March 2005

22-03-05

TWL Match: TDB Challenged

Young Warrior's Guild has challenged TDB on the 5on5 Infantry Ladder. At this point we are proceeding under the assumption that we'll be using the current TWL configuration, but time will tell. We've requested the match be for next Wednesday/Thursday, and are waiting for YWG to respond so that we can finalize details.

UPDATE: YWG match details are set. Game will be Wednesday, 3/30/05 at 10pm EST/7pm PST. Map is Caen.

New Members

TDB is pleased to announce two new Devils: Kohut_TDB and Lil'EvilOne_TDB. Welcome them aboard as only you can :).

UPDATE: Looks like we spoke too soon. Welcome aboard also Ghop_TDB and welcome back Weeeman_TDB.

CS Division Update

TDB would like to take a moment to say a hearty congratulations and good job to the TDB Counter-Strike Division on their recent success in CAL-O. Yet again they made the playoffs, and yet again they proved they had what it took to go to the next level, but have chosen not to due to the excessive demands on their time that such a promotion would entail. Regardless, great job to Kris, Mer, and the crew! Give 'em hell next season TDB CS!

Web Page Updates

In the near future we're going to begin experimenting with different pre-made layouts to increase the utility of the page. As you're aware we've had a nice simple design for some months now, and it's served us well *but* there have been desires for new features, and so on and the current web master has been a tad busy to deliver them in a timely way :). So we're looking for a free solution that we can add our own graphics to and have already started looking into three options, one made by our very own uber-talented Trigger_TDB as replacement candidates. Our intention is something PHP based that will be a clearing house of web info for all TDB Divisions that will allow their captains to post updates in a timely way. Stay tuned for more in the near future!

20-03-05

DA| Fallout Subsides

As expected, the books on the Devil's Aggression BF:V team weren't closed quite yet but now appear to be. The remaining members of DA| appear to have taken up the TnA tag again, yet remain blissfully forgetful of what tripped them up the last time they used it and seem willing to settle for a noncontributing politician instead of an actual leader/coach to run them. Regardless we wish (most) of them well, or at least no worse than they wish us. Also, Noronha, formerly DA|Noronha_TDB, has apparently elected to go with TnA, and is no longer a member of TDB.

For our part, TDB takes away a fun and winning season of BF:V that carried it all the way to the playoffs and the distinction of being part of the first team in two seasons to take Team Warchild in even one round of league play. We will post a complete match record of our BF:V Division's participation as time permits. As it's hard to top that, and there is neither the time nor interest in putting together another team before BF:2 arrives, TDB is announcing the retirement of it's BF:V Division, though you may see us out there fragging somewhere :).

TWL Match After Action: TDB Vs Xret Bravo

On 13 March, 2005 TDB took on Xret Bravo on Berlin Midnight. There isn't a lot to say about this match however so we'll keep it relatively short. Pre-match, Xret started having personnel problems and found itself with just a bare five members.

Round 1 TDB went Axis and exercised fairly efficient control of the map all game. Although Xret could at times make gains, they never lasted, and the cushy 50 ticket lead they enjoyed as Soviets dried up. TDB ended up taking the round 154 to 128 TDB.

Before round 2 could even get started, Xret started having further problems with personnel and asking for a reschedule; however after they had elected to be less than flexible when we had requested a different map and an hour postponement the week before, we responded in kind. After a delay and when it became obvious Xret had no one else, TDB elected to allow one of Xret's normally illegal members in so that we could get the game over with.

Round 2 our offensive strategy was as flexible as our defensive one had been, and the work we had done on the Thursday proceeding the match paid off, as we were able to quickly stop the drain, as well as keep a fairly comfortable 30 ticket lead all game which we increased back to a 50 ticket lead later. TDB took the second round 173-132 TDB.

Final Score: 327-260 TDB, GG Xret Bravo.

MVPs: Round 1 Tex_TDB, Round 2 SirWinston_TDB.

Great job Devils, especially considering how little time we spent on this map! Screens below:

General TWL Update

A few updates are in order regarding the state of things at TWL as it relates to us. First and foremost, the 5vs5 Infantry Ladder vote continues, with the current balance of votes favoring BFPro, unfortunately. Some 2/3 of the teams have elected not to vote, a decision many will likely regret later when they realize what it's adoption means. The impact on the ladder may be substantial when they do.

The second relates to the 5vs5 Infantry League and the major changes being applied to teams there. Included in the "mandatory" changes are:
  • An apparently new version of BFPro (.91) that has been renamed the "5on5 TWL Infantry Mod". Not that TWL ever needed one.
  • *ONE* grenade per player with slow BFPro-style reloads.
  • Infantry maps with no vehicles (finally?)
  • No word on if the map glitches that exist are actually fixed or not.

