Strategy Of the CEO

[Steveo]

Okay I was invited to do a CEO run last week and I refused to go because I heard that they were certain rules that applied. Only used 1 Fog and start from right to left. Which I understand that concept because you save your sound. WHat I dont understand and please help me on this one, is dont TU unless you are under 60. I dont know if thats for the snack table or cog rounds. I guess i should have clarified that. Is there a strategy behind this? I dont mind doing any battles what so ever. I just like to play for fun and when I have to obey by certain rules then whats the fun in that. I just did not know if there was a certain strategy behind this or just toons making rules.

 

[Trish]

Kippy's group likes to use these rules. The 60 is for the cog round. Personally, it makes NO sense to me to use only one fog when you're standing in front of three 12s. I always use a train in the beginning if I see thre 12s, and everyone always acts like i did something wrong.

 

[Flippers]

Oh yes. That's the best method.

The Bossbots in the CEO can only attack one toon at a time. They are very little danger to big toons.

If people are scared of these cogs...

 

[Steveo]

Kippy's group likes to use these rules. The 60 is for the cog round. Personally, it makes NO sense to me to use only one fog when you're standing in front of three 12s. I always use a train in the beginning if I see thre 12s, and everyone always acts like i did something wrong.

I agree it makes no sense to me about the fog plus the TU. If you use one fog and miss with a row of 12 then you might be in trouble. I do enjoy you pulling out the train. Thats cool! I guess my question is do they do this becuase it makes it more challenging or they doing this for speed.

Flippers i never thought about those bossbot only hitting one toon. I guess that could explain the Tu under 60. I am so used to the Hollywoods and ROber barons hitting all of us. LOL

 

[Mountain Man]

When it comes to organic level 7's, I say what's the point of having them if you don't use them? You can always go snag another off your tree for the day, and boss battles are the perfect time to unleash them. I'm in the 'let's play for fun' camp, and go with whatever strategy works at the time. Level 7's are fun to watch anyways.

 

[Little Sadie]

I have always done it like Chanty. I don't think anyone needs tooned til 60 laff either. It just wastes time. I have been known to pull out a level 7 and that's fine too. I just don't see the need to use the fogs up to quickly. I think it is strictly done for speed. The only challenging part of a CEO is actually fighting him. The cog part is pretty mundane and I just want to get it over with. I imagine if one is trying to max CEO then speed is more of a factor more then anything else. I couldn't wait to be done with it!

 

[Steveo]

When it comes to organic level 7's, I say what's the point of having them if you don't use them? You can always go snag another off your tree for the day, and boss battles are the perfect time to unleash them. I'm in the 'let's play for fun' camp, and go with whatever strategy works at the time. Level 7's are fun to watch anyways.

Yes they are fun to watch. Last night Joe, Marge, and Myself unleashed 3 Lvl 7s all in the same turn and it was awesome to watch and those LVl 11 V2 cogs go bye bye with only one hit. I love LVL 7 in boss battles.

I guess my point is why have rules. I have been in CEOs that has been really quick and there has not been any rules. We fog away. I guess everyone has opinions and ways to do things.

 

[Trish]

Oh yes. That's the best method.

I disagree. I agree, situationally, it is a good method. Like when there's only two 11s. It's not about being "afraid of the cogs". Sheesh.

I guess my question is do they do this becuase it makes it more challenging or they doing this for speed.

For fog conservation. Because it sure as heck isn't faster.

 

[Ugly Wrinkleflip]

I am also from the let's kill some cogs and have fun doing it camp. I Don't mind usind all of the other gags in my bag at all. But if I can make the cog rounds a little faster then so be it. If not let's just play and have fun.

As for Level 7 gags. They are so easy to replensih I just assume to use them then take a chance and lose them.

Last night I went with Cooper, Steveo, Spiffy, Granny J, and a few other toons into the CEO for Coopers maiden run. We had a great time in the cog round considering there was only 7 of us and 2 were first timers.

We fed the cogs and made awesome time. Everything was smooth until we got to the CEO round. Thats where we had toon troubles. We lost Spiffy cause he wouldn't take any snacks. He was trying to save them for Cooper and the other first timer. Then we lost one of the first timers. Shortly later we lost another then poor Cooper took some fast damage and went to fill her prozac perscription. Steve, Granny J and myself were the only ones left.

