The Dustbin

[Badger73]

I like the idea too.

Question though: How strict is the "army" definition? Truly army list or wider?

Let's say I had Roman 199-106 BC previous season, can I then have Roman 219-200 BC this season? Or does it make all Roman armies in that section/era unavailable to me?

No, all Roman armies will be ineligible for you. You will be told in the instructions to choose an army from a different nation each season and I will give some examples too, because it can get confusing with some armies e.g. Arab early medieval or Viking/Viking Ireland. Before the season starts I will provide clarification.

Does this apply across Era's as well as within an Era? If I play as Germans for Classical Antiquity in October, am I ineligible to play Germans for Early Middle Ages in February?

[stockwellpete]

Does this apply across Era's as well as within an Era? If I play as Germans for Classical Antiquity in October, am I ineligible to play Germans for Early Middle Ages in February?

Just within the era to start with in Season 9 and we will see how it goes. I am not going to spend hours cross-referencing everyone's choices. The purpose of the rule change is to encourage players to choose different armies from season to season. As the restriction only applies to the next season then it can be implemented in its broadest sense within each section. There are going to be all sorts of queries that players can come up with if they want to be picky about the new rule, so I would just ask players to use their commonsense when making their choices. If you have picked, say, a Roman army with Jewish allies in Classical Antiquity in one season, then just avoid those two armies in Classical Antiquity the following season.

[GeneralKostas]

It will be an interesting Season. Bigger armies, more units, bigger map, more space for tactical movements, chaotic fights...

[edb1815]

All very interesting. I like the idea of historically themed match ups. At a minimum you could use the list generated by the game with date and geo restrictions turned on.

[Nosy_Rat]

Interesting, just a quick clarification - you mean armies we used in the Season 8 would be already unavailable for the next season, right?

[stockwellpete]

Interesting, just a quick clarification - you mean armies we used in the Season 8 would be already unavailable for the next season, right?

Not sure I understand the question. What does "already unavailable" mean? You just have to use a different army (and ally) from season to season.

[Nosy_Rat]

Interesting, just a quick clarification - you mean armies we used in the Season 8 would be already unavailable for the next season, right?

Not sure I understand the question. What does "already unavailable" mean? You just have to use a different army (and ally) from season to season.

I guess I worded it poorly, my question is whether "from Season 9 onwards" means that armies that we used in S8 would be unavailable for S9 or that the rule would start to be applied to armies that we pick for S9 going forwards (so basically no effect till S10)? Sorry, English eludes me today.

[stockwellpete]

I guess I worded it poorly, my question is whether "from Season 9 onwards" means that armies that we used in S8 would be unavailable for S9 or that the rule would start to be applied to armies that we pick for S9 going forwards (so basically no effect till S10)? Sorry, English eludes me today.

Sorry, I get you now. Yes, the armies that you used in Season 8 will not be available to you in Season 9. For example, in Season 8 in Early Middle Ages you used Frankish 751-887 AD with Croatian 625-849 AD allies, so this means that you cannot use a Frankish or a Croatian army, or Frankish or Croatian allies, in Early Middle Ages in Season 9.

Edited.

[Nosy_Rat]

Got it, thanks.

[Cunningcairn]

I guess I worded it poorly, my question is whether "from Season 9 onwards" means that armies that we used in S8 would be unavailable for S9 or that the rule would start to be applied to armies that we pick for S9 going forwards (so basically no effect till S10)? Sorry, English eludes me today.

Sorry, I get you now. Yes, the armies that you used in Season 8 will not be available to you in Season 9. For example, in Season 8 in Early Middle Ages you used Frankish 751-887 AD with Croatian 625-849 AD allies, so this means that you cannot use a French or a Croatian army, or French or Croatian allies, in Early Middle Ages in Season 9.

Pete I see you classified Franks as French in your response. Assuming it wasn't a typo it implies one cannot use an army from the same region or group classification. Does that mean that because I used Thracians with an Antigonid ally last season I cannot use any pike army?

[stockwellpete]

Pete I see you classified Franks as French in your response. Assuming it wasn't a typo it implies one cannot use an army from the same region or group classification. Does that mean that because I used Thracians with an Antigonid ally last season I cannot use any pike army?

Sorry, but I am not going to get bogged down in all this detail now. Just pick different armies from one season to the next. If you think there might be an issue, just choose something else. The rule has nothing to do with "group classification" though, however that might be defined.