Well we can see where this is going and that if BFPro is adopted on the 5on5 Ladder, we're going to be faced with more changes than ever TDB. At this rate we won't be able to call it playing BF:42 much longer...

Members interested in checking out the new mod may do so here.

Finally, TWL did put up a fresh name on the cheater list but so far nothing on the smurf list. We're hoping to see some of the other 10 violations sometime soon...? Those added will be banned on TDB's server as well.

15-03-05

BF:V Update - TDB Severs Ties With DA|

EDITORIAL NOTE: The following was placed on the DA| page this evening by Tex_TDB and was discovered to have been removed by PanzerIV a short time later. We expected this due to prior issues with that 16 year old and made a copy, just in case :). In addition, we were kind enough to put the team on rest at TWL so that this situation had a chance to work itself out without fear of an 8vs8 challenge; we also removed the captaincy of PanzerIV, but left two others intact for administrative purposes (because a) we don't have a problem with most of them and b) Panzer was a large reason for us severing our ties). Any member of DA| ignorant of the reasons for our leaving need to take any story PanzerIV tells you with a large grain of salt (about the size of Mt. Everest) as he has already attempted to rewrite history once tonight.

The following was posted this evening on DA|'s web page:

"After due consideration of the events of the last 2 weeks, The Devil's Brigade no longer considers it's agreement with the clan formerly known as TnA or current members of DA| binding, because the deal has been broken. When we approached TnA for the purpose of forming a hybrid TDB/TnA team for BF:V (later known as “Devil's Aggression”), certain understandings were reached regarding how things would be run and how things would be conducted. These agreements have been broken. Reasons that TDB consider the deal broken are:

1) Allowance of the oTw team to operate without DA|'s tag. This implied independence and was not curbed by ex-TnA's leadership, leading to a 16 year old on an ego trip always starting shit behind the scenes when DA| started to play because he didn't like my leadership style.

2) Abandonment of leadership by DA|Sink following the <-V-> match and his unwillingness to be involved either in DA| or talk to me after 3 + attempts to contact him.

3) The excessive amount of vacation following the 8vs8 League and the rot it promoted despite my repeated attempts to try to get things going.

4) TDB membership having to contribute to the DA| server fund despite more than enough DA| members to do it (and failing to do it) and despite promises from ex-TnA leadership to the contrary. This was followed by the failure of ex-TnA leadership to deliver on full server admin privileges, and led to our members being put on the spot repeatedly by the public listing of who did and did not contribute in an effort to get us to do it when it was clear that the TnA players were unable or unwilling to contribute. Since then we've carried our share and a share of theirs.

5) Our having to be present for more practices than agreed to and being criticized when we weren't.

6) Secret meetings which lead to a reorganization of DA| that no one in TDB was present for because the meeting was deliberately moved to a day ahead of schedule, leading to repeated requests for an explanation of how the new system worked that weren't willingly volunteered in any timely way.

7) Demotion of TDB leadership with no explanation and no support from ex-TnA leadership. Once the former TnA leadership removed itself, a situation developed that promoted criticism that was, yet again, not stopped by ex-TnA leadership.

8) A variety of teamwork issues including excessive TK's in practice, the inability to stay focused long enough to accomplish anything, repeated basic teamwork errors, having to explain the plan 3 straight times before several ADD afflicted members understood their roles, and so on.

9) Repeated and unnecessary political battles that could have been stopped but weren't because ex-TnA leadership simply didn't have the backbone to do it.

In short, this wasn't what we signed up for, and rather than attempt to fight yet another battle to convince the same people that maybe they don't know it all after all, it's easier to simply step back, take stock, and walk away before the road they are traveling comes to it's end with TDB still being a part of it. Although we enjoyed our time in DA| for the BF:V 8 vs 8 Fall 2004 Season, it was our last productive time actually operating as a "team".

Good game to the members who actually contributed something and the rest of you...well, the lack of care as to either your performance or strats will take care of that in the form of 8vs8 losses. We will cease funding of the DA| domain when it comes up for renewal later this year. Presuming DA| is still around, we will notify you of when that is." - Tex_TDB.

It's all together fitting this take place on the Ides of March. GG DA|. Very laughable of you to think that YOU fired US though Panzer.

08-03-05

TWL Update: Challenge Issued

Because the membership was bored at the bottom of the ladder (although we had moved up 15 spots doing nothing but defending), members wanted to challenge up so we did. Target is Xret Bravo, match is set for Sunday, 13 March at 9:30PM EST/6:30PM PST. Map will be Berlin Midnight. Special practice on Thursday at 10PM EST/7PM PST to recap strat. See you there!

