Hey gang! I think were ready to get Team Battle Mode League moving again! This will be a FRESH START season, all are welcome!

Here is what I need you to do:

1. New players sign up.
List tank name, tank type, and AVAILABILITY for times to play EST (USA). Especially, look at Tuesday & Thursday at 9:00 and 9:30 PM EST. PLEASE ALSO INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS!

2. Indicate interest to return.

Captains and players who were in Season 4.0, let us know if you will be returning.]

3. If you played in a prior season, indicate interest in captaining a team.
This is for those players that have previously demonstrated a successful season of play in TBML.

Lets shoot for tentative early to mid-August start of the season... Although I think we can discuss this....

Confirmed NEW Players Signed up for TBML 5:
dazzle
Gamera
Weasel
Delta (ST)
taffy
fatchick
Silbercalis
Lancer (not available first two weeks of August)
pffffft
Bigiron
Dan
memphis
kitsume / suriname
Andy / UFOCoolBoy
Niko
Pedro
gujuboy / apollo
kill them tanks (lack email)
Chilled Lizzard
(SA) Legacy / aka Super Attacker
Godzilla / Swift-Knife
Ice Dawg
larz
belikin
haha
bernie (lack email)
rumrunner (Excellent player, has to commit fully)
cloud
marmot

Players NOT Returning: mani, napalm

**UPDATE** Season 5.0 Teams confirmed: :

Euro Team: Stan, bedo, taffy, trivox, rollon

The 8th Wonder: Captain Rooster/deliriot PLAYERS UNKNOWN

The Pernicious Carbuncles: dash (dash.tank@gmail.com) Players UNKNOWN

Killer Fleas: Captain Fleabiscuit: Tally, TMO, Rook$, Max, PREY

TDR: Lep (leopardtt@yahoo.com) Returning (6) Players: kj, getsome, AncientOne, blitz, prof

Hells Angels: Lonewolf (lonewolf53590@yahoo.com), Returning (5) players: wingnut, Bolo, Maverick, Zenigata, Fat Chick & Dazzle

CHAMPIONS: Bologna of Pestilence: NUTS! (nutstt@yahoo.com) Returning (5) players: supratank, shrike, crapblaster, Freedom

Pale Riders/Penguins of Carnage: willow (willow@pacbell.net) Returning (3) players: DrSawbones, Dark Mumke(?), Bombo

Iron Sloth, iMonkey captain (monkey@harrythedog.ca): Rabban, Doc, FON, Muscles, FNTM, GoForIt, Brent

Last edited: Friday, August 19, 2005 at 9:49:52 AM

@stan and others requesting redraft

You are being heard. Redraft is not out of the question, but I think with some due diligence and more time, it might be averted.

Dark Mumke is returning to the team for Pale Riders. Bolo has said he is available on Thursday for Steel Dragons. We may can use other veteran players from existing teams to "shore up" teams that have some playing time together. All things have not been given time to evaluate. I want time to flesh out the options. I think there are weak teams that need players.. I think there are potential reliability issues. However, I'm not willing at this point to just throw up all the teams at this point because we are missing 4 quality players to bring competitive and reliable teams together for PR and SD. We may come to that point soon. In the meantime, captains please weigh in on the issue and state your view on redraft. Thanks!

@lep

As an option - good points - but Rats not returning cannot be the single reason for not redrafting. There are players on other teams that are not returning because there ISNT a redraft. I think its safe to say that there is a real lack of balance in two teams, enough that their competitive ability is in question without some additional players that are reliable.

That quote alone explains why redrafting is so important. We need to avoid that "over-competitivity" that far too often extends beyond league games and splits TT players into sealed clans. The "I will not play unless I play with my friends" is understandable from children, not so much from adults.

Now, if I understand correctly, the league is trying to hold same teams for 2 seasons. Why not. In that case if redraft doesn't occur now, it will in 3 months. So, I'm confused, either drafting is the worst of all evils and it should never happen, or if it's ok, what difference does it make wether it happens now or in 3 months. Only this time there's a real need to readjusting teams.

