Hello everybody !

First, despite the provocative name of this thread, intended to make you look at this, I'm here for a serious and calm talking.

So what's my problem ?

I got a serious one with the current flag system, at a point where I think I should not respect "oral flags" (rather than what I would call "true flags", clicking on the little check box), neither make ones myself.

Why ?

I understand that the flag system is here to speed up the end of the game, like it is said in the "Help" section:

"The purpose [of this game] is to conquer the whole map... or conquer enough so that everyone surrenders [by flagging]."

Looks smart at first, someone takes a too big advantage for the remaining players, they flag, end of game without the dominant player having to slowly crush the others ones.

But even if I haven't played this for a long time (I've played dicewars much more before coming into this), I think I've done enough games, with different situations, to have a pretty clear demonstration of how the flag system is corrupted by the use the players makes of it, fail in its mission, and bring effects actually opposite to it.

I think you will know of what I am talking about if I say that's is more used by players as a sort of "joker" when someone is in a pretty bad situation and would certainly die if he couldn't say "flag X,Y..." and fight with the players that he can beat, or actually cannot, as they often are separated from each others by bigger players.

The first effects of this I see is that it freeze the game, until it become a boring and almost strategic-less 8v8 rollfest.

To further expand this vision, lets see what are the other possible gains from flagging.

Points, you certainly think.
How much ?

I will talk here of points you can win in 100buy-in game, as its the ones I currently play.
But it can be applied comparatively to all tables, as I doubt players with 2.500 pts will play 2.500 games, where they risk to loose everything in one.

So let's say I'm loosing, threatened by one or more stronger players, and I decide to flag, what can I win ?

I give up at least the first place, so bye-bye the 200 or more first place points.

May be I play for the second place, for a win of something like 50 points, which is already much less interesting.

Probably, if I use flag to survive, I'm not even playing for 2nd, but for 3rd, for a gain of...wait for it...10points.

Hum, really not interesting, ridiculous I would say.

If I'm winning, with a dominant position (but often not that dominant seeing the sum of others players armies), what do I win from people flags ?

I will most likely have the first place, or go in a fight for 1st and 2nd which will be often quickly resolved, with the looser flagging the other and 1st and 2nd are decided.

So I can just sit on my ass, jerk myself popping out 8 dices armies, and watch the little ones that are still in the game only because they were prompt to flag so they can survive, fight for the remaining places.

I think its boring. No more strategy, no more adrenaline because my place is assured, no fear to see the small players do coordinated moves to stop the big one, which would be their best strategic option if flag system did not existed.

Anyway, flags makes the game less strategic, less interesting, while adding small to negligible wins of points for the ones using it and a longer game.

Quite the opposite effects it should bring.

May be it's just because I've not played 2k5 or 5k points game, but in the current form of this, unless I'm in a very particular situation, I don't see why I should respect flags rather than kill, or flag myself if I'm about to get spanked.

Moreover, I feel I've got the right to spit on the flaggers face, as I think they actually cripples the strategic part of this strategy game.

My final point being:

Please make no-flag tables, with or without another points system, or no points at all.

Bonus questions :

Change the flag system ?

Am I a PGA ?

Thank you for your attention, especially if you read all of this.