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[RustyCabbage]

Thank you, mortia

Thus concludes the 11th Starsector Fleet Building Tournament!

Our winner is a tournament newcomer! sad squidward claims the prestigious T O U R N A M E N T W I N N E R position with a masterful and varied display of Vanilla High Tech, culminating in the ever under-regarded Shield Bypass Paragon. They finish with a perfect 9-0 record, including 4 shames!

In second place, DaddyPants carved his way through to the finals with an extremely competent and consistent Vanilla High Tech fleet, falling only to sad squidward in the end. His record stands at an excellent 8-1, including 2 shames.

Third place features another new challenger: cSynapse dazzled everyone with their Cathedral and Prometheus/Dram combos as Vanilla Low Tech. They finish the tournament with an enviable 6-3 score.

For our fourth podium slot, we have Sl4v101, boldly pushing Interstellar Imperium to the finals with unceasingly aggressive loadouts, including a pair of Shield Bypass Extreme Modifications Elite Package Caesars. Their daring run finishes with far greater esteem than might be implied by a 4-5 record.

You can catch all the details for the tournament in the tournament sheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jk4k1368fnsx_ImPoukYP-WsNo8dFb93Ptwz-DJ_OmM/edit#gid=1183001540
And of course through the VODs:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqrlsSetXTCdhcd4Kagxb72w1wlap6BIH
...Or play out the matches yourself!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/36czyyu98x5z80c/AI%20Battles%2011.7.zip?dl=0 (dependencies listed in the tournament sheet)

This tournament also used a mod implementing a large number of changes listed in the latest 0.9.5 patch notes provided by Alex: https://github.com/RustyCabbage/Vanilla_Patch which will work in your campaigns as well.

Special thanks to so, so many people who made this an enjoyable event:
Tartiflette of course for the latest AI Battles, as well as helping set up those sick Versus screens to start off each match
Aurica and TheKart for giving us bingo sheets and achievements to enhance the viewing experience, which can be found here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZcTv8UzE9wsYMfje4qIvu-mKgncZ8TCrGro65j5snD8/edit#gid=1604394406
Thaago and DaddyPants for their submission apps to help smooth the process for fleet submission and Thaago again for an easy step-by-step guide
Lightforger, DaddyPants, JRG, AlienSpaceKappa and probably several other participants (sorry if I missed you!) for their test fleets
And of course our wonderful streaming team, featuring Nemo, Ony, Laharl, Wingnut, Knight Chase, Aurica (again!) and JRG (again!)
Not to mention all of our tournament participants and exhibition fleet creators, without whom there obviously could not be a tournament (I swear when I pitched this thing I thought there'd be like eight of you, tops, but we had 32!)

Thanks to all the modders for having such cool ships and factions to showcase, and thanks to all of you for sharing your memes and excitement and support - it's what really makes these events a joy to experience every time one rolls around.

I hope you all had fun and have as happy a holidays as can be at this time.

Original Post

Hello everyone, with 0.9.1a winding down I'm happy to present the 11th Starsector Fleet Building Tournament, set to finish before the end of the year.

It will be a DP-based faction PvP tournament mostly involving Round Robin groups, featuring up to 16 different factions, including 5 newcomers to the tournament scene in Connortron7's Anvil Industries, Kissa-Mies' Free Stars Union, tomatopaste's Pearson Exotronics, SafariJohn's Roider Union, and Nia's ScalarTech Solutions. Furthermore, we will be incorporating a sizable number of the ship/weapon/hullmod balance changes provided in Alex's latest patch notes.

The rules can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ebaIwNlMZWVG31b2BOLHpd5qpOK033J1mCLMZv0s7fE/edit?usp=sharing

All the important information (players, factions, groups, schedule and modlist) can be found on the Google Sheet for the tournament:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jk4k1368fnsx_ImPoukYP-WsNo8dFb93Ptwz-DJ_OmM/edit?usp=sharing

Most of the coordination involved will require the use of Discord, so if you are interested in participating as a player, please head on over and familiarize yourself with the Unofficial Discord.

Official inscriptions will open on October 24, 2020 at 17:00 UTC

Otherwise, I hope to see some of you whenever the matches begin. Feel free to drop any questions down below.


Current list of matches:

After the first four streams, the top two players of each group (each denoted by a different color) will advance to the next round, forming four round robin groups of 4. The top player in those four groups will be our finalists who will play in a final 4 person round robin to determine our winner.

[close]

[SonnaBanana]

Don't forget to grill Alex as much as possible for bugfixes!

[Thaago]

Looking forward to it!

