Aimed Blow reply: part 2

From: 900667c@ace.acadiau.ca (Gerald Cameron)

Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1992 00:26:15 +0000

Well, after that stirring discussion on Aimed Blow design, now I've decided
to discuss strategy a bit.  Like design, I agree with some of what Vlad has
to say, and disagree with the rest.  C'est la Jeu!

>>Vs. Offensive, SP <= 9        Vs. Offensive, SP > 9

>>2  10  8  5  5  5     1        1  10  8  5  5  5    2
>>6   6  6  2  2  2    10       10   6  6  2  2  2    6
>>2   6  6  5  5  5     1        1   6  6  5  5  5    2

>>RL-------------------->       RL-------------------->
>>BD-------------------->       BD-------------------->

>>x   ?  ?  x----------->        x   ?  ?  x---------->
>>P   x----------->     D        D   x----------->    P

>>Vs. Defensive

>>10  8  5  5  5  5     2
>> 6  6  2  2  2  2     4
>> 6  6  5  5  5  5     2

>>RL or HE-------------->
>>BD-------------------->

>> ?  ?  x-------------->
>> x-------------->     P

>>?= B, L, S, or x

First, I'll begin by explaining the rationale behind my strategy.  I'm not
saying that Vlad doesn't have some valid points about it.  Instead, I'm just
explaining how I saw things before.

Aimed blows are (arguably) the slowest of the offensive styles, and are also
slower than some defensives (eg. PLs and PSs).  As a result, trying to go
full out will mostly serve to get you beaten up badly, and probably killed
the second or third time you try it.  My latest turn in Rodeki testifies
to this fact when I accidentally ran 10-6-6 against a striker, and lost
myself a decent Aimed Blow.  Of course I am talking about early in the
warrior's career here.  I don't know sweet FA about later career, and I
defer totally to Vlad's knowledge on that subject.

Anyways, since you're not going to beat most guys to the jump, you're going
to have to be able to protect yourself from them.  Thus I use dodge if my
defense is up to it (ie. SP is high enough to make a decent contribution).
Other wise I use Parry with a medium activity level, thus allowing defense
to help out some, but not relying on it.

I think that the strategy against defensives speaks for itself, mostly.

>Here is my preferred strategy.  This is a matchup strategy, which you would
>customize for sure challenges depending on the opponent's offensive or
>defensive nature.
>                     (6)  (D)
>10      8  6  ---->   3    2
>10      2  2  ---->   3    9
>6       8  6  ---->   3    1
>HE  ------------------------>
>AM  -----------------------BD

>L (x)   x  ------------------>
>x   ------------------------D

>Against defensives, you would make the first 2 minutes 8-2-8, or just the
>first, and go with 6-2-6.

I don't disagree with this strategy, at least in priciple, since it's
similar in concept to my anti-scum one: blast 'em out of the water.

>Use the regular matchup strategy against offensives.  You will get the jump
>on a number of offensives.  Trust me.

I can beleive this, but can you jump enough to stay alive.

>Even if you don't, your AB will
>often dodge quite well in the 1st minute, despite going 10-10-6.  You dodge
>in desperation (unless using the QS).  If you don't get the jump and end up
>going desperate, you will stand a better chance making it to swing again,
>then if you started out dodging in the first minute.  When you come out of
>desperation, you will be running 10-10-6 and will probably start pounding
>the offensive since he has worn himself out getting you desperate.

Basically, I refer you to the story I gave under my rationale for my
strategy.

>The one
>problem with this approach is getting knocked out by the same swing that
>got you desperate.  You have less chance of that, however, than of being
>taken out by blows while your trying to dodge the entire first minute.

Yeah, well, that's a problem regardless of you're strategy.

Basically, to sum up, i think that your strategy has a few more holes than
you do, Vlad, but I WILL give it a try sometime.  Just for the sake of
completeness, I add one little fact, and another little anecdote.

First off, the strategy i use comes more or less directly from Steve
Daughney, who knows a thing or two about Aimed Blows himself.  I know better
than to think that he's some kind of god (see my sig.), but he does know a
lot.  As a result I put quite a bit of stock in this theory I've been
defending.

Secondly, a friend of mine without net access recently told me that he'd
come up with an awesome strategy for aimed blows that has yet to lode for
his best guy.  Essentially it consists of going about 4-3-4 the whole fight
(if I remember correctly).  It's worked for him, but I haven't rushed out to
try it.

Well, that's it for my round 2.  Can't wait for round 3 :D

References

AB Article in rec.games.pbm
dfcleary@UCDAVIS.EDU (Riff-Raff)
Wed, 18 Mar 1992 18:38:15 +0000