This is where it got interesting. Cause once Cooper went sad one sid eof snacks dissappeared. So we had to work harder at taking no damage. Then once the boss was red I was down to 10laff and he was taking 19 LAff per hit(whats up with that?). I got a few snacks in me so I could take a hit and went to battling again. Granny J hit 7 laff and on her way for snacks she got a -19 laff and went sad. 2 hits later (a 6 and a 4) and he was dead. It was awesome.

Cooper sorry you didn't make it. I will be happy to try again with you. Just give me a hollar.

 

[Little Sadie]

I can't imagine anyone getting upset if you chose to use a level 7. Even when doing the few CEOs I've done with Chanty we used level 7s. They are so easy to get back and I love using mine.

Usually when I go in with randoms who are low suits we just use the fog'em til gone method as that seems to make everyone happy. A lot of tooning goes on too because heaven forbid someone goes down to 75 laff! LOL!

If I go in with random high suits they have mostly adapted the one fog at a time rule. They too prefer it after ceoing after a period of time. You can tell they are using that rule because someone will say save your powerful gags and the rest agree.

When I go in with SFS we always use the one fog rule as that's how it has evolved for us over time. I prefer that way as for me it seems quicker, especially when we aren't tooning up every time someone gets a hit.

If the rules that a group uses bothers you then I would certainly ask beforehand before going in with them. At least that way you have a choice of playing their way or playing with someone else. I know I wouldn't want someone dictating to me what gag to use and when. I usually go with the flow but of course like when we are all on the same page as far as strategy goes. That is my preference.

 

[Sally Bumblefoot]

I really like the one fog and 3 ele idea. It seems to really work out because of the different level cogs that will appear. You will sometimes end up with a line of red cogs, some still in suits. That way 2 can ele and 1 or 2 can drop the 2.0 and be done with them. Then you start over with the one fog and 3 eles. You do take a lot of hits at first because you dont kill them but it works out really well. Of course seeing 4 operas at the same time would be really something too!! This is like anything else, if you are with people who all have the same strategy it just goes smoother. Like the DA. People have that down to a science and you get used to doing it one way. If you go with someone who doesnt know that system or just wants to mix it up, it isnt a big deal, you just adjust. I think the "set system" works out best and is quicker but to make it a rule where if someone wants to do something different, people are upset.........that kinda zaps the fun!! Who hasnt been in even a mint where a toon gets bent out of shape because someone double fogs (or doesnt double fog for that matter) on a row of two 11s and two 10s? I also can't understand why anyone would be upset with someone using a level 7 gag. I love it!! As far as tu, I think as long as you are over 60 you are fine. As long as everyone is tu at the end of the cogs or even the dining room cogs, its no big deal. But I certainly wouldnt be mad if someone chooses to tune anyone really at any time. Its not a big deal. Have Fun!!!!

 

[Flippers]

I disagree. I agree, situationally, it is a good method. Like when there's only two 11s. It's not about being "afraid of the cogs". Sheesh.

Sheesh? hm

Anyway you're right. It's not about the cogs. It's about being skittish about laff.

Those cogs can't hurt you if one uses fog. And we arent talking about one set but a v2.0 set. Any overkill overlaps into the next wave and then the smaller ones which arrive fall from one shot. it's all good. Then when they're all red a couple toon while small sound or another gag type is used for example an elephant and a drop if someone's been keeping track of the damage levels.

As for level 7 gags, when you have those leftover cogs from the banquet because people have been spreading themselves thin rather than working from closest to furthest as a group, and you dont have many good gags left, and you're weary from all the cog fighting and want to get to the big fight... yeah those level 7s look mighty good. And if you have a lot of cogs, some doubling up of big gags will take them out in one turn if you're game for it. For example: a small suit set with Raiders: 3 fogs because someone did a unite - OR an opera plus two elephants - followed by a toontanic.

The one fog method is as accepted as the DA method is among most toons. Just think of how everyone struggled when Stratics started doing the CEOs. It wasnt nearly as hard using The Method elsewhere. Why not use what works best and allows the game to progress smoothly?

 

[Mountain Man]

As far as toon-ups go, I say it's better to ensure that a toon is fully tooned for the CEO fight proper than risk having someone go into the battle already down 20 or more points. That's one less hit they can take from the CEO. Tooning up for minor scratches I'll agree is pointless, but I wouldn't be too offended if someone tooned up a group that was down a fair bit during the cog round. That's what toon-up gags are there for.

