Data Sphere

Is this a member of the Krug? Did an American place 4th at Interplanetary? If so, way to represent guys, 4th place is nothing to sneeze at!!!

That looks like Dexter. So...

Not only does he make awesome terrain, but apparently he kicks ass at Infinity too!

Super Awesome! Congrats, Dexter!

Congratz Dexter! Way to go!

That is impressive. Congrats to big D and the Krug!

Cool, congratulations!

Hopefully that means we'll get some candid discussion regarding the differences between American and European terrain densities and play styles.

Doesn't that guy play Morats too? That would make two big tournaments where they've managed forth - a hell of a lot better than they look on paper

Todd wrote:Cool, congratulations!

Hopefully that means we'll get some candid discussion regarding the differences between American and European terrain densities and play styles.

I would really look forward to an analysis with the usual deep and insightful approach taken by the Krug. Best Infinity podcast there is...

Guges wrote:I would really look forward to an analysis with the usual deep and insightful approach taken by the Krug. Best Infinity podcast there is...

Yep, I hope so!

Spambot wrote:Doesn't that guy play Morats too? That would make two big tournaments where they've managed forth - a hell of a lot better than they look on paper

He played Steel Phalanx at the Interplanetary.

Todd wrote:Cool, congratulations!

Hopefully that means we'll get some candid discussion regarding the differences between American and European terrain densities and play styles.

Going of what Dexter and Rob (BlueDagger) have posted on our CO Facebook page is that the Spainards have a lot of open tables and play with terrain rules.

Here's Dex's first table. The whole table was considered low-vis and he was playing SP... I feel bad for his Morat opponent.



From one of Rob's comments it seems the Avatar plus Speculo list is the strongest in Spain's meta. Also, Rob and Dex both played Avatar lists and had a hard time against them. Half of Dexter's forces got Sepsitorized while Rob said he just got squished by an Avatar plus Speculo list.

More tables the two Colorado players played on:

Guges wrote:...Best Infinity podcast there is...

What is the name of Kurg postcast?

funmomiji wrote:

Guges wrote:...Best Infinity podcast there is...

What is the name of Kurg postcast?

It's just simply called The Krug.

Can't wait to listen to the newest episode!

Whoa, an entire low-vis table in a tournament, that is different.

I like those printed mats. I wonder if all of the jungle ones were treated as low-vis, or if there was a different terrain condition used with the snow/desert mats?

Low-vis table versus Steel Phalanx. Talk about a wrong table, wrong opponent bad luck of the draw.

Wooww... throw in a long range (-3 mod) and most troops are just straight never shooting. That sounds awful lol...

Certs wrote:Low-vis table versus Steel Phalanx. Talk about a wrong table, wrong opponent bad luck of the draw.

Frankly this kind of gross imbalance, luck of the draw type table does not sound like the way to run a tournament. I have been to more than one tournament where environmental effects caused massive problems and afterwards the TO's swore them off.

That being said, with the level of play present at the Interplanetary, I'm sure people earned their wins regardless of whatever problems the tournament itself had.

Guges wrote:

Certs wrote:Low-vis table versus Steel Phalanx. Talk about a wrong table, wrong opponent bad luck of the draw.

Frankly this kind of gross imbalance, luck of the draw type table does not sound like the way to run a tournament. I have been to more than one tournament where environmental effects caused massive problems and afterwards the TO's swore them off.

That being said, with the level of play present at the Interplanetary, I'm sure people earned their wins regardless of whatever problems the tournament itself had.

I hope that there was some warning for the participants. Planning a list for that would be interesting. Do-able, I think, but complicated.

macfergusson wrote:

Guges wrote:

Certs wrote:Low-vis table versus Steel Phalanx. Talk about a wrong table, wrong opponent bad luck of the draw.

Frankly this kind of gross imbalance, luck of the draw type table does not sound like the way to run a tournament. I have been to more than one tournament where environmental effects caused massive problems and afterwards the TO's swore them off.

That being said, with the level of play present at the Interplanetary, I'm sure people earned their wins regardless of whatever problems the tournament itself had.