[DeTess]

This looks cool. I caught the previous tournament at the very tail end, and it does seem likes something I'd enjoy taking part in. I do have a couple questions:

I might just be missing it, but I'm not really seeing any link to the discord, could you post one/point me to where it obviously was all along?

Are tournaments like this fine to enter for someone that's merely decent at the game? I know a thing or two about theorycrafting builds and stuff, but I wouldn't call myself a Starsector expert by any stretch.

Is 'vanilla' a single faction, or is vanilla split up in three factions for low-tech, midline and high-tech? The rules seem to imply the second one, but if its said explicitly anywhere, I've missed it. Are both SWP and TADA added to your line-up for vanilla or do you need to pick one?

Which weapons are available if you pick vanilla? Only the vanilla (and SWP/TADA) weapons, or also weapons from other faction mods?

[Hiruma Kai]

Given these tournaments are for fun, I don't think being an expert is required.

Vanilla is generally broken up into low-tech, midline, and high tech as indicated in the google doc.

Generally vanilla means vanilla weapons and whatever vanilla allowed mods.  In this case, SWP and TADA.

If you look at the posts at the top of this forum (General Discussion), you'll see one called "Starsector Unofficial Discord Server". Go there and click on the "Join Us" graphic.

I've never been in one of these tournaments either, although I'd personally be interested in testing out the Low-tech vanilla faction.  Simply because of the various changes coming up in the next release might be interesting to test.  And see if its possible to make a good tournament Onslaught yet.  Especially with 2 maxed skills officers available.

[RustyCabbage]

This looks cool. I caught the previous tournament at the very tail end, and it does seem likes something I'd enjoy taking part in. I do have a couple questions:

I might just be missing it, but I'm not really seeing any link to the discord, could you post one/point me to where it obviously was all along?

Are tournaments like this fine to enter for someone that's merely decent at the game? I know a thing or two about theorycrafting builds and stuff, but I wouldn't call myself a Starsector expert by any stretch.

Is 'vanilla' a single faction, or is vanilla split up in three factions for low-tech, midline and high-tech? The rules seem to imply the second one, but if its said explicitly anywhere, I've missed it. Are both SWP and TADA added to your line-up for vanilla or do you need to pick one?

Which weapons are available if you pick vanilla? Only the vanilla (and SWP/TADA) weapons, or also weapons from other faction mods?

Oops, sorry. I copy-pasted this message and forgot to link to the discord. It's in the main post now, or you can get an invite here: https://discordapp.com/invite/TBhcFNh.

Otherwise I'm mostly just repeating what Hiruma Kai said.

And see if its possible to make a good tournament Onslaught yet.  Especially with 2 maxed skills officers available.

I would love to see a good Onslaught, but I'd like to note that it's officers with up to 2 maxed skills, not 2 officers with all the maxed skills, heh.

[CoverdInBees]

Nice. Incorporating the upcoming balance changes should make this interesting i guess, since it forces participants to theorycraft a bit more instead of starting from a base line they're already used to. Pretty sure this is one i'm going to watch even though it involves all kinds of mod ships i'm not familiar with nor all that interested in.

Especially with 2 maxed skills officers available.

Heh, i was actually just wondering wether this was impossible in the tournament mod or just something that the organizers conciously don't use. (since i haven't seen officers before in the tournament from a year ago nor the few matches i've seen of the follow ups)

Guess your reply answers my thoughts.

[Hiruma Kai]

And see if its possible to make a good tournament Onslaught yet.  Especially with 2 maxed skills officers available.

I would love to see a good Onslaught, but I'd like to note that it's officers with up to 2 maxed skills, not 2 officers with all the maxed skills, heh.

Yeah, my wording could have been better.  I was trying to indicate what you did, just failed at it.

Although the more I think about it, the more a high tech fleet with 3 Paragons with one officer each (2 skills, 2 skills, 1 skill) sounds like the fleet to beat.  66% of your fleet benefiting from 2 skills, and 33% of your fleet benefiting from 1.  Natural force concentration with long range.  Given the limitation on fighters to only 9 wings, its hard to concentrate that much force in a single area.  I'm not sure what is going to be able to beat that kind of capital spam backed up by officers.

[RustyCabbage]

@Hiruma Kai
Ah, gotcha, I see it now, haha.

What I can say is that based on the testing process and previous examples under this ruleset, capital ship spam isn't nearly as effective as fulfilling the width and fighter requirements.

previous examples under this ruleset

[close]

Granted both the examples above are without officers, but part of limiting officers to 2 maxed skills is specifically mitigating such a strategy. It's important to remember that the mixed fleets will also be taking 5 skills with them to the battle.

If I see a solid cap spam fleet, I'll happily eat my words, but thus far the evidence points towards the contrary.

