Changes as your team gets older

[Raven Hawk]

I just thought that I would post something. This is more of an observation that anything else, but it might help others out. Who knows?

I have noticed that as my team has gotten better and better, that the amount of time that I spend on hattrick has gotten to be less and less. The reason is that things seemt to move in slow motion as your team gets better. Instead of making plans to get 3 new replacements each year, you are focussing on getting 1 new replacement, 2 if you have a good cup run.

The Gargoyles will soon be hitting that point where we need to start building bank. At the lower levels, your team can survive and do well, but as your team matures, you need to start building bank to pay the ridiculous salaries that you begin to incur. I believe that at the top level, you need to have $15M in the bank to compete. Why? You max out on your interest, which is 100k per week. That pays the salary of one of your players (or it pays 1/3 the salary of that divine midfielder that you've always wanted). Cash flow seems to become more and more important. Long cup runs become important.

The other struggle that I have been having is that I may need to cut my trainees from 6-5 (as a forward trainer) to be able to win the games that I need to win. The 3-5-2 is still the best formation in the game. Don't get me wrong, the 3-4-3 can compete with the 3-5-2, but only against people who don't know how to shift their 3-5-2 to beat the power 3-4-3 formation. In the 3-4-3 formation you're pretty well handcuffed in what you can do. You have many more positional strategies available to you with the 3-5-2.

I digress. Sorry for going off on those tangents. The real point that I wanted to make is that as your team gets better, the game seems to slow down. I remember the game being quite dynamic when I first got my team. There were plenty of things that I could do with my money. You could hire more assistants, upgrade your stadium, buy new players, etc . . . With a good infrastructure in place, my options are now limited to: Sell Trainee -> Upgrade Position -> Buy New Trainee. With "Coach" being a position as well. My stadium is at 77,000. I may upgrade my stadium one more time, but it's not something I'll be fighting for.

I now spend a lot less time on the transfer market and a lot more time trying to figure out how to beat the teams that I'm playing against. When you begin the game, it's easy to beat opponents. All you have to do is field a better team. As your team gets better, the curve flattens out. You can't bitch about a WTF game, because all the teams start to play at the same level. There is no such thing as a WTF game (except in Cup matches of course ).

With all this said, I'm lovin' it!

[Vikas]

I second all of that, except that I'm switching from 3-5-2 to 3-4-3 because I think the latter will beat the first at higher levels.

[JAG]

Thanks Raven Hawk. That was very interesting reading for a relative newbie.

[Poli]

Spend less time on HT? When does that start?

[Havok]

Originally Posted by Vikas

I second all of that, except that I'm switching from 3-5-2 to 3-4-3 because I think the latter will beat the first at higher levels.

i agree with Vikas here. Take a look at Divison II in the USA, out of the 4 divisons, 2 of the first place teams run a 3-4-3 and 2 of the 2nd second place teams do aswell.

I think the key to a successful 3-4-3 is badass midfielders. Since you only have 1 winger helping out with possession, you need to have 3 very good middies. Now is probally the best time for you to upgrade your midfield Raven if you don't mind grabing one with no secondary's, they are dirt cheap.

[hhiipp]

Originally Posted by ardent enthusiast

Spend less time on HT? When does that start?

That only starts when you have a job that won't allow you to surf HT for 6 of the 8 hours a day.

[saintjo]

Originally Posted by hhiipp

That only starts when you have a job that won't allow you to surf HT for 6 of the 8 hours a day.

i hope that never happens to me but incase it does, i have wireless web on my cell phone. thats how i watch most of my games already anyway.

[Raven Hawk]

Originally Posted by Havok

i agree with Vikas here. Take a look at Divison II in the USA, out of the 4 divisons, 2 of the first place teams run a 3-4-3 and 2 of the 2nd second place teams do aswell.

I think the key to a successful 3-4-3 is badass midfielders. Since you only have 1 winger helping out with possession, you need to have 3 very good middies. Now is probally the best time for you to upgrade your midfield Raven if you don't mind grabing one with no secondary's, they are dirt cheap.

That is the plan going into next season. I'll be selling a World Class forward in direct exchange for whatever midfield talent can be purchased from his sale price. I haven't decided if it will be winger talent or IM talent, though. If it is winger talent, however, it will be WTM talent.

However, I just can't swallow the "no secondary's" pill, so I'll probably be purchasing somebody that has either passing or defense as a secondary.

As far as the 3-5-2 vs. 3-4-3, if 2 of the first place and two of the second place teams in Div II are 3-4-3, which means that 2 of the first place and two of the second place are also probably 3-5-2. Even split.

I also hate abondoning my wing attacks in an attempt to get my midfield good enough to get a decent amount of possession.

[Hobbes-]

<--- scouts RH's team a few more times

[Vikas]

But RH, if you're a forward trainer your overall attack ratings playing 3-4-3 should be at such level that you can lack the extra offense a winger would bring if played offensively

I wouldn't give up a training spot for that wing attack if I were you, honestly. You do, of course, need badass midfielders as Havok says I think at this level you need to maximise training to, as you say, get that major cashflow going.

[Havok]

Originally Posted by Raven Hawk

That is the plan going into next season. I'll be selling a World Class forward in direct exchange for whatever midfield talent can be purchased from his sale price. I haven't decided if it will be winger talent or IM talent, though. If it is winger talent, however, it will be WTM talent.

