November Digest #5

World of Warships

Played Ark Royal, Z-39, and Poltava today. More grindy than usual.

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Played Libertad and San Martin today in both Asymmetrics and Co-Op. Less of a grind as I attempted to minimise its impact somehow. Not sure if it worked. 

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Just played the one ship today - Blyskawica '44. A couple of quick games. Wasn't in the mood after doing yard work all morning. 

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Today I started with Blyskawica '44 and GQ Johnny for their 200% economic bonus missions. Then added Z-39 to further assist. All three in Co-Op. But the outcomes produced were too slow for my liking so switched up to Brisbane in Asymmetric. As soon as that happened, grind became much more entertaining and focussed. Only had one game that was disappointing (where my teammates died too quick), but overall the Tier X cruiser performed to expectation level. Commander is now on his 21 pt grind run. Hoping to finish by the end of the month with some economic bonus help.

Just learned HTDOG has won this year's (KOTS 18) tournament. They beat VRTUS in the grand finals. Unable to access the information from a usual YT streamer (behind a paywall, of course). But congrats to HTDOG whom I've never heard of. In fact, both teams are unknown to me. I think HTDOG are NA (North American) competitive clan but won't know until later today (it's just turned Sunday locally). 

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Today is Sunday and I played Brisbane with Libertad fulfilling a couple of secondary ribbons missions (Liberty Harbour). Played both ships exclusively in Asymmetrics. 

Noticing Prinz Aldabert is strong in Asymmetrics if played right. On the Islands of Ice map our team spawned from the north. Prinz Aldabert held the usual lone spot in the middle spawn. But the player instead of playing defensively (as I would have) instead went on the offensive and attacked the enemy to his immediate front. And won out. He even killed off the CV lurking at the back. Admiration for the skill displayed, even if they were BOTS. He/she/it/they/them/those was clearly outnumbered but played to the ship's strengths. I'm still learning about the ship and don't have it in my commander upskill group.  

Calculated I need 280 million-plus credits and 2.1 million-plus Free XP to obtain the final eight tech tree ships. These ships are just CVs and subs. Do I want to do it though is the question. With just thirty-five ships shy of my seven hundred goal, perhaps I should just wait for the next Update and the Santa gift crates where there will be loads of opportunities therein. And much cheaper than spending all that credit and Free XP. I may wait until towards the end of the Santa snowflake event before spending up all that in-game currencies. Will splurge before the final end.

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Frustrating session in the Brisbane (Monday). Got pissed off with a teammate (playing Asymmetric on the Shards map): he was in the Pommern. Dude played too safe as I tried to tackle an Amagi and a cruiser whose name eludes me now. Played the Pommern many times over and know for a fact it can take on the Amagi without too difficulty. It's a fucken brawler for God sake! But no. My teammate played scared and left me to tackle the two enemy ships on my lonesome in a Brisbane. Needless to say, I died from the Amagi's focus fire. 

Day got worse though when much later a severe storm cell struck our city and we've been without power for over two days. It was as severe as The Gap storm of 2010s. Over 150,000 household left without power once storm had moved away. No damage to the home but a few branches fell which I began clearing up the following day. 

Steamy as heck those days without power. Food spoiled in the fridge and freezer. 

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Played Brisbane today in Aysmmetric. Short grind. Session did not start well with two quick defeats, but the other two games were wins. Last one especially was a real tussle. If not for the Gouden Leeuw it would have been a defeat. Somehow the Dutch oven was able to win the game for us (just me and him left to face several enemy) despite my poor play (ran into an island, mistimed torpedo salvoes, bad aiming).

After finishing the grind, I had a gander regarding Update 14.11.

First up, free Tier IX ship upon logging. The selections displayed I already have so I will definitely welcome and appreciate the 225,000 Free XP compensation instead.

Decorating the Christmas tree at Nordlyshavn Port will be more straightforward (so they claim) with one ornament earned for every two battles played. The improvement is that there is no daily limit. Whether that means what is implied will make it easier to focus on other things going on. 

The usual Advent Calendar replacing the standard daily login is only useful for the Festive rewards being doled out. 

The snowflake (or Festive Rewards) is what's been anticipated all year by a great many players. Well appreciated too. All that steel and coal just waiting for many to collect. Interested in the steel particularly this year because the Steel Fleet event that is happening simultaneously. And with the 15% discount coupon, it may well be more than one steel ship will be acquired...just kidding. After the Valparaiso. It will go with my Libertad. Together they will be known as Dos Amigos.

