The Energon Pub

Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:48 am

So, I've been playing a while again this time and I notice something. As a faction, we are near powerless. In fact the only other faction more in trouble than us is the preds.

Clearly the "flavor of the month(year)" is the cons.

So, what can we do?

I've pondered this for a while and I THINK I have a solution that will benefit our faction while crippling the cons.

DON'T JOIN MAX VS CON MISSIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ignore them. This will be one less slaughterfest they can use against us to horde XP.

Clearly the gravey train to XP gain is thru missions. If we can temporarily get the bots and preds to also perform the same way - thi will cripple the cons to where they can only gain XP in the arena.

I'm not saying don't to ANY missions - just NEVER do the "versus 'Cons" missions! If we stick to this plan solid - AND if we can reach out to the other 3 factions to do the same - we can put a QUICK stop to their XP gains!

I myself never join a "vs con" mission unless there is less than 1 or 2 minutes left. At which point I monitor the mission - and if our side looks like we are going to dogpile in at the last second - then I will join up to help with the smackdown.

This is just 1 option to cripple the cons - be patient and monitor the situation - join in with less than a minute to go - but only if the cons numbers are relatively small. I have watched them pull the same stunt on us. Why will wait and jump in when its 5 minutes or less!

Stop joining those missions! Please!

Another option, I have one or two "throw away" bots - super wimpy. I never expect them to make any gains. So whenever a NEW mission comes up and it's vs the cons, I put in my "crapbot" maximal. This will get the cons coming outta the shadows early and join up in that mission instead of waiting till the last second to pounce.

More than once I suckered 6 tough cons against one of my throw-away maximals. They end up making less exp than if they went in the area and some of em have to hit the CR chamber for a bit!

So please, pay attention to those missions. If a LOT of time is left, check who is in the mission - if you see a level 0 maximal - it may be someone trying to lure out these annoying cons.

If there is very little time left on a mission vs the cons, jump in at the last second - OR at best - ignore the mission! Don't give em a chance to make more gains over us.

Anyone else have any strategic suggestions?

News Credits: 2 · Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:41 am

ok im with you on this tactic, of staying away from con missions, but i sometimes feel sorry for other maximals when there is a 6 con vs 3 max mission with only less than 1 min left so sometimes i join in. knowing we will loose but still sometime get a good xp out of it

i take it that basically if i see a 6con vs less than 3max mission its best not to join ??

Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:46 am

Basically - yes. But we need to get the word out to our maximal brothers and sisters.

I would propose we actively engage our own faction members when we see situations like this and send a PM asking if they too would like to avoid further missions vs the cons.

I don't expect everyone overnight to sign-up on this idea - nor do all our maximal friends read this BB (or at least often).

Let me put it this way - I ALSO feel bad when I see a 6con vs 3max mission about to start. However, I realize that if I join in, yes I MAY be able to aide my brotheren in getting more XP - but a loss is still garaunteed.

The ittle help I may be able to assist with with my brothers, will ACTUALLY help the CONS out MORE - more targets for them to gang tackle = higher xp gain for the group of them.

A good rule of thumb I try to stick with is to wiegh the odds. If I see a 6con vs 5max mission - I will likely join (baring of course not too many level 2 cons - while our side is full of 0s). Likewise, if I see a 5con vs 4max mission, I again investigate and determine what the chances are that "our side" would be able to fill up in the remaining time.

Something that also helps - before joining, go check the arena. If you see a stack of CONs loitering around - they are likely hangin out to jump in at the last second.

We know the people who pay CONS do stratigize in this game. I think it's time we maximals fight back.

Pass the word my maximal brothers and sisters! United we can make a difference! If we can show the other factions how to deal with the cons - they will likely ally with us by also ignoring the cons.

It's time some OTHER faction take over the leader boards.

We are steadfast survivors.
We are intelligent hunters.
We are Maximals.

Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:02 pm

I'm not sure this is going to work. Honestly, the Cons get much of their XP from Bot/Con missions, because frankly, the bots suck.

Also, about 75% of the Maximal missions generated are Con/Max missions. Often, if I didn't join a Con/Max mission, I would have no mission to join at all. And I'd always rather do a mission than the arena. Waiting for better missions to show just slows overall XP gains. I always prefer the Bot/Max and Pred/Max missions when they are available, but often, they're just not.

Since the Preds can't always even fill up the missions against us, that means we're often getting less XP in those missions than in Bot/Max (which are super rare) or Con/Max missions.

