux after all.
> 

This trick has been around for about 2 years or so now.  I think the first
to ever use it was xav, about the time Scymitar showed Deadsy his neat
refuelling trick and a bunch of us started playing with it to decoy pills
and take ammoless doubles, etc.  Pokey, from Swarthmore joined a game with
me and Tempest one night and we showed him the trick, and he and a bunch
of other Swatties came up with some really cool variations as well (one,
if I remember, was specifically called "the Pokey").  The thing is, it
really isn't very effective under actual game conditions.  There are some
circumstances when it could be used, but the point is that the reason it
hasn't really caught on isn't because it is considered bad ettiquette, but
that it really just isn't as effective as more conventional techniques.

sglugluglug


Article 126                  [ top | bottom ]

Subject:      Re: Bolo 1.0
From:         chdillon@seas.ucla.edu (Charles H. Dillon)
Date:         1996/05/08

In article ,
megawatt@noproblem.uchicago.edu (MegaWatt) wrote:

> In article ,
> schmeul@umich.edu (Sam Huffman) wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Get with the times. 1.0 has been out for weeks now. You're the only one
> > still using .99.9.
> > 
> > goob
> 
> 
> Can someone e-mail me a copy of the latest and greatest?  What are the new
> features? tell me! tell me!  =)
> 

The best new feature is the "fishing" option that allows you to "reel in"
the opponent.

sluggullible


Article 127                  [ top | bottom ]

Subject:      Re: Game Description
From:         chdillon@ucla.edu (Charles H. Dillon)
Date:         1996/05/16

In article , pandrus@world.std.com (Phil) wrote:

>Open game novice writes:  why would you ever play an open game?
>I've only used the option to practive on training maps...seems like it
>would be pointless -- end game is impossible to achieve with little
>rodents popping back up filled to the brim.
>

Answer:  because it's fun.

slubbo


Article 128                  [ top | bottom ]

Subject:      - Trix or Treatz (0/1) OLD MAP:  Trix or Treatz  (pill massage double takes)
From:         chdillon@ucla.edu (Charles H. Dillon)
Date:         1996/05/17

Here is a map I made a couple years ago when the pill massage double take
was originally discovered.  It was originally posted with a series of
pictures demonstrating the massage double take (with the word "BOO!!!" in
the message window, heh heh).  Unfortunately, I don't think I have the
pictures anymore, but here is the map.  It is meant to be played on STRICT
TOURNAMENT mode (anything else really defeats the purpose).

Happy Massaging,
sluggo


Article 129                  [ top | bottom ]

Subject:      - Trix or Treatz (1/1) OLD MAP:  Trix or Treatz  (pill massage double takes)
From:         chdillon@ucla.edu (Charles H. Dillon)
Date:         1996/05/17

[ encoded binary deleted ]


Article 130                  [ top | bottom ]

Subject:      Re:  A Topic
From:         chdillon@ucla.edu (Charles H. Dillon)
Date:         1996/05/19

I agree, you should quote relevant portions of a post that you are
replying to so that we know what you are referring to.

slugluglug