TWL 5vs5 Infantry Ladder Update

We have a whole series of TWL updates to impart to the members.

Supporters of BFPro are at it again, this time in our competition. They are trying to impose it on us AGAIN despite between 3-5 other TWL competitions already having it. A founder's vote has been posted and a thread is up regarding it, we have voted no. Too much hassle, too big a mod, too laggy, too many "fixes" without enough fixes.

The 5vs5 Infantry Ladder map list has changed. The new one is Battleaxe, Bocage, Berlin, Stalingrad, Abandoned City, Berlin Midnight, and old Caen. Hit the links to get the maps.

Finally the 5vs5 has a new admin: Shaunzy|TWL. We at TDB would like to take a moment to welcome him to the jungle...we mean ladder...ya...ladder :).

TWL Update: Rules

In what is likely to be seen as a major step away from VexSecure requirements being continued, TWL has stripped all reference to it from it's BF:42 rule sets We'll hold on to it another week or two then if there's no further developments, members can chuck it.

03-03-05

TWL Match After Action: TDBvs75th Fighter

After some initial confusion regarding match scheduling (75th wasn't sure if they could do the chosen match day or not), TDB played 75th on Berlin for our latest 5on5 Infantry Ladder Match. We didn't practice Berlin and it showed.

Round 1, TDB went German and was having problems holding 75th off. They were able to keep the Soviet frag advantage which they gradually grew. Although TDB came close to losing all points, the team stayed organized and never let up. Unfortunately this wasn't enough, and TDB lost the round 41-78 75th.

Round 2 and 3 were a different story. Round 2 (as Soviet) the team realized this was for real and were able to eliminate 75th 160-0. This kicked us into round 3, for which TDB chose the Soviet side. Realizing they had a problem, 75th changed tactics, and met some initial success; however they weren't able to hold long enough or recap fast enough to prevent a pretty strong 20-30 ticket lead by TDB all game, though they did manage to recap all points once (a grenade-through-wall exploit was used at a point we were contesting which 3 members saw but no one managed to screen, lucky for 75th) that which applied drain, lessening our lead. We stopped the drain quickly, and as the game progressed, 75th began to have a harder and harder time adapting to our offense and their strategy broke down enough that we were seeing points going unguarded. When the clock ran out, we were victorious, ending it 65-52 TDB.

Kind of the last match, this match featured a couple of novelties. First, EvilOne was blooded (and even managed a cap at a critical moment, woo Evil!), and second VexSecure was not used (more about that below).

Final Score: 266-130 TDB. GG 75th.

MVP: NeuroticViper_TDB Round 2 and 3.

Screens below.

TWL Discontinues VexSecure Requirement

In the clutter of the other stickies, we managed to miss seeing this one on the forums:

"This is to inform all teams that as of this post and for the time being until support for this product is re-enabled VexSecure is no longer required in Competition at TWL." - Grassy|TWL 2/28/05.

Apparently, Vigor, lead programer on the VexSecure project, has gone silent. Why we don't know, but he has also stopped sharing the contents of the cheaters caught in VexSecure's databases. It's interesting to note that previous versions emailed league admins directly and immediately when there was a catch, but this version doesn't do that (the server version is also still crashing regularly on both Win2k3 and WinXP, but that's another story). What this means is that whatever VexSecure catches have been made (5 have been alleged since November 2004) TWL doesn't know about them, which makes us wonder about if it's been a lot more effective than it was in the past and perhaps made unexpected catches...?

Regardless, members need to keep VexSecure installed and ready to go in the event that Vigor does return and TWL reinstates it's use. Maybe TWL should consider the German version?

MCB In The Ranks...?

From Tex_TDB:

"In the last few days we were approached by a TWL admin regarding the apparent smurfing of one or more of our membership. Smurfing means playing for more than one team at a time by means of different nicknames, different copies of the game, etc. The member in question was cleared by this admin yesterday; however this is a good opportunity to remind everyone that 1) TDB has rules about multiple clan membership, and 2) TWL is always watching and actively checks the account info of TWL members; they are very effective at ferreting out MCBs/Smurfs."

Thank you Tex. Members need to keep both TWL rules and TDB rules in mind here; long standing policy for TDB is that if you're in TDB, you play for TDB while you're in this game; however as we are playing the 5on5 Infantry Ladder competition only and there is currently a low likelihood of going to a bigger competition, members may be allowed to participate in larger clans in the future (as long as TDB comes first in the event of a conflict). As always, we're open for your input on this, and should address your thoughts to Tex. That is all.

 

Unless otherwise stated, © The Devil's Brigade and Tex_TDB, 1997-2005.