Having said that, I'll play whatever whoever decides and with any team.

Last edited: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 at 7:32:19 PM

IF redraft happens than I must step down as captain. Not doing it because I am against a redraft ( I too believe a redraft should be done to keep things fun ) or anything like that. I know my players and I know what to expect of them, it took me time to learn that. I do not have that time like I did before. That being said I believe that anyone from BoP would make an excellent captain.

I have to agree with ^ ! I am all game for either but if redraft, I rather not be captain but will if need be ! B)

Not immediately jumping to the redraft because 3 or 4 of us think it may be needed does not make others hell bent on finding an impossible solution. Just because I'm not familiar with the list of players in terms of reliabilty doesn't mean they aren't reliable. It just means I don't know. Hopefully others will vouch for some of these guys and if it turns out we have 6 or 7 rock solid reliable players to preload the
undermanned teams then we should be fine without a redraft.

Two Alternatives for this issue:

1. Each Team Establish a "Franchise" Player which would stay on the team in question. The other players on the team fold back into the draft and we redraft.

2. Each team give one player back to the draft, a player that has shown through past interactions to be both good and reliable.

These are other possible solutions.

Why not let each team protect two players (plus their captain of course). Every team still has at least three players, so this would give us the best compromise between keeping teams as they are and having a draft.

The monkey hurlage smells good today. By all dropping to 3 (captain+2) we level the field. Every incoming team then has 3 of their players from last season. I like it. The part I would dread is deciding who goes. It is also a very nice compromise.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. That's why we pay you the big bucks. XD

You are planning to keep me though, right? :S

The decisions might be easier if there were volunteers wanting to test the free agent market. Captains could consult with their players and see if there are some willing to volunteer to try a new team.

As nice as it is to be with teammates you know, it's also nice to get to know new people. The social aspect, after all, is a big part of what makes league fun.

Having a draft does its advantages:

1.Breaking the veterans into new and unfamiliar teams will help us get to know each other better. It may also limit the type of disputes seen in the last CTF season. The more friends the better, correct? I can hear it already, The tooth fairy stopping to see belikin tonight.

2.Introducing the less experienced players to the skill (techniques) of the veterans will improve the noobs (players with < a years experience) game. This will make future pickup games more interesting.

3.There will be more balance in the talent, giving all teams a shot at the big prize. I think the big prize is still a screen shot. This is the most important reason for shaking up the current teams. I have been playing some team scrum lately and in those servers, there is a real effort to make the teams even and fair.

4.As InfiniteMonkey and others have pointed out the team captains have a difficult job. There are a lot of close ties within the PTT world so limiting the possibility of a captain hurting someone they are friends with may be a good idea.

The down side to having a new draft:

1.Having teams with long standing rivalries could also be fun. You know, well get you in the next season type of thing.

2.The new teams may not work as well as older teams that have had time to jell.

3.You may be put on one of the teams that does not win the coveted screen shot

I will play with either a full draft or limited draft because I know the people in charge are trying to make it fair for everyone involved. I know I may be talking out of my tanks tailpipe, but these are my thoughts.

Great job to all of you working toward a compromise. The post indicate you are getting close.

Ready to kill,

Belikin

Great, I have to arm wrestle an oversized Gorilla to remain a POC member.... 8o...do you accept checks or credit cards dash? LOL! :P

I really do like the team I'm on, but it's not much fun when there are total blowouts. I remember some of those from when I was in UF and it just makes you feel bad. So, whatever it takes to make some well rounded teams is my vote...but that doesn't mean I won't wash and wax dash's car to stay on POC...or help him feed his oversized gorilla that he has penned up in the back yard!! (sorry I don't clean up monkey droppings) hhahahahah ;)

@I-Monk

I thought the fun part was when we roll the ol' heavies over the ant-like lights? <MUSCLES starts to drool, rub his hands together, and do that twitching thing with his head > Or when the lights are smoking and they think they can outrun us so we just stop, draw straws, and wait for them to go up the cliff to safety...then that one precision shot bellows out and breaks their little heart as their brain soars into space....OK, getting a little carried away now... Where's my meds? B)

-MUSC.