Sorry, I just don't agree its a viable tactic. I think the best way for the Cons to no longer dominate is for the Bots to stop being terrible and start doing their job, being the other "big" faction.

Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:22 pm

I can see where Mud's intentions are good, but i have to agree with Rat. It'll slow your progress down more than it will help. Besides, if you're a level 0 or low level 1, go with speed and avoid only, and i can pretty much garuntee that about 75% of the time or more, you'll pull in 150xp or more from avoids because they'll be firing at you so much.

6-on-4 Con missions i would say are fine in the last minute. Because look at the outnumbered thread in here, there have been plenty of times when it's 6 on 4 and even a lvl2 Con and no lvl2 Max in the mission and we still win.

Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:35 pm

Rat Convoy and Raphael Prime:

I completely understand you guys position, and yes it does not help us - UNLESS we unite together and ALL stop joining these "versus con" missions. I agree.

The only way this can be truely successful if if we stand united (or united for the most part - we will never get 100% of our faction to sign up to this idea).

But really, is there ANY oher way we can react to the con's dominence? I am open to other ideas.

I want US to succeed as a faction, not them. And if It can't be us, then I am fine with the bots or preds overtaking the cons.

Yes, what I propose is difficult. Yes, it will only be effective if the majority of us (and then the bots and preds) stand up against the cons.

But isn't some action better than no action? With no action - nothing changes.

Both of your concerns are completely valid. however, what I propose would severly lower their xp gains while only slightly lower ours. I only ask that everyone at least seriously consider this option. I am not saying to completely avoid con missions, ONLY to do con missions when we have the number to stand against them (which is rare).

Together we can make an impact.
Together, we can defeat the cons by turning our backs on them.
Together we can shake the chains that bind us to the CONs dominence!

Would you guys consider this option if we could form a temporary allience with the preds and bots doing the same actions?

Imagine! All 3 factions turned against one! They're xp gains would quickly be next to nothing while the rest of us rise up!

Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:51 pm

The problem with avoiding them altogether is that they are then able to just put their bots straight back into yet another mission - one mission where they get the 100xp for winning plus another 40xp for their share of beating on you, and then spend at least a few minutes in CR (if you actually get a shot in before they gang-beat you to death) is better than three missions of 100xp each for winning unopposed.

Saving up the crap-bots is also a good plan - for one thing, level zeros get free repairs, so you can set them to auto, and send them back in to get slaughtered sooner (and then they can hopefully cause new non-con missions to spawn.)

The one thing I don't understand is why there are so few maximal/autobot missions - the 'bots are the biggest faction by a wide margin (3115 'bots vs 2494 'cons, 1266 Maxi's, and 828 Pred's), we should be getting overloaded with them. Do they never log in or something? Lazy do-nothing anarchist rebels!

Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:56 pm

Another totally valid point poit123...

BUT...

While they keep jumping in and out of 100xp gain missions (or only 140xp,etc) - we are going toe-to-toe with cons our own level in the arena.

I am seeing many of my lvl 1 guys pulling out an average of 250-450xp - wether I win or lose. The bright side is - if I win - I don't get reduced to 0% hp - thus less time in CR.

Compair that to a complete beatdown (to 0%) in a lopsided con bout - and I only walk away with 56xp for my troubles.

Sure, a win in a mission is always better than a LOSS in the arena. BUT, a share of my WINs in the area net me more XP than a WIN in a mission - not always - but not uncommon.

-BUT-

A loss in a mission is always WORSE thean a loss in arena.

Am I correct in this or am I just lucky as heck?

I could be wrong - but this is the pattern I notice when I look hard at my results and compair them.

You guys bring up fantastic points! You are not wrong. I am just proposing an option we can use to OUR advantage. :mrgreen:

I am always open to other suggestions. The proposal I bring is not easy, I know. But with deication - I believe it can be done.

I love my fellow maximal brothers and sisters, I just wanna contribute to help each other out.

Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:37 pm

Your proposal really does little to them if nothing at all. You can only make this work by getting the Bots and Preds on it as well and that is impossible since Bots are probably the most unorganized mob which means all those non forum readers or more likely pm/ims etc will just jump in anyway.

Now presuming we did get all of our faction it changes nothing maybe even boost their gains. Here is why:

1. If go by some of the Con posters words they aim for the Bot/Con mishs mostly since they know they get better turn outs there.

