Freaking Poachers

[PyroFalkon]

I've played a lot of games, and it's a rare game that causes me to be actually angry for the RIGHT reasons. For the first time in the franchise, I'm challenging myself by playing as AAA rather than one of the upper-tier feds in TEW 2013. The last time I played (TEW 2010), I tried out USPW, and I decided to add a women's division, poaching most of the AAA talent. Well, apparently the AI has memory and holds a grudge, because now they're doing the same thing to me. It's funny: I'm angry, but in a good way, since all this is doing is motivating me to grow AAA to actually challenge USPW's women division.

 

But man, are they jerks. They poached most of my main eventers, though they've left my champion (Grace Harper) alone. But they poached Sara York, Suzanne Brazzle, Joanne Rodriguez, and Nina Cacace right after my big show of the year. This has screwed up basically every storyline I had running, and I just want to spray-paint obscenities on the USPW headquarters. (There's a feature Adam could add next time!) At this point, I'm honestly not sure how to even get momentum back, especially since my booking decisions have apparently led to zero growth. Ugh... I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

 

But hey, two good things came out of it. First, I managed to steal Belle Bryden from them, though it wasn't "steal" so much as "signed her when USPW let her go for no apparent reason." And second: sweet, sweet karma... I don't know what a "Swollen Maritime Elbow" is, but it couldn't have happened to a more traitorous worker.

 

http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5085&d=1367979131

 

Anyone else want to share a story of being totally screwed by the ruthless AI? Either way: I'm loving this challenge, even though I want to set Sam Strong's car on fire.

[Jeremy Weimer]

Haha. That's kinda funny. I don't have any stories to share. Just wanted to chime in.

[ampulator]

It's one of the new features of the game - predatory hiring. They don't need them, but they did it smack you down.

 

By the way, is Wanda Fish on any sort of decline?

[PyroFalkon]

Sadly yes, Wanda/Bryden is on a decline (currently July 2014), but I need her. I sorta see why USPW let her go, but she has tremendous value to me, especially given my main eventers have been gutted.

 

Since my last post, USPW also hired Karen Killer, which also screws me up. I hired her to be the manager to Devil's Daughter, who I was pushing to the moon, but now I'm going to have to abort that idea until I can find another heel manager.

 

This... isn't good. We're making a tidy profit, but I can't really get out of this hole that USPW is digging me, especially since I kinda suck and haven't put on any really good shows anyway.

[Jeremy Weimer]

Is there no other talent you can poach from companies to replace the losses? I don't know anything about the women's scene in TEW.

[ampulator]

Sadly yes, Wanda/Bryden is on a decline (currently July 2014), but I need her. I sorta see why USPW let her go, but she has tremendous value to me, especially given my main eventers have been gutted.

 

Here's some good news: as far as I know, Safety, Basics, and Psychology will almost never fall. If those stats are high, you can use her to train other workers.

 

Since my last post, USPW also hired Karen Killer, which also screws me up. I hired her to be the manager to Devil's Daughter, who I was pushing to the moon, but now I'm going to have to abort that idea until I can find another heel manager.

 

This... isn't good. We're making a tidy profit, but I can't really get out of this hole that USPW is digging me, especially since I kinda suck and haven't put on any really good shows anyway.

 

It sounds like USPW is really trying to screw with you.

 

Is there no other talent you can poach from companies to replace the losses? I don't know anything about the women's scene in TEW.

 

It's not exactly easy. Suzanne Brazzle is a pretty high level talent.

[Croquemitaine]

Is there no other talent you can poach from companies to replace the losses? I don't know anything about the women's scene in TEW.

Other than Fuyuko Higa (who brings her own baggage), all the other talented female wrestlers who will work in North America are already with AAA or else signed to writtens with USPW or NOTBPW. Foxxy LaRue at QAW is the only other "money" star. I suppose there's no reason why AAA can't try to sign her.

 

There are other "okay" female workers, but most have some glaring weakness. Typically Psychology but often Stamina or Selling.

 

USPW and NOTBPW both start the game one or two below the recommended roster-size in thier Women's Divisions. So every game, they each poach a few top workers, and as AAA has the best ones, they usually take the hit. What makes it hurt even more is that both Feds will consign these new hires to occasional midcard matches and do nothing to grow the Women's product in the game world.

 

Oh, and a few months in, 5SSW will sign a few of your better workers to Touring contracts forcing you to juggle your schedule to avoid conflicts.

