The wonderiful game of Nation-Wars

[ukurasmus]

In this post I will be giving my idea about how the game should be played, what goals should players and nations set for themselves and what could be viewed as meaningful playing of the game.

I've seen this idea of 'mastering the game' come up in different threads during the last few weeks. It is probably clear for all that there are different views about it circling around the community. Therefore, I'd like to point out how I see things, maybe it might help to clear up what I think or better understand the different views of what is considered as mastering. Pretty much this here is the continuation of the post here that gives and idea which strategies one should use in different roles.

So, first, let me list the different aspects of the game that I think are all equally important:

• netting
• warring
• diplomacy

Nice list, one might say, but what's behind the words and why did you list those?

Netting
Who's the top ranked player/state in game scoreboards? Obviously, the one with most networth. Netting is the part of the game that's used for ranking both states and nations. The more networth you have on day 28, the better your rank will be in the end.

Warring
Who's going to be on top of the scoreboards at the end of the set? Not the one who's going to die in a war, but also not the one who doesn't gain anything from the war. That should say it all about the importance of warring.

Diplomacy
Well, this is a key ingredient for avoiding wars, and in case of war, necessity for having decent allies that can and will back you up. This certainly is not a must for every player, but sure is something a true nation needs in order to be efficient. Therefore, necessary skill for tag leaders.

Given the three aspects that I see in the game, I believe it's all about dominating the ranks. Of course, there always will be players doing better in the netting aspect and others doing not so well. Therefore, usually wars are pretty hard to avoid, because for the latter ones, warring is the only path to rankings domination - just take down other nations's top players and ensure yours get the top spots. Keeping in mind the motto of the game 'Domination leads to war'.

So, mastering the game. As a player/state, mastering means(FOR ME!) that you are capable of both netting and warring.
It has been stated many times by different respectable community members that NW is a team game. I see no reason to disagree. If you disagree, then prove it wrong by trial and end up #1 without a tag behind you. Therefore, for a good team/nation, mastering means having master players, of whom some dominate the scoreboard and others help ensure their team members's domination. Plus having an equally good diplomacy skill-set to back it up when necessary.

In today's game-play we have two interesting, but incomplete opposites - netters aka 'bean counters' or 'retards' and anti-infantry hoarders aka 'anarchists' or 'idiots'.

Let's start with the netters side. Netters are great at, obviously, netting. There are proven best practices for reaching best possible networth and these are being used at it's best. Some call it infantry hoarding, some call it maximizing your day 28 networth. The problem with netters is that netters don't like being warred, because this is not good for your networth. In addition to that, netters have become comfortable with the way they have been playing for years and now actually seem to lack either the warring or diplomacy aspect. Every netter should ask himself if it's time to adapt, to get out of the comfort zone and start dominating as a team rather than only using nations for NA and tech? Is it actually meaningful to net if your nation is not capable of defending you from competitors or anarchists?

So, anti-infantry hoarders. Great at warring aspect. Again best practices exist in this league and the practices are being used rather well(netters taken down all the time ). But what I see missing here is the goal for the play. Some say it's fun, some say it's principles. But what it really should be, is DOMINATION! The war machine could be used to play for top ranking. The question here - is it meaningful for the anti-infantry hoarding to ruin the game for netters without dominating the ranks themselves?

No names and examples given for a reason and I'd like to keep it that way

Feel free to point out what I'm missing here.

[MAGGIO]

In today's game-play we have two interesting, but incomplete opposites - netters aka 'bean counters' or 'retards' and anti-infantry hoarders aka 'anarchists' or 'idiots'.

Very good !

IMO right now the USA is the only nation that has done it right.

1. they are big enough
2. they have proven they can kill you if they want too
3. the can support top states

Meaning they have been through the test of time, the test of war, and remain untested recently. No one really wants to war because they dont really do anything wrong, and they can kick most nations butt based on dedication/numbers

The ability to be in this position takes several sets

1. you have to establish your nation
2. grow your nation
3. test your nation in war several times
4. use diplomicy to make sure you dont have to continue to war every set
5. then you can sit there and net all you want, and be a FORCE in the game.

There are many other long standing nations out there, but their numbers have dwindled over time. There are many nations our there that can net their butts off but for some reason they wont keep their mouths shut long enough to get through one set.

Right now I see warring nations asking for VERY SMALL adjustments calling on nations to ask their TOP STATES to have some sort of defense. A small price to pay to avoid being warred set after set. Sometimes loosing a little now will make you a huge winner moving forward.

Like I said I think the USA has done it the best and is most likely the best well rounded nation out there right now. I wish that there were more out there like that which would create a strong foundation to continue to build the game up.

[ukurasmus]

Right now I see warring nations asking for VERY SMALL adjustments calling on nations to ask their TOP STATES to have some sort of defense. A small price to pay to avoid being warred set after set. Sometimes loosing a little now will make you a huge winner moving forward.

This is a good point and something that nations not as well established as USA should consider. Although, an established nation should stand up and not let someone tell them how they must play - a well organized nation probably would have what it takes to defend their netting states.

I asked not to bring examples in my first post, but actually I feel that one from last set is in place. An anti-infantry hoarding nation missed the sharpest pen in states ranking, but on the other hand performed rather well as a team. #1 ranking as a nation. This shows the huge potential of this warring machine, throw this one more pen in the box and we've got a winner

[Dogma]

I for one do appreciatethe compliments to my nation, but I must also point out that WLF and LoR are also very good at all aspects of the game and have also been tested in each of the aspects noted in this thread. I believe that if you ask any of the members of either of these nation they will tell you that they play together and watch each other's backs because we have become more than team mates, we have become friends, which makes it even more fun for us.

