1. I saw your game reload's name, El Tea, but when I tried THREE times to join, after a waiting period, I always got the message that I had been "disconnected from the game server". Then, your game's name disappeared from the list, and you did not reply to my queries from the lobby. My hypothesis was that something on your end made it impossible that you host, because I have had no waiting and no problem rejoining Pogue's games -- on two reloading occasions. Anyway, as I had stated during the last minute of the game, with Pogue gone, since it was past 11 pm, my enthusiasm to "work" towards a victory for a few hours more was low : I only accepted, El Tea, because you insisted. But when I saw that I could not join your reload connection, and that you did not answer me in the ICO chat after that your game's name had disappeared, I concluded that you had seen my can't-connect message and that you had left. No need to cast a frown
: I really tried on THREE occasions to rejoin, but it was obvious to me that there was a technical obstacle on your end. Anyway, without Pogue, considering the hour, my enthusiasm was very low.
2. So you won ! Without Pogue, without my assistance : it is
your well earned victory, then. I don't see it as a "we won". When I left the game, there was this big concentration of yellow and green ships next to Pogue's very weakened Homeworld. That's when I wrote on the in-game chat that it was going to be "work". I'm very surprised that you did it all by yourself : for a guy who claimed that he "suck[ed]" (see post #64, above), I can really say that it was obvious from early on that you were the best player. If you succeeded in finishing the game all by yourself, that strenghtens the impression that you are far from being the n00b that Pogue and I admit to be.
3a. My biggest mistake was to underestimate the lethal threat to Pogue's Homeworld. My main fleet remained at a central location as a defensive strategic reserve, while you and Pogue were fighting jointly near his Homeworld. I wanted to secure our (= yours and mine) rears (notably against Green) while you and Pogue were collaborating : I really believed that you two had things under control.
3b. But my mistake is somewhat lessened by the fact that you and Pogue ignored me totally, on in the in-game chat, for a long while : your messages were for each other, and you never asked me for anything. That confirmed my impression that you two had the situation under control, so I remained in a defensive posture. Suddenly, when it was getting too late, one of you called for my help on the chat (at last!). I did not hesitate : I launched my defense fleet towards Pogue's Homeworld, where my arrival made the difference and forced Yellow to retreat.
3c. I am sorry to say that if I put 3a and 3b on the two platters of a scale, I feel that 3b has more weight : you two ignored me for too long on the in-game chat, leaving me in the dark, and creating the impression that you had the situation under control. I admit that I arrived a little late, but nobody asked me to do anything for a long while. I did not mind being left behind as a passive defense because I am very defensive by nature : it is my most important quality
and fault in every RTS games. (My 3 planets were in the process of being protected by over 20 Gauss cannons
each -- upgraded and enhanced Gauss. I was building a 2nd defense fleet at my Homeworld.) I hope that it will not anger you two guys if I tell you that you should have asked for my help much sooner. You gave me the impression that you were having fun in your corner of the Universe (near Pogue's Homeworld) and that I was not invited to the party. (I'm not sour and bitter about that, since I prefer to manage defenses in the rear than to jump into the front-line offense -- but communicating more with your other team8 would have been helpful.)
4. I enjoyed a "fast" gamespeed. It was much easier to manage than I believed. Games, on ICO, should not go on below "fast".
5. You were a very competent and trustworthy team8, El Tea, but next time, please, don't try to do it (like protecting Pogue) all by yourself : ask for help. But since you ultimately won that game all by yourself, I guess that you might find my
a posteriori wish somewhat trivial and moot.
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