[PyroFalkon]

I forgot to ask this in the questions thread... it kept slipping my mind but you reminded me: how exactly does "training" work? Is there a specific push I give Bryden, or is training just sort of an automatic background thing? I noticed workers tend to go up now and then in the match/angle reports, but I wasn't sure why it was happening, or if I could specifically hire a person to act as a trainer and nothing more.

 

That was a rough July, but I'm running another show "tomorrow" (like two minutes after I make this post ). I'll be testing out several new signings, but again, this will likely destroy my momentum. Only Grace Harper has anything better than a D in momentum (she's got a C). I can't seem to pull off good booking decisions or matches to get anyone much better, but then I tend to trade off wins. I guess I need to just pick a couple of my better wrestlers, have them dominate like crazy, and sort of force the issue... or will that make things worse?

 

I feel a little silly because I've played Adam's series since EWR 3, but I never really got to the nitty-gritty and studied the game, so I'm still booking like a rookie. Trying to do better, but USPW is really gunning for me.

 

Edited to add: I totally mishandled Fuyuko Higa. I signed her to a trial (9 months/6 appearances), and she did awesome despite bringing baggage, so I was going to sign her to a better deal. But I wasn't paying attention, and I entered contract negotiations the day before she was scheduled for her last appearance. Apparently, this cancels the contract offer (not sure if this is by design or a bug), and now she won't come back. I've got her shortlisted and I try again every month.

 

I forgot to mention the other mishandling I have... one of the first things Anne Stardust did is order me not to sign any cruiserweights, so when some of my stars' contracts were up (Wendy Anderson, Missy Masterson), I couldn't resign them without upsetting Stardust, so I let them go. Only now has she finally allowed cruiserweights in, and I got them back, but they'll be starting over from scratch.

[Jeremy Weimer]

Wow, that really sucks. So don't ever play as AAA. Check.

[Croquemitaine]

Anytime a worker is in a match with someone better than them in a specific skill, there's a chance that skill might improve. Note that you don't always get a road agent note about it. So the way to improve one of your workers is to constantly put them in the ring with better workers.

 

Younger workers learn faster, until they hit their randomly determined "maturity age" (typically in the mid to late 20's with 30 being the max).

[Croquemitaine]

Wow, that really sucks. So don't ever play as AAA. Check.

The alternative is to play as someone with no talent worth poaching to begin with.

 

Which is pretty much the situation with my dynasty game.

[PyroFalkon]

The alternative is to play as someone with no talent worth poaching to begin with.

 

Which is pretty much the situation with my dynasty game.

 

And it's what my dynasty has become.

[Jeremy Weimer]

Haha. Touche.

[PyroFalkon]

Okay, so... I know this isn't the Dynasty forum, but I've gotta say, it looks like I lucked out. Bryden is so damn good that she pulled a C- match effortlessly with Grace Harper. They have neutral chemistry, but the match gave me a solid C- overall, which is as good as I've had in nine months. Given USPW's absolutely destruction of my main eventers, I'll definitely take that as a win.

[ampulator]

Okay, so... I know this isn't the Dynasty forum, but I've gotta say, it looks like I lucked out. Bryden is so damn good that she pulled a C- match effortlessly with Grace Harper. They have neutral chemistry, but the match gave me a solid C- overall, which is as good as I've had in nine months. Given USPW's absolutely destruction of my main eventers, I'll definitely take that as a win.

TRust me, you might not be so happy with her in a year.

[aja_nyc]

The alternative is to play as someone with no talent worth poaching to begin with.

 

The alternative alternative is to set up working agreements with both USPW and NOTBPW as soon as possible. Which prevents them from poaching your workers and also allows you access to their women's divisions through the talent trading feature.

[bigtplaystew]

The alternative alternative is to set up working agreements with both USPW and NOTBPW as soon as possible. Which prevents them from poaching your workers and also allows you access to their women's divisions through the talent trading feature.

 

This! Plus you can trade people/money and bring in sick over talent for your shows.

[Croquemitaine]

The alternative alternative is to set up working agreements with both USPW and NOTBPW as soon as possible. Which prevents them from poaching your workers and also allows you access to their women's divisions through the talent trading feature.

Yes, this always goes on the day one checklist.

 

Of course it also feels a bit like a dirty trick because it forces them to poach from your competition. But them's the breaks.

[Eidenhoek]

Didn't think it was predatory hiring, because they aren't at war or anything (unless I've missed that, in which case...)

[ampulator]

You need to be at war with someone for them to poach your workers. They can do it if they believe you have workers of value to them.

[Eidenhoek]

I'd just call that "smart hiring," though, to be honest. /shrug