Now that being said, I venture to say that the nation DEAD, will eventually get to that as they are all friends first. THey enjoy each other in and out of game and they are very loyal to each other. I know a lot of people don't like the way they play the game, myself included at times, but you have to respect their gumption.

All they care about is the fact that as friends, they have another thing they can do together. IN the short time they have been back on the scene, they have brought a lot of angst and excitement to the game with their way of playing. I do see them becoming one of the great ones in the game. Do I think they need to also try and use some of the other aspects of the game to their fullest? Sure, but that will come with time. They are already making inroads to trying th eother aspects of the game as shown by thier mutual agreement not to war their favorite target this set.

What I think would be really groovy, is if all nation could have the type of experiences a few of us already enjoy in all aspects of the game.


Disclaimer***Opinions expressed here may not be those of the members and staff of Nation-Wars or the nation USA.

And yes, I said groovy.

[kanman]

This is a good point and something that nations not as well established as USA should consider. Although, an established nation should stand up and not let someone tell them how they must play - a well organized nation probably would have what it takes to defend their netting states.

I asked not to bring examples in my first post, but actually I feel that one from last set is in place. An anti-infantry hoarding nation missed the sharpest pen in states ranking, but on the other hand performed rather well as a team. #1 ranking as a nation. This shows the huge potential of this warring machine, throw this one more pen in the box and we've got a winner

The round before last ICN hit all 3.

[::LD::GrimReapr]

As a nation leader and friend to many in this game I have taken the advice of several and learned the art of FA. Now some may disagree but The March set we got Gbed by all in the game now I venture to say we in DEAD have allies. The art of FA is a 2 sided street it must be both sides willing to give and take in talks and treaties. We in DEAD have tried to talk and work out deals for peace on several occasions with another nation to which nothing was settled on or agreed. One of those reasons is the leader of the other nation much like myself is pigheaded and proud which is why I appointed another for foreign affairs. The netting side of the game I doubt any of the original members of DEAD will ever win a set #1 one reason is we don't have the time to put into writing down and logging in to hit at the times people lose GB for the absolute maximum grabbing efficiency. I know we have had some set winners in DEAD but they didn't win it in DEAD. We in DEAD don't have the feeding of NA thing down to make the nation better or run on a lower tax to grow faster. We do however have the comradery to play the game and enjoy playing it. Warring for those that don't know come more naturally to us now than when GRIM first arrived on the scene years back. 1 is because I think 5 of our first 7 sets we were either warred or suicided on for who was in our nation. I believe my brother Rass and Max were the targets of suicide not sure though maybe they could confirm that for me. The infantry hoarding issue isn't new it has always been an issue to us hence the reason Vinnie made THIK which stood for The Hoarding Infantry Killers which got gang banged if I recall. We got sick of turning the other cheek and decided to start playing the way we want to play regardless of how many times we die or war. I must Thank LOR and Ali at the time along with Kanman and Kenneth at teaching several of us in GRIM how to war properly. I believe we have all aspects of the game in the nation but I believe that they can be improved upon. As stated last set by Blacken we in DEAD sometimes forget that not everyone in the nation knows exactly whats going. 1 i am a bit forgetful not remembering that I don't talk to all members in DEAD on a daily basis on the phone or at work like most. I do believe as a nation Leader I am making strides to improve that and myself as a nation leader.

[-Chris-]

I for one do appreciatethe compliments to my nation, but I must also point out that WLF and LoR are also very good at all aspects of the game and have also been tested in each of the aspects noted in this thread. I believe that if you ask any of the members of either of these nation they will tell you that they play together and watch each other's backs because we have become more than team mates, we have become friends, which makes it even more fun for us.

I'm honored to hear you talk about WLF in such a way. I admire USA the most out of every other nation in this game. You're dead on. We do what we do in WLF because we are good friends first, players of the same game second. We restart and not die, not because of the draw of the game, but because we could never abandon our friends in the thick of war. We aren't the best netters or even the best warrers but dammit we will fight you to the death and that's what I love the most about us.

Cheers to USA and to you, Dogma.Iconcheers.gif

[Bright]

What I like most about DEAD, WLF, and similar nations are that they are like bulldogs when it comes to keeping a fight going no matter how dirty it gets- sure some things aren't perfect in DEAD, but I definitely like how people stick around when things get tough- a lot of great netters in the past were great warrers...if they didn't get killed early on. A lot were like glass cannons that never did much after the initial large state was taken down.

FA just takes time and practice, it used to be easy to get good at because there were so many nations, big and small. Lots of warring tested just how real your 'allies' were, or if you had some well meaning allies who needed a bit of guidance in wartime. I enjoyed partnering up with the obscure and smaller nations early on while I was getting my feet wet.


My days of going for the top are well past me though (no one does farmer tanks like Farm Wars did), I may have time to lead again in the near future, but for now I'll have fun being another one of the bulldogs too.

[Divine Intervention]

I wouldnt say the game is split Netters vs Warrers. Id say pretty much most of my guys are top10 potentials (except the ones who play expand and build mostly)...especially with me constantly mentoring their states and giving them advice. Plus we always put up a good fight in a war. We dont really have as many top1 players like LoR and Sky do....pretty much only Viali and I have won sets from the players who play with me regularly...some can be top1 contenders too...but like me they now always get suicided from top1 so we dont bother anymore. But my tags have won many rounds in total NW even though we prob only had a top1 state that stayed top1 all the way through once (me - viali, kat etc all got suicided from top1s in my tag).

[ukurasmus]

That is a fair point. There are actually also players who are not competing for top 1 and just playing for fun. But in the case of these players it is not meaningful to war those who are playing for top 1, because their war would not bring any ranking results to them only would ruin other players's results. Isn't the outcome of this kind of meaningless attacks why your guys these days don't bother to play for top 1?