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Or why not implement team chemistry.. I've been fussing about this ever since I restarted playing the game and now I don't see a more suitable time as to explain why it's such a good idea. It would punish teams that just 'rent' players constantly while awarding the managers who stick with one group of players for a long period of time. This won't have any effect on the NTs as well so I don't see why not go with this.

The teams who have done the best are those who have built salary-efficient teams that don't need much fiddling with. There is no question that this is the best way to be successful. This is very expensive, though, and the top teams in the IPBL spent upwards of $20 mil on their roster, which has taken several seasons of essentially marking time. However, there are also teams who do well enough to get into the playoffs and try to get over the top with one or two additions at the end. This has not worked out well for anyone in the past. A couple of seasons ago, we had a team that added $200k players in every position two weeks before the end of the season but still lost. It's a question of which you value more - the more successful strategy of taking it easy for a few seasons and then buying a bunch of expensive but low salary players or the, so far, unsuccessful strategy of trying to win every year.

I suspect that this is more of a more with micro-nations because of the limited competition even in the top league. Typically one team will win both cup and regular season and this works out to a big financial edge which keeps the team dominant.

I've decided never again to get players with legendary JS. I got Abrlic for the playoff games last season and kept him through the cup run. I like outside offenses but outside players always seem to underperform. As far as the other two players, they're alright and should keep me 2nd or 3rd in the IPBL. I'm now selling Abrlic now that I Cup run is over which will let me save $200k per week. I may try to add another player near the end of the season for the playoff run. This has not worked to date, at least to push over the top, but the alternative is to not try to win immediately.

The thing is that you have to look for people in your price range. There are very few players who are salary-efficient who are under $1.5 mil so, unless you are willing to stay in the middle of the pack for many seasons to bank a lot of money, you do what you can and very often this means getting less than the best players. Unfortunately, I think the game engine rewards balanced players much more than having exceptional but one-dimensional players. I think it's a flaw in the game design which has encouraged the outrageous prices for a few players but we all live under the same rules.

I should add here that I think arguments could be made either way for the GS hit, depending on one's philosophy. It's just that, at least in the case of the IPBL and depending on how it's actually implemented, it will encourage teams to be mediocre for a few seasons to collect enough money to buy the better players. This may be a good thing as far as long term planning but I and perhaps some others in the league would prefer to try to win short term.

There are very few players who are salary-efficient who are under $1.5 mil so, unless you are willing to stay in the middle of the pack for many seasons to bank a lot of money, you do what you can and very often this means getting less than the best players. Unfortunately, I think the game engine rewards balanced players much more than having exceptional but one-dimensional players. I think it's a flaw in the game design which has encouraged the outrageous prices for a few players but we all live under the same rules.

It's kind of funny hearing about $1.5M being such a high price to pay and that you'd have to tank for several seasons to achieve more than that, when in reality by replacing your two players earning over 200k each with players earning at about 100k each you could "earn" about $3M in one season - and without being entirely uncompetitive either. The fact that the game is rewarding people for training balanced players rather than the glut of three-skilled donkeys that have littered the TL is far from unfortunate - it's arguably the best case scenario.

Finding balanced American players is extremely hard. I can never find power forwards with decent outside skills. To get to a division where you can bank some decent cash per game requires buying crappy one-dimensional players to promote because of the lack of balanced players on the TL.

In three seasons I have only been able to hire one player I feel can belong on a Div III squad. However he is age 34 so I will probably have to sell them shortly after I get there lol. But interestingly he's practically legendary in 3 skills and I have never seen a player like him. He's rated as a SF but is truly a PG. Which again to me is a bargain considering that PG's are usually priced at a premium.

Overall even in large countries its hard to find salary efficient players, even at low divisions.

Finding balanced American players is extremely hard. I can never find power forwards with decent outside skills. To get to a division where you can bank some decent cash per game requires buying crappy one-dimensional players to promote because of the lack of balanced players on the TL.

In three seasons I have only been able to hire one player I feel can belong on a Div III squad. However he is age 34 so I will probably have to sell them shortly after I get there lol. But interestingly he's practically legendary in 3 skills and I have never seen a player like him. He's rated as a SF but is truly a PG. Which again to me is a bargain considering that PG's are usually priced at a premium.