[Hiruma Kai]

@Hiruma Kai
Ah, gotcha, I see it now, haha.

What I can say is that based on the testing process and previous examples under this ruleset, capital ship spam isn't nearly as effective as fulfilling the width and fighter requirements.

previous examples under this ruleset

[close]

Granted both the examples above are without officers, but part of limiting officers to 2 maxed skills is specifically mitigating such a strategy. It's important to remember that the mixed fleets will also be taking 5 skills with them to the battle.

If I see a solid cap spam fleet, I'll happily eat my words, but thus far the evidence points towards the contrary.

I'm vaguely amused that everything in that fleet you linked except the capital has gotten nerfs this time around (Drover 12->15 OP), assault chaingun nerf, and omens going from 5 to 6 DP. Still a nasty fleet, even broken down to the current rules (ignoring the Midline/Hightech mixture).

I've almost always been wrong before on guessing tournament outcomes.  However, I do think heavy capital fleets (like 3 Paragons) will at the very least be competitive.  They're capable of dealing with all 3 viability tests bundled with the 11th tournament in winning streaks of at least 3, and can handle that particular fleet in the youtube video without much issue (1 Victory/4 Drover/4 Hammerhead/4 Omen, same fits, 179 DP, 2 skill officer in victory, 2 skill officer in hammerhead, 1 skill officer in drover).

Although it might just be Paragons being particularly good in this format given they're so slow and long range, so they stay together and support each other.

Edit:  On second thought, simply 18 of those SO hammerheads eats 3 paragons for lunch, so the first statement is true.  I'm almost always wrong on guessing tournament outcomes. 

[RustyCabbage]

Hehe, oh dear. The bundled fleets weren't meant to be proper test fleets, rather they're examples of how to format the fleet/player files - I sorta got lazy with that one. Probably something I'll fix in the coming days.

And yeah, I assume an updated benchmark fleet would run something like Paragon + 5 Condors/3 Herons + 6/5 Hammerheads + 5 Omens. The Drover nerf hits quite hard!

[RustyCabbage]

So, it turns out that the first inscriptions to lock in the first 20 people was filled in less than 15 minutes. That said, there's still an opportunity to lock in a slot--even if we don't reach 32 players--as the second inscriptions will begin on October 25, 2020 at 5:00 UTC. The first four players to sign up at that time will join the first 20 to form the 24 player core.
Countdown: https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20201024T23
(note: countdown may be inaccurate for EU members; it's 10 hours from when this was posted)

Reminder to join the Unofficial Starsector Discord.


Inscriptions are open!
https://forms.gle/A397ZKGEMLcCktZw8

Reminder: You will be able to select your top 3 choices for factions. I'll do my best to accommodate everyone's priorities, but be forewarned: depending on the number of participants, 1-2 players will be able to use each faction. Newcomer factions will have the opportunity to field an additional player.
Also reminder: don't prioritize more than 2 vanilla factions, or I'll be sad.

Format will be determined when inscriptions will end on November 2, at 17:00 UTC (https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20201102T13).

See responses here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jk4k1368fnsx_ImPoukYP-WsNo8dFb93Ptwz-DJ_OmM/edit?usp=sharing

Finally, note that we are still expecting incoming patches for Torchships and Deadly Armaments (new ships) and Legacy of Arkgneisis (new capital)

[Alex]

(Made this sticky for a bit, until the tournament is over.)

[RustyCabbage]

I've been out all day so I couldn't say it, but oh wow, thanks Alex!

I should provide an update: we have 32 players enrolled and the factions and groups have been established. We're also very close to finalizing the streaming dates and times.

Basically all the important information (players, factions, groups, schedule and modlist) can be found on the Google Sheet for the tournament:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jk4k1368fnsx_ImPoukYP-WsNo8dFb93Ptwz-DJ_OmM/edit?usp=sharing

In any case: this is our current schedule:

After the first four streams, the top two players of each group (each denoted by a different color) will advance to the next round, forming four round robin groups of 4. The top player in those four groups will be our finalists who will play in a final 4 person round robin to determine our winner.

I'm also happy to announce that we have two Starsector Bingo coordinators: TheKart and Aurica!

[RustyCabbage]

A schedule with the first four stream times (and for the players, associated deadlines) can be found below

or in the sheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jk4k1368fnsx_ImPoukYP-WsNo8dFb93Ptwz-DJ_OmM/edit?usp=sharing
(The matches being played on each day are also available in the spreadsheet under Match List, or in the above post)

That is, the fleet deadlines are in about a week, and the first match will start in less than 9 days. Hope to see some of you there!