Fury Update
This was a message sent by Sid to Fury members in the latter stages of Round 4.
Fury Update
This is just a update to let you all know what's happening. As you'll all no doubt have noticed, we've had a few problems - but nothing that can't be resolved. I'll try to address various issues here, and explain what we're trying to do about them. I'm also including some basic tactical information and a few bits of news. Apologies for the messy format.
I'll try to send out an update email on a weekly basis: if any of you have questions you want answered, tactical suggestions or news feel free to email me with them.
Officers
One of the problems we've experienced has been a lack of officers around, particularly to organise defence. Although we've appointed some new officers in the past, we've had a number of officers who for RL reasons have been temporarily unable to fulfill their duties. Although they will be back, it's left us short-handed in the meantime. You will, by now, have seen some new ops in our irc channels: expect to see a few more. Our target is to have 2-3 Officers online at all times of the day.
IRC network
As everyone will be aware, we suffered some irc problems due to sabotage by person(s) unknown. Viaraix has worked hard to get the system back up again - I think he deserves thanks for that from everyone. If you seem to have lost access to some (or all) channels, first stage should be to run addserv again (type /msg addserv addme). You should ensure that your irc nick is registered to the same email address as you use for the egroup. Only if that doesn't work should you speak to someone in #help.
Defence
The first thing to realise is that we can't defend everyone who is attacked when multiple attack happen on us. This is NOT a problem specific to Fury, it's a function of two things:
1. The enemy are (Sensibly) attacking at multiple targets or with multiple waves, increasing the requirement for defence. 2. The messed up rules this round, specifically the high armour of ships, means that casualties are too low for an attacker to be deterred by anything other than being prevented from capturing roids (or a very large number of combat ships).
There ARE alternatives to defence, which you should be considering if attacked and it's not certain that you will be successfully defended. You MUST also consider the current roid-capture rules properly. My apologies to those of you who I'm only explaining the basics to - everything below is just common-sense stuff that you'd assume everyone would already know: were it not for the fact that some members clearly don't.
1. If some planets in your galaxy have sufficent defence, and others don't, consider getting all your planets to send their killing ships to a planet without proper defence. Although you can't stop roid capture, some attackers may be deterred by a sufficently large quantity of combat ships, particularly if you have plenty of BS there. Note, however, my comments about roid capture.
2. Be VERY careful when attacked by fleets which have a combined score higher than your planet. In this situation, getting defence which isn't sufficient to stop capture will actually increase your roid loss. Unless you are attempting to deter attackers by defending with combat ships and offering very high cost per roid to them, you should not be getting defence in at all. A large, but insufficient spider defence is the WORST possible case here.
3. Where defence is close (or 2 planets are only just covered), consider cross-launching between planets. If planets A & B both send defence to one another, you keep open the option of withdrawing either/both fleets if the attackers withdraw on either of the planets. Where defence was insufficient you also get extra defence to one of the planets (covering it) - though this relies on you being able to get defenders from the other planet recalled last minute.
4. Where there's an overwhelming attack on a planet, requiring massive defence, an alternative to defending is to get multiple extra attackers added. Even a 1 int additional attacker adds 2% of their planet score. Roid loss can be minimised in this way, and it's also a valid tactic when defence is present but won't stop roid loss. You need, of course, to take into account what PDS/defence/attackers will be present when deciding what to send. It would be stupid, for example, to get 1 int extra attackers when the attackers had sent no fighter class ships and there were WF/BS defending.
5. When the attack on your galaxy is mainly from 1 other galaxy, and that galaxy has more roids than you (particularly if attack is in- parallel) then an alternative to defence is to defend what you can in- galaxy/parallel and counter-attack - targetting primarily the attackers of planets which you couldn't defend. This allows you to take advantage of the following:
A. They have more roids than you, so you stand to gain more, B. Because you launched later, you stand to get back a % of what they capture from you. C. Beause they're bigger, there's a fair chance they won't be getting the full 10% from you anyway, D. They may withdraw anyway.
Worst case is, of course, that you get roided and they get defence. But it's got to be better than sitting at home, collecting a bit of salvage, with 0 chance of any more positive outcome.
6. Astropods are NO USE AT ALL for defending. If you're under attack you can still attack elsewhere. Even if your fleet is needed to defend your planet, it's worthwhile launching back at an attacker who's got more roids than you. You can recall when you need to, there's a chance he may recall, and there's always a chance he won't get defence and you can make a profit in a road swap. Plus you tie up defence which would otherwise be facing off against other Fury/allied attackers.
7. If your attackers recall, have the courtesy to mail your defenders promptly and inform them. You should also mail defenders of other planets in your galaxy from whom attackers have recalled. Those defenders need to be home to be able to go elsewhere as quickly as possible.
Attacks
Every night we are attacking hostile targets with our allies. The number of members showing up to launch is, frankly, disappointingly low. With the low casualties this round, attacking is definitely the way to go - salvage only offsets your losses, it's not a primary source of income.
It's also unfortunate how few members seem to be able to get their galaxies to attack with them. When you get hit, your whole galaxy tends to get hit: so surely they should be willing to join in on retaliatory attacks? It's ironic that not that long ago, members were complaining about a lack of good targets. Now that we've got a massive list of good targets, many of those people are not around to take advantage of them.
Although VeX/NoS/CELL may be having the more note-worthy victories of late, a fair few of our attacks are getting through as well: even on parallels like P8 and p25 where they're at their strongest. If more members/galaxy mates were around to attack we could be having much more success and going for larger targets.
