WaterWar.net

Posted: **Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:43 pm**

This is a brainstorming topic for the Tactical Theory's version of Battle Practicality. Relative Battle Practicality is an objective system that works in a subjective way. The Tactical Theory recognizes that no gun can have the same level of practicality for every user. I personally do like the Battle Practicality Factor approach, though it is missing the relative element that makes Battle Practicality work in its most natural form. Hence there is this, which assigns point values to various aspects of guns. It is up to the user which points are chosen and how the resulting total is used. A high RBP total or low total is not necessarily good/bad, it just should indicate Progression Levels [low RBP = Low Progression, Medium RBP = High Progression, High RBP = Medium Progression]. Certain Point Factors can also be combined to find other things that the particular gun is optimized for, such as game types and battlefields.

Relative Battle Practicality v1.0

RBP Point Factors:

Relative Max Range [take the last puddle of the best ranged nozzle at 35-40 degrees]:
If less than 20ft = -5 points
If 20-29ft = 0 points
If 30-39ft = 1 point
If 40-49ft = 2 points
If 50-59ft = 3 points
If 60-69ft = 4 points
If 70ft or more = 5 points

Relative Max Output [take the nozzle with the highest output]:
If less than 1x = -5 points
If 1x-2x = -3 points
If 3x-5x = -1 point
If 6x-10x = 0 points
If 11x-15x = 1 point
If 16x-20x = 2 points
If 21x-30x = 3 points
If 31x-100x = 4 points
If more than 100x = 5 points

Relative Stream Speed [choose value than use multipliers]:
If Very Slow = -5 points
If Slow = -3 points
If Fairly Slow = -1 point
If Perfectly Medium = 0 points
If Fairly Fast = 1 point
If Fast = 3 points
If Very Fast = 5 points
If Max Range is less than 20ft = x1/5
If Max Range can hit 20ft = x1/3
If Max Range can hit 30ft = x1
If Max Range can hit 40ft = x2
If Max Range can hit 50ft = x3
If Max Range can hit 60ft = x4
If Max Range can hit or exceeds 70ft = x5
If Max Output can hit 5x = x1
If Max Output can hit 10x = x2
If Max Output can hit 20x = x3
If Max Output can hit 30x = x4
If Max Output can hit or exceed 40x = x5

Relative Weight and Balance [choose value, then use multipliers]:
If Very Heavy = -5 points
If Heavy = -3 points
If Fairly Heavy = -1 point
If Perfectly Medium = 0 points
If Fairly Light = 1 point
If Light = 3 point
If Very Light = 5 points
If Very Poorly Balanced = x1/5
If Poorly Balanced = x1/3
If Fairly Poorly balanced = x1
If Perfectly medium = x2
If Fairly Well Balanced = x3
If Well Balanced = x4
If Very Well Balanced = x5

Relative PC/P/R Capacity [done 3 times, once for PC, Pump, and Reservoir, then add the values:
If Very Small = -5 points
If Small = -3 points
If Fairly Small = -1 point
If Perfectly Medium = 0 points
If Fairly Large = 1 point
If Large = 3 points
If Very Large = 5 points

Relative Soaker Size:
If Very Small = -5 points
If Small = -3 points
If Fairly Small = -1 point
If Perfectly Medium = 0 points
If Fairly Large = 1 point
If Large = 3 points
If Very Large = 5 points

Relative Capacity Stats [Taps/Pulses/PCs/PCST, done once for all 4, then add the values]:
If Very Few/Few/Few/Short = -5 points
If Few/Few/Few/Short = -3 points
If Fairly Few/Few/Few/Short = -1 point
If Perfectly Medium = 0 points
If Fairly Many/Many/Many/Long = 1 point
If Many/Many/Many/Long = 3 points
If Very Many/Many/Many/Long = 5 points

Relative Durability:
If Very Weak = -5 points
If Weak = -3 points
If Fairly Weak = -1 point
If Perfectly Medium = 0 points
If Fairly Strong = 1 point
If Strong = 3 points
If Very Strong = 5 points

Relative Style:
If Very Ugly = -5 points
If Ugly = -3 points
If Fairly Ugly = -1 points
If Perfectly Neutral = 0 points
If Fairly Cool = 1 point
If Cool = 3 points
If Very Cool = 5 points
If Sexy = 10 points [someone else has to make that comment about your gun]