However, I just can't swallow the "no secondary's" pill, so I'll probably be purchasing somebody that has either passing or defense as a secondary.

As far as the 3-5-2 vs. 3-4-3, if 2 of the first place and two of the second place teams in Div II are 3-4-3, which means that 2 of the first place and two of the second place are also probably 3-5-2. Even split.

I also hate abondoning my wing attacks in an attempt to get my midfield good enough to get a decent amount of possession.

While i know its hard to swallow the 'No Secondary' pill. I think for the sake of your midfield it wouldn't hurt for you to grab 1 no secondary high playmaking middy and stick him in as your extra IM. Hell you could probally find a titanic middy with no secodarys for 5.4 million right now... maybe less. I've seen WC middy's sell for 3.2 million recently.

As for your winger... well you are in a 3-4-3 so you don't need a super high winger skill to get a good wing attack on that side of the field. Look around for a outstanding winger with very good PM... like excellent or higher. he'll help your midfield out some and still give you a very nice wing attack.

maybe at super high levels 3-5-2 beats a 3-4-3, but its dam close. Remember, the best team in the USA runs a 3-4-3. If Tombstone wasn't cursed with bad luck, bad form and brutal injuries every season im pretty sure he'd win the ML.

Just a few suggestions....

[Vikas]

Havok, wanna go out with me? We'd get along :P

[Vikas]

Well, partly.

The Hattrick team has been saying numerous times that secondaries will grow more important in the game, and who am I to not believe them. I think especially at the levels we're speaking right now, WC+, it'd be wise to start investing in players with good secondaries. Otherwise, you might find yourself with players decreasing in value and less addition to your team at the point where secondaries REALLY matter.

[illinifan999]

I've noticed the same. It seems now I really only log on to check matches, training, and to scout the transfer market although I'm probaby the most inactive active HT player when it comes to the transfer market. The only time I spend on it is usually to sell a player and to see if there are any deals. I've got $7m to spend, two WC middies (one with secondaries) and a mag that is soon to be a WC. My highest backup is a formidable. So I dont have to worry about being short on money anytime soon. My biggest problem is I've grown an attachement to the middies and it's really hard for me to sell any of them. Espeically by best one who I bought from the KC Wizards so that's my connection to the ML.

[Raven Hawk]

Originally Posted by Havok

While i know its hard to swallow the 'No Secondary' pill. I think for the sake of your midfield it wouldn't hurt for you to grab 1 no secondary high playmaking middy and stick him in as your extra IM. Hell you could probally find a titanic middy with no secodarys for 5.4 million right now... maybe less. I've seen WC middy's sell for 3.2 million recently.

As for your winger... well you are in a 3-4-3 so you don't need a super high winger skill to get a good wing attack on that side of the field. Look around for a outstanding winger with very good PM... like excellent or higher. he'll help your midfield out some and still give you a very nice wing attack.

maybe at super high levels 3-5-2 beats a 3-4-3, but its dam close. Remember, the best team in the USA runs a 3-4-3. If Tombstone wasn't cursed with bad luck, bad form and brutal injuries every season im pretty sure he'd win the ML.

Just a few suggestions....

Good points. If was to swallow that pill, I would put the player as the extra IM. Maybe I can find one with weak passing that is easier to stomach.

As far as the 3-5-2/3-4-3, I think it comes down to cost basis. The reason that people at higher levels go with the 3-4-3 is because it is more cost effective due to stamina. A divine scorer with poor stamina has a much lower salary than a divine midfielder with excellent stamina. The 3-4-3 is just more affordable to run. You can put more *'s out on the field. What it boils down to however is that you have to put more *'s out on the field if you are running a 3-4-3 than you would if you were running a 3-5-2. Since it is more affordable, you can do it. It all comes down to $.

[Vikas]

In some way....but wouldn't playing 3-4-3 mean you need better midfielders, giving you higher salaries on the 4 mids left?

[Raven Hawk]

Originally Posted by Vikas

In some way....but wouldn't playing 3-4-3 mean you need better midfielders, giving you higher salaries on the 4 mids left?

Youn win this time, Vikas! But I'll be back. Muahahahahahaha . . .

Makes sense.

[Alf]

I got to the point your are reaching Havok. I just purchased a Natioanl Teamer to keep the fun !

[hhiipp]

Please do not offer RH any further advice as he already hands me my ass on a platter twice a season.

[Raven Hawk]

Originally Posted by hhiipp

Please do not offer RH any further advice as he already hands me my ass on a platter twice a season.

I'll make the platter silver next season. You could have been rid of me, if only you beat the Avengers . . .

I could have been rid of me if only I could have beaten the Avengers . . .

[Havok]

Originally Posted by Vikas

Havok, wanna go out with me? We'd get along :P

[YoSoySean]

Pffffft... all you need is a superwinger (my term for a winger with really good winger skill and really good PMing), play him offensively and your 3-4-3 will be fine. Right now for me, that's brilliant/formid... but I may go even higher when someone I know sells his guy

[lytic]

Originally Posted by Raven Hawk

I could have been rid of me if only I could have beaten the Avengers . . .

or me.