Last edited: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 at 10:16:37 AM

I really don't care which team I'm on :P , just as long as I get to play :)

I havent read any of this thread with the exception of a few recent posts. If this league is using the same teams as last season, count me out. I have nothing against my teammates from last season, but starting a new league with old teams is just plan dumb and lazy. Whoever decided on such an idea must have been on one of the more successful teams last season.

Ok ok ok ok, after pondering a bit..

Did we not just have a redraft for this last season? How much did that help? I guess doing another total redraft could place us in the exact same place we are in now. One of the biggest issues that I have had with the drafts of the past is that not all team captains are equal, no offense dash (jab jab, poke poke). Meaning that we all get the same amount of picks in a pool with a certain amount of "A" players and hopefully they get divided up evenly. However, if you have captains that are "A" players and others that arn't then that team gets more "A" players has the advantage. Not to mention that captains wil and try and pick people that they have played with blah blah blah.

What is my solution? Well I don't think that anyone would like this: 1) A total random draft, including captains. The captains would be voted on by the team. Yes there are many factors in this as well, but could ultimatly be addressed: Like type of player, realiabilty, stuff like that. Every team would try and get the same amount of A players and the same type of realiable players. Hard part would be "classifying" players. 2) Have teams designed by a few players. Example: have the teams thrown together by dash, supra and lep using there knowledge of the players in the pool. This would then be ok'd by current players, say like 50%. Just some ideas to think about.

NUTS!

@Fatchick,

What the way you were pushing me around last season I figured you were just itching to get your treads on my behind again.. Well well.. And to think I as a HEAVY didn't discriminate against the FAT person. Sheesh..lol..

Well that means a redraft could land a monkey, a doc and muscles together.... Now THAT leaves alot to the imagination.....

Actually chick it was decided pre-season last year...

It has been modeled successfully in PSL and is an attractive feature for most players. The problem arises (as seen here) when all players ARE NOT returning to a team.

The desire for teams to continue two seasons in a row was for continued team comraderie, building team cooperation out of experience playing together, league rivalry, and fun jabbing teams that they played last season - not to keep weaker teams losing, as you seem to suggest.

Last edited: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 at 11:21:24 AM

I would like to sign up to play supra; however, I am not available from 8/18 until 9/5, if that is not a problem. I usually play lite and my email is alex01-az@cox.net. Thanks.

Decided pre-season last year? And then we did a draft? I dont get it. Anyway, it seems as if there are some teams that have as little as 3 returning while others have as many as 6 returning. There will have to be some drafting no matter what it seems. It just doesnt seem very fair to the teams who arent returning their full squad. Which yes, suggests that the stronger teams want to remain strong. The weaker teams keep rebuilding with what is left over. How did your team fare last year?

IF we dont redraft (which I would like) I will still remain on the SD. I enjoyed it last season but I DONT wanna be captain. Wolf has more time than I do. Our band isnt practicing on thurs as of now but that could change. I hope I can play on someone's team. The top 2 teams from last season must be split or it will be very hard to compete with them using the current lineup and the noobs.

B

Welcome back Bolo to the Steel Dragons ! %)

@ BOP, TDR and POC

Here is what I am thinking. I wonder if we could get the top 3 teams from last season to give one good player up, that is proven as reliable as well, from each of their rosters. That would mean BOP, TDR and POC. This person could re-enter the draft and help balance the teams and the empty spots.

AND

Dreadnaughts are out - Fleas fill team spot - players (silbercalis, Doc and Lancer) are reabsorbed in the draft, due in part to no captain and lack of players.

@Fatchick

Do you want in now? (this is not sarcastic) Effectively, you will be on a new team. There wil be a supplemental draft and you will end up on a different team.

@Suriname
Fantastic!

Last edited: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 at 6:29:00 PM

@ supra

UPDATE: My mom has finally decided to let me play this season! I will definitely be on for Thursday nights! I just hope there is still a spot for me on any of the teams....