Relative Design Flaws:
If Very Flawed = -5 points
If Flawed = -3 points
If Fairly Flawed = -1 point
If Perfectly Neutral = 0 points
If Fairly Perfect = 1 point
If Perfect = 3 points
If Silver Bullet = 10 points [must have international recognition as such]

Relative Comfort
If Very Uncomfortable = -5 points
If Uncomfortable = -3 points
If Fairly Uncomfortable = -1 point
If Perfectly Neutral = 0 points
If Fairly Comfortable = 1 point
If Comfortable = 3 points
If Very Comfortable = 5 points

Relative Versatility:
If Very Specialized = -5 points
If Specialized = -3 points
If Fairly Specialized = -1 point
If Perfectly Neutral = 0 points
If Fairly Versatile = 1 point
If Versatile = 3 points
If Very Versatile = 5 points

Relative Battle Practicality [Sum of all factors]:

If Negative or Low Positive RBP = Gun is optimized for the Novice-Normal Progression Levels

If Medium Positive RBP = Gun is optimized for the Progressive-Fluid Progression Levels

If High Positive RBP = Gun is optimized for the Normal-Progressive Progression Levels

Battle Practicality for game families, battlefield types, etc. requires adding together only certain factors, depending on what you want to find. You may also have to use RBP as a factor if necessary.

*****Please tell me if this works out like it should and if there are categories that were not mentioned that should be included.*****

Posted: **Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:59 pm**

Relative Battle Practicality is an objective system that works in a subjective way.

It's either subjective or objective. If there are any parts that are subjective (namely how points are given), this makes the entire system subjective. It may be numerically based, but this does not make it objective.

As for the idea, I understand it, but it is much too arduous to have to calculate numbers for different soakers, then compare them. IMO, the topics covered should be discussed with different traits of a soaker brought to the attention of the user, but to try to create some pseudo-ranking system for determining a battle practicality number is much less useful. Furthermore, taking a number derived arbitrarily by a user as an indication of a Progression level can be misleading.

I completely agree that certain attributes of a particular soaker makes it better or worse suited for a particular duty, but as much of the ranking is subjective, I'd still recommend steering clear of assigning points and stick with the discussion of the importance of traits. To me, numbers should really only be assigned to things that can be actually measured like PC capacity and stream maximum range, etc. Heck, I don't even like my own subjective soaker ratings scheme, but had been asked too often to keep them.

As Battle Practicality depends on the user as well as the soaker, and while some soakers may be generally more flexible, I still feel it's a point for discussion, not ranking. Users can do their own ranking based on feel without a need to cross-reference a scoring sheet to figure out whether a particular soaker is more battle practical to them or not.

Posted: **Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:14 pm**

I just threw this out there to test the waters. I really want to take the abstractness out of Battle Practicality because like any other abstract concept, it exerts a physical presence without existing. It is too important of a concept to have any chance of confusion. I can fall back to the original article idea, which is several layers of things to consider, all descriptions and tips. However, that leaves a lot of room to confuzzle the reader about a concept equal in importance to that of the Initiative.

Posted: **Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:47 pm**

Did you mean Technical Theory? Or Tactical?

Actually, last night I figured out how the theories work. Ie, how they cater to different progressions, and how Technical Theory complements Tactical Theory by providing users with the best suited weapons. The concepts are actually easier to understand now that you've introduced Technical Theory--earlier I thought the progressions and calibers were part of Tactical Theory. Unless I'm wrong about all of this...

Anyway, back on topic. I don't quite like this system, for several reasons.
1. It's too complex. Just look at your post.

2. The factors aren't weighted. According to your RBP v1.0, appearance matters as much as range does. Make the best range have more points than the best looks.
3. The factors aren't caliber-specific. Once you add weightings, they will need to vary depending on caliber. Output and shot time are pretty much nil for one-hit-kill, but they are all-important for soakfests.

I originally wanted BPF (Battle Practicality Factor--in equation form) to be a system like this, but obviously simplified, but then you have the problem that a gun with 10 feet of range but a perfect everything else would have tremendous battle practicality. As a matter of fact, I've got a sweet cardboard gun in the works. :p

Posted: **Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:28 pm**

See other post. I've decided not to use this version of RBP due to the holes in the way it works.

WaterWar.net

RBP v1.0 [Experimental]