2. Out of their rival factions quite sure we least talk about. I hardly ever see Maximals being mention in anything by them, usually Bots then occasional preds who are more organize which puts them at or above us.

3. Now with mission generator just giving them max/con they either get free 100 xp then get to try again immediately or throw them in arena. When concerning lv 2s there is a nice number of them already doing that. I would know I hardly ever have to wait on arena line and 95% of my arena battles are against cons. Which brings next point since we be force to arena more, we be just making their arena wait shorter thus helping them. Sure you could wait for generator to give another kind but you be getting screwed more then them.

Now the real reason this bad idea be due to the arena appeal it be giving and that be quite a step backwards for the game in my opinion.

Really want to hurt them lets do what they do and communicate more and rush a bunch of our guys into mishs and making them choose a possible bad odd mish or arena while we either get no cr free 100 xp or a fair even battle.

Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:16 am

Hmmm, yeah I am seeing your point Starlock.

My idea is a grand pipe dream. Would be nice, and it's possible - but what are the odds we can get everyone to turn their backs on the cons missions.

You suggest better communication between us maximals. Good point. ;-)

This may be the only realistic way we as a faction can make gains on the cons (and others).

I was just trying to think outside the box (grasping at straws) - I wanna see us maximals succeed.

Anyway - lets work on communication then. When can the majority of us get together to dogpile the other factions?

Right now - I play from South Korea. BUT on mondays (USA time) - I usually stay up all night (my time) to watch the bears play football (3am till 6am my time).

Whats the BEST time for me as a maximal to be online and assist with the missions?

News Credits: 2 · Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:13 pm

Psychomud wrote:Hmmm, yeah I am seeing your point Starlock.

My idea is a grand pipe dream. Would be nice, and it's possible - but what are the odds we can get everyone to turn their backs on the cons missions.

You suggest better communication between us maximals. Good point.

This may be the only realistic way we as a faction can make gains on the cons (and others).

I was just trying to think outside the box (grasping at straws) - I wanna see us maximals succeed.

Anyway - lets work on communication then. When can the majority of us get together to dogpile the other factions?

Right now - I play from South Korea. BUT on mondays (USA time) - I usually stay up all night (my time) to watch the bears play football (3am till 6am my time).

Whats the BEST time for me as a maximal to be online and assist with the missions?

ok im going to go down the track of putting all my team into missions from now on, there are times on here when either theres a list of 10-12 to enter ( with various levels of entries by either side) or i have to generate them myself, such as the game is atm.

in order to maximise :roll:

our teams being all here at the same time, im going to start and will admin a new post. please put in your "normal" online time here:

viewtopic.php?f=84&t=47161&p=841285#p841285

any questions pm me or post in above topic.

News Credits: 2 · Thu Nov 27, 2008 6:56 pm

hi, heres my sorta personal mission statement based on what been said above and my own "system"

1. My team will only enter missions.

2a. when presented with long mission lists, i will first enter missions with 5 maximals in regardless of time left till start.

2b. then enter missions with at least 3 maximals already in and more than 3 mins till start.

3. any remaining team members will then join remaining mission in reverse order (from bottom up) provided they start in more than 6 mins reguardless of numbers joined at the time.

4. if all remaining missions listed are either empty on ourside or do not meet the above (less than 6 min but not yet got 3 maximals in, then i will refresh till above 2b comes into effect or wait till they time out and generate missions myself with 20 min countdowns.

does this make sense? or am i just talking crap??

Fri Nov 28, 2008 7:06 am

Makes sene to me, I follow a very similiar straegy. I always have my #1 main (Alpha Fang) constantly rotating in and out non-stop.

I try to go with the best choice for available missions. Sometimes the best choice is a vs pred mission starting in 19 minutes. ;(

When no obvious choices exist, I hop into the arena for a quick match to keep my xp gain going up.

Fri Nov 28, 2008 5:23 pm

I agree with Rat and raph on this one. Winning outleveled and outnumbered is pretty much our trademark. I only fight in missions, mainly because I believe one opponent just isn't enough. Outnumbered missions are my top priority, especially those about to start.

And I used to be a con, an RDD Grunt at that, so I refuse to hide from them or anyone. Alot of them are my friends and I would feel as if I would be cheating them by avoiding them.

I'm not saying that your strategy doesn't have merit Psychomud, it's what to do during tourneys, but to attempt it all the time and to include the other 2 factions would not only be a mistake in my opinion, but wrong. I don't believe the preds would agree either. The majority of them are former cons and RDD as well.