In case you forgot...

Tanks: Light & Medium

- Suri

At sup; VG.
I was hoping the Fleas could enter as a new franchise. My guys who can make game time are very reliable but I would certainly like to get a few more from a draft. More is better. I try to make sure everyone has playing time too. I and my teammates have no trouble dropping out to give someone who shows a chance to play, we rotate.

We aren't too worried about the TBML vets, heck all we gotta do is shoot at tanks and kill them. It's not like we have to carry a scrum too. :)

Be affraid.

Alas.. Wanted by no one.. Set free in a sea of lost brains.. Where or where will I "Doc" my little wee armour.. Only time will tell.. Anyone know of a friendly port where a guy can get a few light brains for a quick snack?.......lol

Fleas? Trying to get 2nd in yet another league? Silly scrummers, BM is for TDR...muahaha!
TDR TDR

Time Domain Reflectometer? What the heck does THAT have to do with BM?.. Lol

Silly professor.... :)

Mmmm Scrummers for breakfast...grows big MUSCLES!...as long as we don't have to hear scrummer talk..."gjt!"....huh? You scrummers hate when I bust in on your fun, so expect no mercy from the HEAVY crowd!!! B)

@doc
I have a few light brains stuck in my treads; makes for a good snack, I'll mail ya some %)

@Muscles,

Thanks bud.. I can't seem to find a pick large enough to remove them from my treads.. Hey! Maybe would could enlist a Monkey to do it.. You know how monkeys love to feast on small brains.. We could give him some as a reward..lol.. Maybe in the draft I could land on a team with some Muscle.. Hmm.. Or maybe some Monkey Muscle.. That would be interesting..

Im in if we draft.

Lets get this season going before the heavies go completely mad and start eating the lights on their teams. :[ Nice heavies bel is you friend and besides Im mostly gristle.

@fatty

Been added..

I still like the idea of an all-heavy team, but last time we suggested it there was so much panic amongst the lights that we had to abandon the idea. XD

Poor wee ones. So fragile, so frail.

Last edited: Thursday, July 28, 2005 at 1:40:08 PM

Freak of Nature (FON)

Light/Heavy

Can you please advise if there is room for one more?

BTW I would join the All-Star Heavy Duty team if it ever gets up and running.

@ Freak, doc, and Monk,

Well, why don't we do a first and try out an all heavy team? Remember FAT in scrum? Now, 3 heavies in a scrum game is like throwing a gorila in the water...but in TBML, that's our realm. I vote let's do it. That would allow POC to take on some new drafts.

@ beli

No fears my friend, just user your jedi mind tricks to sooth us savage beasts! Hahaha ;)

Im not opposed to all heavy team

^ im not either if we can get all the best lights on one team to take them on...

That isnt the point of this is it?

B

@ Muscles,

Let me know when we can all get some practice in.

@ Bolo,

The point isn't to get all the good players into a team. The mission is to establish a Heavy Team. While I do acknowledge that Monk, DOC, and Muscles are good players, myself, and possibly the rest of the team could be weak links. I have been playing TT for a little while however I have only become a full-time player of the heavy machine in the last 3 months.

I think you are missing the point.

Peace Out,
F.O.N.

BTW from what I can see we need more Heavies if this concept is going to work.

While we may be all of the best heavies, we're also all of the worst heavies, given that we are, plain and simply, all of the heavies. XD

If we had Muscles, Doc, FON, Fntm, Rabban and myself, we'd have six, which would be a full roster. I think that's it for the full-time heavies who have signed up to play in this league. I think that would make a competitive team, but I doubt anyone would argue that we're the six best players in league. We're just the only six heavies signed up.

Most of the big names, like LC50, Quitter, and Killer77 are sadly no longer active. I haven't seen GoForIt in a very long time either.

There are a few other good full-time heavies still active, like Brent and Chanman, but they're not in league this time. There are also some very skilled part-time heavies, like Shrike, Supra, Rogue, Bolo, Flea, Dash, Godzila, Guju and maybe others(apologies if I missed anyone), but I think we're really just interested in the full-time fatboys, not the dabblers.