Overall, everyone has their own way of playing the game, and that's fine. So long as we have fun, then the goal of playing the game in the first place is accomplished. It's this little thing called teamwork that makes it all work, and as it has been stated, has nothing to do with fear. That's one thing about Toontown. The #1 rule is there are no rules. There's dozens of ways to kill the cogs based on everyone's gag tracks and experience, and sometimes a little variety helps shake up the status quo. There really is no 'best way' to play the game. There's generally accepted ways that toons tend to gravitate towards, but that doesn't mean they are the 'best way'. The 'best way' is whatever way results in the most fun for everyone. My $0.02, adjusted for inflation, your mileage may vary, cannot be combined with other offers.

 

[Granjell]

Unfortunately, those of us who only do maybe one CEO a week don't learn "The Method" that quickly. This is the first I've heard of it....

 

[Little Sadie]

As far as toon-ups go, I say it's better to ensure that a toon is fully tooned for the CEO fight proper than risk having someone go into the battle already down 20 or more points. That's one less hit they can take from the CEO. Tooning up for minor scratches I'll agree is pointless, but I wouldn't be too offended if someone tooned up a group that was down a fair bit during the cog round. That's what toon-up gags are there for.

Overall, everyone has their own way of playing the game, and that's fine. So long as we have fun, then the goal of playing the game in the first place is accomplished. It's this little thing called teamwork that makes it all work, and as it has been stated, has nothing to do with fear. That's one thing about Toontown. The #1 rule is there are no rules. There's dozens of ways to kill the cogs based on everyone's gag tracks and experience, and sometimes a little variety helps shake up the status quo. There really is no 'best way' to play the game. There's generally accepted ways that toons tend to gravitate towards, but that doesn't mean they are the 'best way'. The 'best way' is whatever way results in the most fun for everyone. My $0.02, adjusted for inflation, your mileage may vary, cannot be combined with other offers.

I agree with fully tooning before the actual CEO battle. Sometimes you need every laff possible. I was speaking of during the first cog round. I don't think tooning is necessary til someone is a 60 laff or lower unless it is the last cog and it can be dealt with just 3 toons and gags.

I agree with Flippers and Sally that there is always a strategy that gets built over time. When I first starting doing DAs I wanted to do what I wanted to do. I really didn't care for anyone telling I couldn't do this or that. I certainly didn't want to follow someone elses rules. I was there to have fun. Silly me. LOL! After actually doing DAs quite a bit I learned that those toons knew what they were talking about. It was a strategy that progressed over time and it works very well. Now of course I could have continued to do things my way but their way was better. I feel the same for any battle or factory, mint, or DA.

 

[Sir Bumblenoodle]

I prefer the one fog method. Usually the opening set when Im playing will be one fog 2 eles and Ill drop a piano on the 12 or one of the 12s. This method I believe was adopted primarily for gag conservation. If you use all your fogs during the first 3 rounds of cogs, then your going to be digging further into your gag bag for the rest of the battle. Come the cog round after the serving round, you will be out of gags. (I usually throw a gag up all or gag up sound right before the serving round)

 

[Flippers]

I dont think anyone disagreed that everyone should be at full laff when the final banquet cog falls.

Was anything else ever suggested?

 

[Mountain Man]

I'll simply say this. Toon-up gags do miss on occasion. The idea of holding back toon-ups until someone is half way down is based on the assumption that the toon-up gags will work every time. Like any gag, they are prone to failure. Sure, you could fire off a unite, but you need those a whole lot more during the CEO fight itself. There is always the possibility that a last round toon-up, during which some could be hurting a fair bit if toon-ups are withheld during most of the battle, a toon-up gag could fail, and now you have a group of toons going in at a disadvantage. Or during an earlier part, the gag could fail, and we all know from experience cogs do not always spread out their attacks. They've been known to pick a toon and relentlessly attack. If someone's in bad need of a toon-up, there is the chance they'll go sad.

Now, am I saying that people are wrong to follow this strategy? No. If it works for them, all the power to them. I don't happen to agree with it, and thus I prefer to give toon-ups when they're needed. Is that fear? No. It's self-preservation, and a desire to see that the entire team makes it through with the best chance possible. I'll re-iterate my statement that I am firmly of the belief there is no 'best way' to play the game. The way that ensures that everyone enjoys themselves is the 'best way'. It's as simple as that. Many of the accepted strategies have been formulated around certain gag tracks being present. However, there are some toons out there who have chosen not to take those tracks, and they are more than welcome to do so. If that choice wasn't a factor, then we'd have all seven gag tracks instead of having to choose six. Therefore a different strategy is required to compensate for their different gag arsenal, and I find sometimes that doing a factory, or a mint, or a DA, or what have you using a variety of different strategies to be fun, and helps to take the tedium out of some aspects of the game.

