Ideal DBAOL Tournament Format

If the DBAOL community would humor me, I would like to get some discussion on everyone's opinion on the ideal (and doable) DBAOL tournament format. Of all the tournaments that have been hosted, which ones did you like the best, which one's did you like the least (formatwise that is), which ones had potential, etc? Do you prefer the use of the Tournament manager? Do you like multiple round formats, pick your own army formats, pre-selected army formats, etc.

Thanks.

I believe there is no ideal tournament format, only matter of taste.

That what is great in DBAol vs Club playing : one can participate in a real LOT of different campaign/tournaments with really varied system.

But to answer the question :

- My favorite are tournaments with some historical flavor & some liberty of opponents you have to play, even if it means un-equal chances and unfair matchups. This is all and only about having fun, after all. Some may recognize my own format in the Respublica, Fall of Rome, Mongols, & Biblical tourneys

- I also enjoy very simple tournaments, easy to follow (Trojan Wars, St Patrick), or very special flavored tourn. (Gladiators, Roman Civil wars..)

- On the opposite, I less enjoy very competitives tournaments, single elimination, where each player chose his own army (to be chosen, most of the time between 179, 102c, 85, 131b and a few others ), just like the DBAol "world cup"

- And campaigns ! But they are rare, too rare, especially those with element management. Too much work, I believe.

I really like the tourny's where you represent a single country/army on a historical map, and grow by conquest. The most recent being Byzance.
Though some armies may not match up well it is still very enjoyable. Also ,losing a lot of battles does not mean you will be eliminated so quickly.

The ones I like least are campaigns that you need to do too much thinking [img]smile.gif[/img] , like Medieval Wars or the Crusader one of the same format. Though I know the CM's put a lot of time and effort in these.

The Flash Tournaments were also very enjoyable.
http://www.geocities.com/scherch/Flash/flash.html

My all time favorite was DK's 'HYW Chaos Tourny',but I don't think the page is up anymore.

~Marco

I'll pitch in my couple of pennies....

I have played in a wide variety of tourneys/campaigns. It seems to me that the best ones were either very focused in the approach or very well managed by the creator.

Kachoudas is running some very nice Hellenes focused tourneys with a limited number of players. You know the armies going in and can plan accordingly. It doesn't matter if the matchups are fair or not, as this is a good way to test your generalship. Besides, War isn't fair.

Tiger's Medieval War Campaign was very good, but I am sure required ALOT of work on his part. The down side to one like that is you need very dedicated players to make element/army choices and move around on a map. If the right group is involved it can be much fun, otherwise a few slow/bad players can grind it to a halt.

Ehud's Map Mania tourney is Excellent!!! The idea behind it, the scoring system, the round play, everything about it is enjoyable to me.

I guess I am saying that I prefer something historical, that is well run and remains focused. Format isn't as big a deal as long as the other components are there.

I prefer the games be created using the tourney manager, but realize it is tough for the creator to find time to do them all. It really cuts down on mistakes and lost time for re-starts.

To me I do not like fighting fantasy battles, thus in period or historical opponents are the best. Therefore, Roman civil war, Byzantine campign are the best at the moment.

After some experience with DBAOL, I have to agree that period match-ups are better. In one tourney I am playing, seems like 5 of the players are running either Hussites or War of the Roses English. Great armies, but tough to beat! Not impossible though....unless you are running Indians like I am! I try elephants...they don't ever seem to get the PIP's to get out of their own way....I try using auxilia and they get shot to pieces....arrrrrghghghghghg!

Originally posted by Hannibal Ad Portas:
After some experience with DBAOL, I have to agree that period match-ups are better. In one tourney I am playing, seems like 5 of the players are running either Hussites or War of the Roses English. Great armies, but tough to beat! Not impossible though....unless you are running Indians like I am! I try elephants...they don't ever seem to get the PIP's to get out of their own way....I try using auxilia and they get shot to pieces....arrrrrghghghghghg!

I have to agree that with these set-ups numerous players tend to choose armies from the later period- 170, 176, 178, 179 and they are tough to beat. But not impossible to beat. My Vikings made short work of the Hussites with the aid of good terrain and some lucky dice.(Sorry Ambo, had to get that one in! ) When all is said and done the armies, from whichever period they come, are made up of the same types of units, the combination and quantity of which is the only real difference.

I never play unhistorical match-ups in friendly games and for me, these tournaments are a good opportunity for trying these out; a chance to choose an army you like and feel comfortable with and see just how much you can do with them. In most periods you have an army which is above all the others but pitch this army against something different and who knows what will happen. Fantasy, yes. Unhistorical, yes. But also theoretical fun.

I have very much enjoyed all the tournaments I've been beaten in and I believe that, as mentioned by someone else, there is no 'ideal' tournament. I'd hate to see all tournaments suddenly following one 'ideal' pattern. Variety is the key- then there's something for everyone to enjoy.

One preference I do have though is the use of the tournament manager but then maybe that's just because I'm a lazy sod! : In more complex tourney set-ups with custom armies etc this is probably unfeasible but it does cut down on the 'oops, I messed up the challenge! Can we restart?' syndrome which slows things down.

At the end of the day, as long as someone, somewhere is investing their precious time in organising tourneys I'll be happy regardless of idealism.

Thanks to all tourney managers and to the great opponents who beat me in them.

Cheers all.