Activity
Activity by members has definitely dropped off, with a fair few disappearing totally from sight. A high priority now is to identify those who are properly active, so we don't waste time/resources defending no-hopers. As a consequence, the following must happen:
Each galaxy rep must re-state which Members/Provs in their galaxy are still active. They should also notify those they believe aren't active so they can appeal (if, for example, they believe they're active but at different times to the rep). If the rep in your galaxy is inactive, then you should notify me yourself.
Notifications of continuing activity should be sent to the usual email address:
This needs to be done shortly - in a few days all inactives/non- respondents will be deleted from access. At that point EVERYONE will need to re-run addserv. This is easiest way for us to get access lists to where they should be. People who have notified Officers of absence for RL reasons will be re-added if no list is sent from their galaxy.
Criteria for activity are:
1. You will be on irc on pretty much a daily basis, 2. You will attack targets that are Fury hostile on a daily basis, 3. You will defend any/all Fury that need defending.
If you have made any NAPs/other arrangements with enemy alliances/galaxies then you will need to cancel these or leave Fury.
Defectors and other Invertebrates
Anyone who has left Fury to join another alliance will NOT be accepted back. So don't bother asking.
Tagging Up
If you wish to tag your galaxy, you may do so. If, for local political reasons, you would prefer not to then there's no obligation to do so.
Fury Provs
The Provisional Member situation is being addressed. It was only ever intended as a temporary stage for new members and, as such, has pretty much fulfilled its purpose. In the near future (after the inactives have been weeded out) we will promote/kick all provs - and consider taking in new members to it (not necessarily from current galaxies). In the meantime, no new provs will be accepted unless they have already achieved a respectable score (20 million for now).
Political Situation
As you will all be aware by now, Wolfpack have severed all ties with Fury and allied with NoS/CELL. This is part of NoS/CELL's masterplan to have been allied with every alliance in the game by the end of the round. Until further notice we consider ourselves as being unofficially allied to Wolfpack. We will NOT, however, send defence to Wolfpack other than as part of in-parallel arrangements - nor, of course, will we request defence from them.
My expectation is that NoS/CELL will cancel their NAP with VeX, and as I've indicated before, I wouldn't be surprised to see Xanadu leave VeX and join with them - but there's no firm evidence of that (just some comments from senior Xanadu that support that view).
We remain allied to ViruS, and working with Tuba/hirr (and occasionally Quha). We are in discussions with these and other parties at the moment about our policy for the remainder of the round. Should WP/NoS/CELL go to war with VeX our course of action will be determined by a number of factors:
1. Which of them are still attacking us and our allies, 2. Our allies' views on what we should do, 3. Political developments in general.
Sorry not to be specific about this, but the situation is very fluid, there's a lot going on and it's hard to predict precisely how the sides will end up aligned.
Many of you are wondering why Wolfpack cancelled our NAP (no formal alliance was ever agreed). To make an alliance with NoS/CELL, they couldn't have any arrangement with Fury: it would prevent them defending NoS/CELL who we are currently in hostilities with. I guess they decided they'd prefer to be with NoS/CELL than with Fury. A large factor was also the change in Wolfpack HC - from the old ones (who were pro-Fury) to being led by Jonka (who historically is anti- Fury). Given the large number of shared galaxies we have, direct conflict is unlikely.
In Summary
What the Execs/Officers are doing:
1. We've made new Officers, and will make more to address the lack of high-level irc presence that has been a problem, 2. New tools are being developed to try to get around the recurring problems with egroup since yahoo took it over, 3. We've been doing successful (though not large/frequent enough) attacks with our allies - this will continue and enlarge, 4. We're going to remove all inactives - reducing our defensive burden, 5. Fury Prov will be reshaped as a new recruitment wing over the next few weeks, 6. We'll be working more closely with our current allies, and are also in discussions with some other parties,
What we NEED in response from members:
1. New lists of who are the active members/prov members in each galaxy. 2. A higher level of activity on irc, 3. FAR more participation in attacks (in particular) and defences. This round is one where attacking is the best policy by far - even more so now salvage has been reduced. If you aren't going to attack, then you aren't going to grow. 4. Members need to involve their galaxies more in attacks: too few members are able/willing to get their galaxies joining in on attacks -
I've no idea how your galaxies grow.
You now need to decide whether you want to stay with Fury, or whether you believe the grass is greener elsewhere. I have no problem with people leaving because they believe Fury has failed/is dying/whatever - I may not agree, but it's a valid view to have. Leaving because you're worried that you'll lose a few roids in a round that ends in a month or so is pathetic, makes you spineless and we're well rid of you.
Yes, we've had problems. Yes, we've taken some substantial military losses.
But NO, NO, NO - Fury is NOT dead and it's not dying. Those who believe it IS dead/dying should quit now and let the rest of us get on with building back up, fighting on this round, and returning revigorated, reorganised and remotivated after the next reset.
Finally, apologies for my lower than usual activity of late - which is for RL reasons I won't bore you all with. Seeing talk of me being away for weeks/months was amusing - I was absent for 4 days, and have been on reduced activity for a few weeks. I've also been staying out of #fury-chat to avoid getting bogged down in PMs. I've come to the conclusion that I can't win on that one:
If I don't show my face, everyone complains I'm not around, If I do hang around on IRC, I get PMed to death then people complain because I don't get things done :)
Synthetic Sid