My $0.02, your mileage may vary, cannot be combined with other offers, satisfaction not guaranteed.

 

[Ugly Wrinkleflip]

My $0.02, your mileage may vary, cannot be combined with other offers, satisfaction not guaranteed.

Too funny Shane.


Thus making me completely satisfied.

 

[Squeaker]

Strategies will always vary.... Some do work better than others but if there are three toons on your team that are perfectly happy with a certain way, please don't stink them and try to change their ways! Majority wins! It's great to try to teach others a better way, just don't force yourself on them.

I have not run into this in stratics but I do quite a few runs with randoms. Really funny when only on or two are randoms and they're trying to run the show! Can't help but laugh a little at times.

To reiterate what I have heard so many times before... please don't train gags in a boss - especially CEO! It's too long already.

 

[Flippers]

Smusher did a CEO last night for the first time since the bugs started months ago. I wanted to be sure school started for good measure

Half the group were cheeses and I was on my first run as a raider.

We employed the one fog method but it seems they got comfy varying it; where applicable a toon would use cake or drop. When you have three 9s, there's no need for more than a fog and two elephants, so the fourth one taking the lone 12 out was fine. A while into it when most cogs were red, one tooned and we aoogahed while someone pianoed to get rid of a big skel in the same turn. There was an opportunity later to toon the remaining player but we got hit a couple times - plenty of room for amusing speedchat and mock crying. Actually Smusher giggled when he got hit, and answered his usual yesses and no's to the cheese. It went very quickly and I wonder if they made the kitchen round shorter?

Anyway we had raiders, so yeah during the banquet cog round three fogged and one toontanicked. We did this a few times since three of us had spare ships. The remaining toon used a train after we fogged their skins off (someone had united us with sound at the start of the feeding - never hurts lol).

The battle was all tables (I realized that partway in that no one was golfing). No one was so bad off that unites had to be used. Every now and then one or two would go for laff touch-ups at the food belts, but for the most part no one went low and I never got below mid-80s. I'm glad to see the bugs are out of the game.

I can't say it wasn't a good example to follow because it was a good example to follow. It was certainly fast, and you dont want to be in there any longer than you have to.

 

[Sir Bumblenoodle]

Flippers,
The exact strategy you mention is what I usually see what happens on the runs that I am on. It seems that it makes the round a whole lot quicker. Glad to hear everything when smoothly on your first run after a BBHQ Hiatus.

 

[Flippers]

Ty - I went with dumb dog tonight, who has been a Flunky 5 forever because of the break

Seems like the gag unite while the toons are lined up around gil giggles in the kitchen just before feeding time is a norm (well, it's 2 for 2 so far), as is no more golfing in the CCG runs with the experienced toons.

I have to say though that I noticed as we did the one fog method, there was usually no more than two cogs attacking. Often it was one.

By the way, I caught a shot of the position I prefer:

This proximity lets me hit him with quick 2's.

It seemed to go fast to me, but the big battle lasted 20-25 minutes. The hardest hit was a friend who the CEO always seems to pick on . He came out in his 60s. Still, that's not bad considering. I ended up with over 100, having touched up here and there, including a time when I was distracted in RL and he rolled over my table The cake tasted good LOL

 

[ZippyW]

I agree with you Mountain Man. I find it amusing that some random toon is expected to know some group or handful of TF's strategy that they have agreed on. I also agree that holding TU until some arbitrary time decided by some other toon is fine for THEM, because they aren't the one needing the laff points, but that same toon might be a little itchy if a random was holding a TU until another strategy that THEY use! For me, as long as someone isn't wanting a TU with every hit, I have no problem not making them stew. It's supposed to be fun for everyone playing, right? Make 'em happy and give 'em toon if they want one at 75. Big deal! The thing is different people have different strategies in mind and no one should get irritated because some other player isn't playing along with your chosen strategy. Maybe they have their own and YOU are irritating THEM! LOL!!

 

[Little Sadie]

I still think majority rules. If the majority play a certain way I'm not going to complain about it. If I don't like how they play then I will make sure to go back into the next battle with people that play like I do. If someone doesn't want to play along with the majority then they are just going to have to suck it up that time. If it really bothers someone how others play I suggest only playing with like minded SFs so you are all on the same page.

