Powerplay SNIPING in Powerplay

[Juhan af Grann]

What's all this ALD-bashing?

I'm an ALD CMDR, and I have nothing against sniping. Neither do most of the ALD-CMDR's I've talked with.

What happened to us last cycle was totally deserved, and I welcome the results. I was doing my best panicedly fortifying systems to the last minute when alarms were going off all around the board, it was brilliant! Our fort-team just failed their duty one week, that's all.

FDev: If you want to limit the number of vouchers, keep the number big. Sniping is an important tool for asymmetric warfare. I don't think it'd be a good idea to tie it to rank, though. Maybe ship size instead? (Small - 1000, Medium - 2000, Large - 3000) The limit can be there, as in: terrorists can cause havoc, but they don't get nukes.

If you limit the voucher number on undermining, maybe put vouchers on prepping and expansion as well? Would need to leave CZ's and head home for voucher collection periodically.

People have had good ideas here. I feel the scouting idea might play too much in favor of us big powers, though.

How about this: Give players Fortification vouchers (you already give us prep-vouchers) according to rank. In case of snipers attacking in the last minute all the cmdr's who had saved their fort-vouchers could pitch in some defense for the systems under attack. Or you could make the vouchers interchangeable so that they could be allocated for prepping/expansion/fortification during the cycle.

I hope we get a good solution to this problem, but (as a member of the ALD community) I feel this is not the biggest problem out there.

Keep this nice conversation going!

 

[wolfger]

I think it's a bad idea and as a power we've dealt with sniping well for weeks. The only reason this is a problem is because the Imperial power base couldn't be bothered to strategically fortify in anticipation of enemy strategies, but wants the opponents strategy handed to them on a plate.

I have to agree. Sniping allows for smaller powers to employ strategy to gain an advantage. If this gets taken away, strategy is out the window and the biggest army flat out wins. All they have to do is look at the scoreboard and react to what they see.

 

[JemyM]

I have to agree. Sniping allows for smaller powers to employ strategy to gain an advantage. If this gets taken away, strategy is out the window and the biggest army flat out wins. All they have to do is look at the scoreboard and react to what they see.

When turned around your argument refutes itself, because a smaller power have a harder time affording fortifications.

 

[Cmdr Basskicker]

Full support, compensate players for their activities and time spent in PP and toss it in the trash can, please.

I hate to say it, but yep... If things keep going the way they are, Powerplay is best left trashed.

 

[wolfger]

If, as so many say, the Empire is the favorite son of FD (and I'd have to say it appears so to me too), then maybe we should all join Empire factions and obliterate all non-Empire factions from the map... Think about it.

 

[Soopyyy]

When turned around your argument refutes itself, because a smaller power have a harder time affording fortifications.

Not really, they just pick their most valuable systems and fortify them. Allowing the lesser systems to go into turmoil to be shed. It doesn't matter if you're not trying to hold the top 3 positions.

 

[Mikalus]

When turned around your argument refutes itself, because a smaller power have a harder time affording fortifications.

Whether or not a system is fortified has little to do with sniping. We at Archon - and I'm guessing you guys at Torval - assume all systems will be undermined and therefore fortify what is appropriate. If ALD did the same, there's no sniping issue. That's what makes this so laughable to me.

They can keep hold of 30,000 merits until the last minute of the cycle but if the systems they are hitting are fortified it makes minimal difference. Last time I checked fortifying 7,000 merits off sets most of those 30,000 or even 100,000. It's the only way powers like Archon and Torval can actually stay afloat.

 

[FleetAdmiralJ]

If ALD did the same, there's no sniping issue. That's what makes this so laughable to me.

Of course, then they would complain how unfair it is, when no one snipes them that turn, they have 1500 CCs and are now open to preparation sabotage.

Then again, maybe this is a great idea. if ADL is subject to massive preparation sabotage, maybe they'll finally address that issue too...

 

[VerneAsimov]

If, as so many say, the Empire is the favorite son of FD (and I'd have to say it appears so to me too), then maybe we should all join Empire factions and obliterate all non-Empire factions from the map... Think about it.

You mean ALD?

The past couple of weeks has basically screwed over Aisling (2nd biggest Empire faction) -- bugs. We complained. We got, "We're looking into it." ALD loses it's precious top spot due to legitimate in-game mechanics and then they complain. I agree that sniping needs a little nerf but it remains a legitimate tactic. What response do they get? "We're seriously considering adding this."

I'm salty. Aisling players are salty. And this thread is a disgrace to Powerplay as a whole.

 

[Soopyyy]

Here's an idea. Instead of letting us stock pile merits. Simply attribute the merits directly to the system they're collected in. It would be impossible to stock pile but still not require us to make a monotonous journey back and forth every 15-20mins...

 

[Nuvey]

Hello Commander chagnampra!

Limiting Powerplay voucher capacity.

I think is a *great* idea. I'm going to look into the feasibility of doing it.

Obviously, there is a counter argument that it forces more "busy" work for Commander's undermining, but my personal take is that it could provide a *much* bigger benefit than cost.

Top banana, Commander!

You think it's a great idea? Really? It's a horrible idea. Think about how big ALD was when this happened. Think about how tight these Commanders had to work together to keep track of each system, each merit. Keeping track of those numbers alone is near unthinkable outside of the in-game mechanics. Now you want to limit it simply because the ALD Commanders were so arrogant that they simply decided that they were untouchable? "We would have fortified if only we'd known!" Screw that. They should fortify because it's a possibility. They shouldn't have allowed themselves to become so arrogant that they only fortified the two systems that were showing undermining. They should have fortified EVERYTHING, and they should continue to fortify EVERYTHING, EVERY WEEK. If they can't handle it, they shouldn't expand so much.