[klayeckles]

a comment on Pete...our great wrangler of game wonks...He has been with us a very long time...since early fog 1 days. He has always been:
RESPONSIVE and PROMPT: Pete is always available, responds in detail to every inquiry,
PROFESSIONAL: Pete takes his duties and responsibilities seriously, and treats all issues with respect
THICK SKINNED; many MANY M A N Y times he has been embroiled in the endless debates amongst all of us opinionated gamesters with all the answers, and he's taken all the abuse and continued on without taking the criticism to heart (we all hope)
CREATIVE YET CONSISTENT: he has carefully weighed all the newfangled ideas and concepts we inundate him with every season and come up with elegant solutions that have kept things manageable
COMMITTED: This might be the most important one...he seems to genuinely care about the success of our little community, and that makes all the difference.

in short...without PETE we'd be a hollow shell of what we are today, and i thank Pete for making this a grreat experience as well as a place to find some friendships. Kudos to PETE...thank you for 100s of hours of fun and excitement!

[stockwellpete]

Thanks very much, Klay. Yes, that sounds like me! Apart from the fact that I am having a rest at the moment and I am not answering all the queries I get in detail right now. Patience chaps! It is only a couple of week before I start getting everything ready again - and last season did wear me out a bit, I have to say.

[kronenblatt]

a comment on Pete...our great wrangler of game wonks...He has been with us a very long time...since early fog 1 days. He has always been:
RESPONSIVE and PROMPT: Pete is always available, responds in detail to every inquiry,
PROFESSIONAL: Pete takes his duties and responsibilities seriously, and treats all issues with respect
THICK SKINNED; many MANY M A N Y times he has been embroiled in the endless debates amongst all of us opinionated gamesters with all the answers, and he's taken all the abuse and continued on without taking the criticism to heart (we all hope)
CREATIVE YET CONSISTENT: he has carefully weighed all the newfangled ideas and concepts we inundate him with every season and come up with elegant solutions that have kept things manageable
COMMITTED: This might be the most important one...he seems to genuinely care about the success of our little community, and that makes all the difference.

in short...without PETE we'd be a hollow shell of what we are today, and i thank Pete for making this a grreat experience as well as a place to find some friendships. Kudos to PETE...thank you for 100s of hours of fun and excitement!

+1. I don't know you very well yet, PETE, but I have the fullest respect and admiration for your management of the Digital League, and for your patience with everyone's questions and opinions (including mine)! Keep up the good work!

[stockwellpete]

Everyone who has a FOG2DL rating and completed their matches last season will automatically be invited to participate again. A number of new players wanting to enter for the first time have already contacted me and I have told them that they will be added to the invitation list as well.

If there is anyone who has not spoken to me yet and is interested in playing then please post your name in this thread. We are looking for reliable and friendly players who will undertake to complete all the matches that they sign up for. The season will start on October 1st and will finish on December 13th.

[oscarius]

Hello, marking myself as interested. Somehow missed the last season entirely so can't wait to get back into the fray.

[kronenblatt]

Thanks for invite!

I'm interested to participate in the following two sections for Season 9:

Biblical – will be reorganised into divisions of 6 players, playing paired games, consisting of historical match-ups chosen by myself based on the Rise of Persia module, all matches 1200pts. No TT Mod armies will be used.

Themed Event – hoplite warfare, all matches 1600pts - this will possibly be the last themed event and it will be replaced as soon as High Middle Ages becomes available, hopefully in time for Season 10.

[doomben]

I am a new player would like an invite please.

Does choosing any particular period increase the chance of getting in the league?

Cam

[stockwellpete]

I am a new player would like an invite please.

Does choosing any particular period increase the chance of getting in the league?

Cam

No, you will get in provided you put your name down fairly promptly once the invitations go out. Sections start filling up about a week after recruitment is opened. I will add you to the invitation list.

[stockwellpete]

Thanks for invite!

I'm interested to participate in the following two sections for Season 9:

Biblical – will be reorganised into divisions of 6 players, playing paired games, consisting of historical match-ups chosen by myself based on the Rise of Persia module, all matches 1200pts. No TT Mod armies will be used.

Themed Event – hoplite warfare, all matches 1600pts - this will possibly be the last themed event and it will be replaced as soon as High Middle Ages becomes available, hopefully in time for Season 10.

Yes, I already have you on the invitation list. The Themed Event is not always offered to new players in their first season because there is no separation of players into skill groups and it can be a bit difficult for a new player if they are drawn against an A-rated player. We will have to see how things develop with the numbers recruited to the Themed Event this season. If were to get up towards 24 then I could run two pools of twelve with the A+B+C players in one pool and the all other players in the second pool. But mostly, the Themed Event only attracts a dozen or so players and that is why it will be eventually dropped from the tournament.