A word of caution. The golden crate event is returning. A crate within a crate and gambling on that yielding a golden ship just makes no sense. But WG are happy to roll it out for those with more money than sense. Hard pass for me. 

Event Pass. Two new ships on offer - Nurnberg '44 and Lanzhou. Originally dismissed the event as rubbish. Still think the camo is rubbish: as if looking ridiculous will translate to looking menacing or stupidly cool. As per this festive season, this event pass will be divided into two distinct chapters played sequentially (chapter one followed by chapter two). Yes, you get Gift crates, but as the value and content the basic Gift crate is meh, don't expect great rewards.

Dockyard Event. The Tier IX French battleship Roussillon is the main reward. Montcalm is the halfway point reward. Or 45,000 coal compensation the Tier VI French premium cruiser is already in your port. I'm wondering if the price has increased or dropped. I think the latter. 

The Steel Fleet was briefly mentioned above so won't repeat.

The usual Gift crates will available for doubloons or hard cash in bundles. And this is where I'm hoping to make up my shortfall so I can reach my goal of seven hundred ships before clocking off. 

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Into the Dead

Continued with Penny and Daphne tonight. Added Aubrey and Barb (needed a gunsmith). Ensured the team has plenty of resources - food, construction parts, etc. before moving shelters. Eventually fulfilled the mission task and met up with Eva at the bookshop. Now it's time to confront the Network.

Still getting accustomed to using firearms. Pistol and revolvers are interesting. Reload is awkward; prefer the magazine fed style but haven't come across that yet. Aiming is fine: headshots preferred. Carbine and rifles are a step up from handguns. Shotties are avoided because they're two-shot and area weapons; plus, I'm not comfortable using them mentally.

Preferring the stealth mode of execution. Able to deal with two zombies at once most times. Three zombies ends up being close quarter fisticuffs because of weapon choice unable to comfortably take out all three at once. Or so I've so far learned. Most times I'm able to scoot out of danger in time but often I get caught out and my character dies. Most times I respawned; other times, I just let them die as with Darrel and Leo's group a while back. And Hao and Mei the very first time. 

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Staying with Penny and Daphne's team tonight. Met up with Corbin and the Network. Given the tasks which I will fulfil but then I will RV with Eva at the Water Plant first before returning to the Network with the goodies requested. 

Opened the water valves and this part of the Network went swimming. Corbin was killed off. And the group have exited the city. But I am staying with this group to see if they can score one of the other two escape plans - the airlift and the oilfield pipeline. 

There seems a glitch because the zombies are present until the valve is opened and then once the valve is released the zombies are suddenly replaced by Network guards who are easy to elude or overcome. 

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Took a break from playing the game as interest was waning. Repetitive and monotonous. Lack of variety. Pretty much waiting on new updates that will hopefully expand the game in different directions. What of the coastal escape option? Or the spaceship rocket one? Lol. 

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Stardew Valley

Change of pace from the usual in today's session. Chasing 10,000,000 million gold to purchase the Clock and thus complete the Perfection achievement for my third character. About two million-plus shy. 

Yeah, Fairy Dust doesn't work on Cask items in that it cannot produce iridium-level produce instantly; sometimes it takes several sprinkles, and that quickly whittles down your stock if you have enough. Your best bet therefore is to ensure cask items are at least at gold-level before sprinkling the magic powder. 

To fast track my goal, selling off as much of my current stored inventory - food, minerals, livestock, crafted items. And completing as many useful community tasks and Mr Qi missions as possible. Slow however. 

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Finally reached the Perfection goal for my third character tonight. Just a couple more existing characters still at varying stages of development left to go. 

Was dithering around seven million for a while but sped through the last three million when I simply just sold off anything and everything I could. Done with this game for the while. Will return to it in the new year. Grandpa will be pleased! :)

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Other Games

Stellaris is a game I acquired some time ago on the strength of its approval rating on Steam. Downloaded and installed but untouched. So I am going in blind. Usually the scale and magnitude of such games tends to put me off or I fall asleep very fast. Got the attention span of a gnat sometimes. Will give it a good crack of the whip however. Or I might just play a few hours and give up. 

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