In all the CEOs I have done, and it is nothing compared to Chanty, we have never had anyone go sad in the cog rounds. Ever. I doubt Chanty has had anyone go sad in her CEO cog rounds either. If I'm in a group where the majority doesn't toon up til you get down a little lower I am not going to toon that random that keeps whining for a toon up until it is a good time to do it. Nothing worse then a 125 laffer down to 80 laff saying over and over they need a toon up. To them I say Wait a in minute! Let's fight the cogs! They usually get it and realize that we are not oblivious to the fact that he is down in laff.

I've been that person that needed a toon up plenty of times and not once did I ask for a toon up. I am sure the others can see I need a toon up and will eventually get to it when the timing is better to do so.

Everyone does have their own way of playing. No one has the better way. I just go with the majority no matter if I play that way or not.

 

[Flippers]

...I find it amusing that some random toon is expected to know some group or handful of TF's strategy that they have agreed on.

This is true, but keep in mind we follow these all the time, from LLKR to how to sound in the factory or mints, to how we run a DA office D. We all follow the majority for much of the "big stuff" we do in HQs, and it's usually what works.

I also agree that holding TU until some arbitrary time decided by some other toon is fine for THEM, because they aren't the one needing the laff points, but that same toon might be a little itchy if a random was holding a TU until another strategy that THEY use! For me, as long as someone isn't wanting a TU with every hit, I have no problem not making them stew. It's supposed to be fun for everyone playing, right? Make 'em happy and give 'em toon if they want one at 75. Big deal!

But this is true in the "Chanty" strategy. If there's a window of opportunity and a fourth toon is not needed to take out the cogs and avoid a retaliation from one or two, there's no reason why that extra toon can't toon up someone rather than piano a new skel.

The problem is always when someone is itching to toon up and their doing so results in cogs attacking. Always better to wait for a window of opportunity, and there are plenty of them in the CEO kitchen round.

 

[Little Sadie]

But this is true in the "Chanty" strategy. If there's a window of opportunity and a fourth toon is not needed to take out the cogs and avoid a retaliation from one or two, there's no reason why that extra toon can't toon up someone rather than piano a new skel.

\.

Same here. If tooning can be done without needing 4 toons to take out a cog then we do it. We just don't make it worse by tooning someone only to have yet another cog hit.

 

[ZippyW]

"But this is true in the "Chanty" strategy."

That might be fine if I or some random kid knew what a "Chanty" strategy was and where it was found in the rule book. But if you have some 12-year-old playing, are they supposed to know this "Chanty" strategy, and are they supposed to know that they are to go surfing the Internet to find a special strategy for playing in a certain area? I don't look at Toontown that way. I look at it as a game that is played by many ages of people with different goals in mind.

 

[Flippers]

"But this is true in the "Chanty" strategy."

That might be fine if I or some random kid knew what a "Chanty" strategy was and where it was found in the rule book. But if you have some 12-year-old playing, are they supposed to know this "Chanty" strategy, and are they supposed to know that they are to go surfing the Internet to find a special strategy for playing in a certain area? I don't look at Toontown that way. I look at it as a game that is played by many ages of people with different goals in mind.

What we call the "Chanty" strategy is the commonly accepted strategy for heavier districts and the CCG. This was devised as most accepted techniques are by toons who worked their butts off on Test so there was something we could all benefit from once the game came out.

Itchy tooning is an issue some people have - not just kids. It usually goes away when someone makes an uber. It's like trimming off the fat. A big toon who remembers being small and doing just fine when they got hit and had yea much left, knowing what a cog needs to take them out. As an uber you know you usually dont lose more than so much during a big battle, so you work within that range as a whole. Add many many more laff points - over twice as many laff as when you first worked with cogs of that level by the Brrrgh or at the start of DDL - and you see where you stand in such a battle. You stand all right.

Unless mommy or daddy worked the toon up for them, a kid who's earned his or her way will know what to do by the time they've reached the CEO. 12 is pretty old, and unless they are told that top laff is essential to the game, they too will learn a strategy and work with it.

We've pretty much seen that there's always an opportunity to toon up. It's a matter of whether someone is insecure to the point of breaking a good stride instead of waiting for one or two extra turns. It's not so much being prudent as overreacting. I think confidence is what helps establish a boundary between the two.

Speaking as someone who likes to perform a tapdance when there's no need for the extra ele