So, if you remove this possibility, you are simply spitting on the creativity and hard work put in by these dedicated Commanders, simply because LAZY COMMANDERS REFUSED TO DO MORE THAN REQUIRED.

Now lets talk about the other issue. It can take me as long as 30 minutes to travel from my home system to an enemy system. More if I happen to be located somewhere else. That's 30 out, and 30 back. I can turn 1000+ merits per hour with little effort on my part, and a limit is going to require me to make additional trips. If you limit it to anything less than If you limit it, many Commanders, like myself, will spend as much time traveling as killing. I work a full time job, plus a part time job, I cannot afford to double my play time simply because lazy cry baby Imperials want to cry about being the victim of a well planned out assault. This game mechanic is working just fine, and should not be touched.

However, you might find it to be a *great* idea to fix the bugs in the merit tracking software. It's slow to update sometimes, other times it doesn't update. I've fully undermined a system, and cashed them in, and a day later it still showed 0% undermined. Then a few days pass, and it's at over 1000% undermined. This is a problem both for those of us undermining, and those who need to be fortifying instead of crying.

 

[Bulwei]

Whether or not a system is fortified has little to do with sniping. We at Archon - and I'm guessing you guys at Torval - assume all systems will be undermined and therefore fortify what is appropriate. If ALD did the same, there's no sniping issue. That's what makes this so laughable to me.

They can keep hold of 30,000 merits until the last minute of the cycle but if the systems they are hitting are fortified it makes minimal difference. Last time I checked fortifying 7,000 merits off sets most of those 30,000 or even 100,000. It's the only way powers like Archon and Torval can actually stay afloat.

QFT.

I hold the guys in kumo crew in high esteem they have weathered some horrendous undermining over the last weeks basically making a mockery of the clumsy snipe attempts made on them.
We in winters know your pain.
I see the way PP has been evolving and I see a little darwinism going on. Those that turn and fight and learn and adapt seem to be the smaller guys.
ALD has a huge role in this they have been the catalyst to our evolution.
while they stay blinkered to possibilities and do not plan for eventualities that could happen. and then go cap in hand looking to be bailed out of a situation caused by blindness

I feel for FD the size of the ALD player base is quite substantial so they will have the loudest voices. but always only greasing the same squeaky wheel starts to wear the other gears down.

 

[chagnampra]

And to the OP of this thread...you rode in knowing fine well that ALD had suffered at the hands of the thing you wanted to address. You used ALD just fine.

I think some people need to get over themselves regarding a perceived 'Empire bias'. I do not support ALD. FD are interested in achieving a balance within PP. The issue I raised affects ALL the powers. End of.

 

[xDreadnoughtx]

Come on, FD - we all know you want powers undermining powers, skullduggery and intrigue in this Powerplay system of yours; but if the system isn't balanced appropriately and fairly between defense and attack, more and more people are going to give up on it altogether as a waste of time and effort.

Make your change and it will be the playerbase of the powers that oppose the likes of ALD that will give up. Plenty of evidence on here of edging closer to pulling the plug.

Remove the one sharp and somewhat fun tool in the box and hand out plastic scissors to everyone. Great.

 

[GluttonyFang]

I think some people need to get over themselves regarding a perceived 'Empire bias'. I do not support ALD. FD are interested in achieving a balance within PP. The issue I raised affects ALL the powers. End of.

You don't seem to have any idea what us prominent figures of powers are looking at nor the experience that we have in PP.

Don't take this as an insult, I am merely questioning your experience in PP.

 

[Nick S]

I think some people need to get over themselves regarding a perceived 'Empire bias'. I do not support ALD. FD are interested in achieving a balance within PP. The issue I raised affects ALL the powers. End of.

Yes it is very unfortunate that historically, issues have only been properly addressed when they adversely affected Imperial Powers.

However, to stay on subject, it seems to me that removing uncertainties from the mechanics of PowerPlay by making undermining obvious, would remove the strategic richness and depth of the game and make it much more superficial. Players from all powers are continuously developing new strategies. Making changes to the rules severely affects the moral of those who have engaged with the complexities over many weeks.

 

[Darkminded]

Hello Commander chagnampra!

Limiting Powerplay voucher capacity.

I think is a *great* idea. I'm going to look into the feasibility of doing it.

Obviously, there is a counter argument that it forces more "busy" work for Commander's undermining, but my personal take is that it could provide a *much* bigger benefit than cost.

Top banana, Commander!

You Should Also Reduce the Merits per Actions done in Solo Play, to force the thousands of Solo Play players to come into the open play, Lets Face it Power Play was not thought as a Solo Play Thing, so why should Solo Players Grind as much as the ones that truly Play Dangerously
This Should be a Priority !

 

[ever]

it is your duty not only to allow room for creative tactics, but also to make room for such actions. ALD has used this kind of tactics against her enemies more than once. to change now because she is the victim it is not only pathetic but also unjust.

 

[Apos]

I also love how the unfair gap between combat expansions and commodity expansions is still left untouched.

A combat power is impossible to oppose.

A commodity expansion power has to use over a billion of credits in fast tracks in order to have a CHANCE to expand.

But yes, sniping is more important. How could it not be, since Arissa expands through combat and Aisling sees little opposition on her expansions.

 

[chagnampra]

You don't seem to have any idea what us prominent figures of powers are looking at nor the experience that we have in PP.

Don't take this as an insult, I am merely questioning your experience in PP.

You're entitled to your opinion, of course.