Overall even in large countries its hard to find salary efficient players, even at low divisions.

That's why you have to train a portion of your squad to create those future players, and then figure out how to find more efficient bargain players. I know that a habit I got into early (even as far back as V) was that every TL search I would do to find players would start with players from USA with at least average in handling and passing and usually for OD as well, and then whatever other parameter(s). And that wasn't for guards, since I was already training those - those were what I looked for in big men. It often means taking lower values in "primary" skills at first but I started out with 8-12k big men with those secondaries and then kept eyes out for upgrades as I moved up.

And heaven knows banking cash (at least while also being competitive) is a whole lot easier at lower levels, since it's a lot easier to win with lower salaries against lesser competition than it is against the type of teams you face as you move up higher.

Last edited by GM-hrudey at 4/20/2013 5:05:04 PM

It's kind of funny hearing about $1.5M being such a high price to pay and that you'd have to tank for several seasons to achieve more than that, when in reality by replacing your two players earning over 200k each with players earning at about 100k each you could "earn" about $3M in one season - and without being entirely uncompetitive either. The fact that the game is rewarding people for training balanced players rather than the glut of three-skilled donkeys that have littered the TL is far from unfortunate - it's arguably the best case scenario.

This.

You know some of the options to improving at this game but you seem to be missing several obvious options as well. One poster says that he knows for a fact that one of your high priced players isn't cost efficient, that tells that that most of your roster likely falls into this category. If you're not happy with the results based on how you've been operating thus far I would change your direction completely. There have already been a few excellent alternative suggestions in this thread.

I agree, it's a pain in the butt to build up a good team. I'm just trying to give you some perspective from my experience- I was in the same situation as you for a while, in a similar size country. It's not an immediate process, but it can be done while maintaining your team. Find the guys on your team you think are salary efficient that you can build around. Sell off the others. Buy guys that will keep you afloat in IPBL- those in the 50k-80k range. I know it's not easy to take a few losses, but playing a season with 3 guys in the 50k-80k/week range ought to keep you from relegating, and by the end of the season, you'll have enough money just saved from the salary decreases per week to bring in 1-2 of those salary efficient players you're talking about that cost $1.5M.

Even better. Sell off the guys who you don't see as parts of a championship team, and buy one or two younger players (24-25ish) that are close to being salary efficient players, but with one or two holes. Spend the season training them, and for less money than it would cost you at the end of the year, you'll have two well-trained players to fill up two of your starting 5 spots.

Obviously, this may all be for nothing, it's just a recommendation based on what I've found worked for my team. You've obviously done a very strong job already, I just think, like you said, that you need to take a step back for a season or two in terms of competitiveness if you really want to jump to the next level.

Obviously, this may all be for nothing, it's just a recommendation based on what I've found worked for my team. You've obviously done a very strong job already, I just think, like you said, that you need to take a step back for a season or two in terms of competitiveness if you really want to jump to the next level.

Actually, I agree with all that you've said and I may go to it in the end. My concern is that, and this may be unique to the IPBL, one or two seasons is not likely to cut it. We have teams that have not tanked but have done middling well for 7 seasons with savings of 20+ million. One team is now 7th ranked in the world and one other team is ready to buy another 20 million roster.

So what I, and others, try to do is to patch holes. That's brought me to 3rd in the country but to go the extra step may need the sacrifice that you say.

I've decided never again to get players with legendary JS. I got Abrlic for the playoff games last season and kept him through the cup run. I like outside offenses but outside players always seem to underperform..

I'm puzzled by that statement not to pile on here. ....I would hope that you are not running a low post oriented offense , if so from the way you are talking it just won't justify having such a player on your team.
If you are running an inside offense deal with the strong possibility of that guards not getting enough touches.
But I doubt you may understand you are already at the top of the hill with a country with just 40 teams you say.
I'm wondering how you would do in the U.S or Spain or Italy, Germany.
I would drop you in D. IV.32 here in the U.S for starters. ..I have done old friends that would test your mettle.