It's about the cameraderie between heavies rather than an attempt to create a stacked team. It would also give us something a different new this season and create a little more interest maybe.

We will of course crush the tiny tanks like the insects that they are, but that's just our nature. And nobody forced you to drive a Geo.XD

Captains would have to be on board for an all fatty team - but like I said, not opposed. I think we need to break out of the "stale" boxes that might confine the fun of the league, as well as the game.

Expect us to push the envelope this season. My 2 cents...

I am fine either way ! Either a heavy on my side or a heavy that I get to maul ! All is good no matter how you look at ! Although I am getting very hungry at the momment ! :P

I have another suggestion to add, as far as making this a reality.

If Muscles, Fntm and I leave POC, and Rabban leaves Pale Riders that would leave those teams short-handed. A simple solution would be to combine the two of them to create a team with seven members. If they agreed to this, we would then have created two new teams with stable rosters of reliable players. They could call themselves the Pale Pengiun Riders of Carnage. XD

Just a thought.

As a side note, I haven't actually talked to Rabban about being part of an all-heavy team, but I'm assuming he'd be on board, given that he's expressed interest in being part of such a team before. We also need to talk to Fntm to be sure he's interested too. He's a pretty enthusiastic heavy, so I think he'd join. I just thought I should be up front with the fact that the only discussions any of us have had, as far as I know, have been here in this thread. If we're serious about this, I guess we should be sure of interest first.

Six players would be enough for our roster, I think, because all of these guys are pretty reliable. Even with six, I think most nights we'd be talking about whose turn it is to sit. That leaves more draft choices for the other teams' rosters. If there was another new heavy out there though, it would be great to have more new blood.

I agree with you, Supra, about the need to do someting a little different this season. The games were still fun last season, but the original formula is getting a little old, especially considering how many of us have played several seasons now.

Light/heavy matches are always a hoot. We've had quite a few impromptu games over the past year, and they've been some of the most fun I've played.

It's nice to be able to easily identify your opponent. If it's smaller than a Pinto, blast it. XD

Not a bad idea...

I really think that would work. At the start of putting this together - I really wanted to have 8 viable teams. We have never been able to expand beyond 6 teams.

This might enable us to add a 6th team, combine POC and PR and create an 8th team for a great season.

Ohhh my guns are drooling at the hought of FINALLY having my heavy friends beside me.. Of course I am not sure how bad we will fight over the light brains we dispatch.... Kind of like a pack of wolves after the kill.. Of course I suppose there would be soooo many light carcasses around we might just all get full and slow.. Lol..

<in my thickest Russian> We will break you.

Last edited: Friday, July 29, 2005 at 12:52:24 PM

I see what you're getting at, and agree that more teams would make things more interesting. Adding the heavy team brings the total to seven, but combining POC and PR takes us back to six.

But with the heavy team, the new POC/PR love child, and the the Rats already having full or nearly full rosters, there should be more than enough players in the draft pool (currently 25 by my count, not counting Doc, who is spoken for) to make up two more teams.

It would put a wee bit more pressure on the scheduling, particularly with regard to servers, but given that we can't seem to make a decision on Tues. Or Thurs because there are at least some people who have trouble with one or the other night, we could always just run on two nights. It wouldn't solve all our problems, but it might get rid of a lot of them.

But but when you would create two new teams from the drawt poll wouldn't it be just like in start - uneven teams?

I don't think so. At least it doesn't need to be. If you look at the names in the draft pool, there are some pretty good players there with plenty of experience. I count at least ten that I would consider top-notch players and of the others that I know, there are none I would consider weak. I see several names in that list who would make good captains too.

With the players in the pool and those already on teams, this may be the best overall pool of talent we've ever had.

If we're going to add teams, though, we'd need to let the new teams have at least three picks each, in my opinion, before anybody else gets to choose. Fair is fair. Just because professional sports leagues dump on expansion teams doesn't mean we have to. Besides, blow-outs are no fun for either side.

Do I get to be a part of the all fatty team?