I hope that there was some warning for the participants. Planning a list for that would be interesting. Do-able, I think, but complicated.

The problem is there is no way to balance a low vis table. Camo heavy armies like Ariadna and Shasvasti have a field day as do visor heavy armies like Nomads or QK. Other armies can compensate for this to a certain extent, but then get hamstrung on other tables if they make a good low vis list. Throw in the complicated list building already needed for ITS 2014 and you have a tournament where list building becomes a miserable Gordian Knot instead of a fun part of the strategy.

Infinity was always about what happens on the table, and this makes list building even more over domineering than it already is in ITS 2014.

Guges wrote:

macfergusson wrote:

Guges wrote:Frankly this kind of gross imbalance, luck of the draw type table does not sound like the way to run a tournament. I have been to more than one tournament where environmental effects caused massive problems and afterwards the TO's swore them off.

That being said, with the level of play present at the Interplanetary, I'm sure people earned their wins regardless of whatever problems the tournament itself had.

I hope that there was some warning for the participants. Planning a list for that would be interesting. Do-able, I think, but complicated.

The problem is there is no way to balance a low vis table. Camo heavy armies like Ariadna and Shasvasti have a field day as do visor heavy armies like Nomads or QK. Other armies can compensate for this to a certain extent, but then get hamstrung on other tables if they make a good low vis list. Throw in the complicated list building already needed for ITS 2014 and you have a tournament where list building becomes a miserable Gordian Knot instead of a fun part of the strategy.

Infinity was always about what happens on the table, and this makes list building even more over domineering than it already is in ITS 2014.

Small portions of Low-Vis on a table would make sense, allowing people to take advantage or avoid it as appropriate for their list. The entire table, though... crazy.

I think it's alright. There's probably only a few tables played with that condition so just need better luck on table assignments next year.

Certs wrote:I think it's alright. There's probably only a few tables played with that condition so just need better luck on table assignments next year.

If I travel to Spain for the biggest Infinity tournament in the world, that level of luck shouldn't play a factor into me winning or losing the tournament. Bad die rolls are one thing, that's part of the game. Having lopsided match ups because of light/heavy terrain and environmental effects is way too much randomness for any ITS. It would be like going up against both Williams sisters at the same time by yourself in Wimbledon. Stuff like that takes skill out of the game and leaves winning up to chance which is exactly the wrong way to run a tournament. Everything in a tournament should be geared to measure skill, with as few random factors as possible.

No info of the rules, but more pictures of the 1st Interplanetary tables so you can check density.

Mob of Blondes wrote:No info of the rules, but more pictures of the 1st Interplanetary tables so you can check density.

I'm definitely going to try to replicate some of those. It's different than what I'm used to.

I'm with guges on this, a whole table as low viz is pretty binary. Without wanting to detract from anyone achievement I dont get the thought process behind a table of it.

I did a table with extensive low-vis zones for this year's tournament. It made for ugly killing fields. Another table had tall buildings, and featured lifts. Another was all low shacks. Terrain density was about the same as the Spanish tables. Each had different effects on the game. If all tables were perfectly symmetrical then there'd be no reason to choose deployment side.

As for randomness, in one game a Tiger Solider with BS fluffed his roll in a PanO DZ, went off the table, and walked on. He then killed half the PanO squad before going down.

With the tall buildings, they were all strung across the centreline. A Gwailo ARO-glued a foolish Knight on top of the building and then proceeded to rain death from his elevated position and belly full of PanO wounds.

All of the players were advised before the day as to what to expect from the tables.

ITS is inherently random, and getting first turn will win you the game. Terrain effects you can at least plan for before the game. All they do is increase the tactical opportunities.

Lampyridae wrote:ITS is inherently random, and getting first turn will win you the game.

I think we are playing pretty different games if you find this to be the case.

Terrain effects only add tactical depth if there is a choice involved. Blanket -3 across the table is much more likely to reward lucking out with your list than terrain setup would.

Lampyridae wrote:ITS is inherently random, and getting first turn will win you the game.

Which is why I don't bother with it. Let's hope N3 changes it for the better.