Okay. So, today I have run into a situation that causes me to pause and consider.

During a solo game (no corping), a stroke of pure luck delivered the most aggressive player in the universe into my clutches. (Red, naturally.) After the inevitable photon/pod/#sd#, I set up a temporary blockade (five days) of Fedspace, in the interest of giving myself time to Do Stuff, like base maintenance, fortification, &c. To my knowledge, there is no rule on the server against blockading, except in the first four days (during which blocks are removed, after which anything goes). My rule is that everybody else gets to pass through my blockade, all they gotta do is ask.

The unfortunate recipient of this action is MASSIVELY butthurt, though.

Now, primarily I am thinking of this in military terms, specifically the SpecFor/partisan/"asymmetric" mindset - one does what needs doing at the time. (USMC Rules for Gunfighting, baby. Specifically, #11: "Always cheat, always win; the only unfair fight is the one you lose.") If that means that one runs away from a superior foe until one has the chance to turn and strike a mortal blow, then that's what one does. (But then, I've always kept Sun Tzu's philosophies first and foremost in my mind...) However, given the level of wounded butthurt from the intended recipient about how lame a tactic it is, I do wonder - what is the perception of this as a tactic? I can understand why a long-term/infinite blockade of Fedspace sucks - it keeps anybody else from playing the game, and if they get #sd# once without anybody to help them out, then they're effectively out of the game forever. But a blockade of limited duration? I see that as a useful delaying tactic, preventing an enemy - particularly an extremely powerful one with a lot of resources - from advancing his forces and plans until one is better able to deal with them.

Thoughts? Comments? I'm mostly interested in how this is viewed. I already know I'm a bastard, so no need to point that out.

--
"the thin blue line"
-SD

Blockades are fair game. If a sysop wants to prevent
re-entry blockades they can jack up the xport range
on the scout (or whatever they're returning in).

Otherwise, shoulda brought a corpie.

Blockades is play "denial". Not a "win".
A boxer doesn't get a KO by "not" fighting.
That being said Going into a unlim and Blockading fed and running around saying "I won" "I won" to an empty verse is common.

If the sysop doesn't mind then feel free to play by yourself.

The blockaded player can either wait for u to get bored and let him in, move on to another game or wait for the rebang which should come swiftly do to the blockade if the sysop is attentive.

Yeh, but if you beat the guy then blockade to keep
him out while you invade, that's perfectly legit.

You can have all the figs in the world, 100 maxed planets, whatever. If you can't reach them they are useless.

H

If the game is Blockaded and locks all but one person or corp out then its over.

No need to invade.

I mean you will have won but are denying yourself the fight/game play that could be had.

But making the guy wait at the "velvet" rope while u let everyone else in the club makes me lmao.

I would not feel bad over it and your opponent will just have to wait for a pretty girl to come in so he can get past the doorman..

Iteresting the different thoughts are. If this is a no holds barred game then good job, get R done.

I have used this tactic many times and had it used on me, its part of the game, he never should have let his guard down to get #SD# in the first place.

Besides, if your good, you can beat it, maybe. I use macro's, but a script works too. Log in just before extern, (like a second or 2, or sit at port) wait for feds to pick up the figs and mines that are in the major space lane hit your macro and run for stardock. if you were smart your bank account is full.

Anyway I like the ultimate fighting analogy better than a boxing one. If I have you in a choke hold Im not gonna let go until you pass out or tap out.

Recently I was playing a game as a blue and a red player attacked my base and got blown up on my cannons, then I locked the game down. It is a win, after all, this is tradeWARS.