Way of the Bamboo Dueling Tournament || Congratulations to Wierdo!

[Juvenile]

Congratulations to Wierdo, our tournament winner!


1. Wierdo (21-12)
2. Juve (33-21)
3. Ordyn (34-13)


A few weeks ago I was pubbing with some other Balions on some battle server and I watched as Ron Burgundy slew foe after foe with his mighty use of the Bamboo Spear. He and Suriell explained to me that they employed a tactic--better yet, a fighting style--known as "The Way of the Bamboo."

This tournament (as inspired by my witnessing Ron and Suriell's deadly use of the Bamboo Spear) is a bit of a twist on the traditional dueling tournament format. More of a contest of arms in The Way of the Bamboo.

Basic Rules:

• This is a North American tournament. EU players are welcome to sign up and compete, though.
• Single elimination.
• First to 7 duels.
• Bamboo Spear is the only viable weapon.
• Though armour is completely optional, the only pieces of armour that are acceptable are the 1st tier body armour, gloves, helmet and boots:
  (click to show/hide)

  
• Duels must be fought within a week. Disputes about scheduling and (in)activity will be ressolved by me through PMs or Steam.

Server/Map Rules:

• Any server set to Duel mode is acceptable, so long as it's agreed upon by both duelists.
• Since this is an NA tournament, all NA vs. EU duels must be played on a suitable East Coast duel server, unless the NA player pings higher than 95, in which case a more appropriate server may be chosen.
• Any map is viable so long as it's available and agreed upon by both duelists. If the duelists (for whatever reason) don't agree, the duel will be fought inside of the ring on Arena.

Available Servers:

Balion War Room

• Admins and Contacts: Juve, Mad Dawg and pretty much any other Balion.
• Location: Chicago
• Notes: Contact an admin beforehand to ensure that the server will not be in use.

Unicorn's Oval Office

• Contacts and Admins: Eternal, Suriell, and many other TMWs.
• Location: New York
• Notes: EU friendly!

USA_Event

• Contacts and Admins: Fehnor, Kiss
• Location: Chicago
• Notes: Contact an admin ahead of time to ensure that the server will not be in use.

dolens_dukking_dojo

• Contacts and Admins: Beer, Azrooh
• Location: New York
• Notes: EU friendly! Default setting is duel.

Sign Ups are now closed.

(click to show/hide)

North American Player - 26
European Players - 6

• TMW_Defender_Antonidas
• Azrooh
• Beer
• POM_Binary
• Clockwise
• wK_Cradoc
• Duke
• KoA_Fehnor
• FoxyGrandpa_
• OLL_Golradir
• Jimbunny
• KoA_2013_John
• Balion_Merc_Juve
• KissMyAxe
• Balion_Capt_Mad_Dawg
• Majesty
• Balion_Officer_Max
• Mok
• mnrmnomnom
• Nevino
• Ordyn
• Ron Burgundy
• Septimus
• Sötömörsö
• Balion_Merc_Suriell
• POM_Taira
• uni
• Vendigr
• Venum
• Volibear
• TQ_Wierdo_datWeirdo
• Balion_Merc_Zero

**Thanks to Eternal for the use of parts of his ruleset for SOD, as well as to Ron Burgundy and Suriell for influencing the idea for the tournament.

[Juvenile]

Bracket:

(click to show/hide)

You can also vote on duels:

http://challonge.com/wotbb

[KissMyAxe]

In-Game Name: KissMyAxe
Profile Link: http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?action=profile;u=154843
Steam Name/Other Contact Info: steam balionkiss
NA or EU: NA

[Suriell]

APPROVAL

In-Game Name: Balion_Merc_Suriell  (The original bamboo spear warrior)
Profile Link: http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?action=profile;area=forumprofile;u=91375
Steam Name/Other Contact Info: Suriell
NA or EU: NA

[Juvenile]

Added

I'll just go right ahead and sign myself up as well.

In-Game Name: Balion_Merc_Juve
Profile Link: Juvenile
Steam Name/Other Contact Info: Juve
NA or EU: NA

[Vendigr]

Great idea, bamboo is probably the best weapon in WB anyway.. The Way just eludes most people.


In-Game Name: Vendigr
Profile Link: http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?action=profile;u=119410
Steam Name/Other Contact Info: vendigr
NA or EU: NA

[Golradir]

In-Game Name: OLL_Golradir
Profile Link: lazy much?
Steam Name/Other Contact Info http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197987771990/
NA or EU: EU

[Mr.X]

What's this ridiculous obsession with gimmicky duel tournaments? I don't understand. Bastard sword only, 1-h only, much wear banded armor, I really don't understand. And now this, which really should be titled "Only effective tactic in this tournament will be footwork and ranging" :/

Will not participate out of principal.

[Juvenile]

It's for fun, X. You don't have to take things so seriously all of the time.

Also:

The Way just eludes most people.

[Úlfheðinn]

What's this ridiculous obsession with gimmicky duel tournaments? I don't understand. Bastard sword only, 1-h only, much wear banded armor, I really don't understand. And now this, which really should be titled "Only effective tactic in this tournament will be footwork and ranging" :/

Will not participate out of principal.

At least it's more interesting than Greatsword Tournament # 99.

I would rather see ten more duel tournaments with creative weapon choices as opposed to the same one we have been forced to use since it was added.

[Mr.X]

It's for fun, X. You don't have to take things so seriously all of the time.

Also:

The Way just eludes most people.

I'm just upset with the lack of competitive duel tournaments recently. Tournaments should be for competing imo.

What's this ridiculous obsession with gimmicky duel tournaments? I don't understand. Bastard sword only, 1-h only, much wear banded armor, I really don't understand. And now this, which really should be titled "Only effective tactic in this tournament will be footwork and ranging" :/

Will not participate out of principal.

At least it's more interesting than Greatsword Tournament # 99.

Says you. I much participating in "Greatsword Tournament # 99" because at least it'll be a competitive test of skills and will bring me into a dueling atmosphere where the players give a few shits about it and have really looked into different styles and tactics.

[Úlfheðinn]

I don't see how bamboo spears are a lesser measurement of skill than Greatswords. 

Nor why using any of the other weapons in the game other than the Greatsword means that styles or tactics are worse or the players any less dedicated or concerned with winning.

If anything at this point in Warband some variation would be nice.

[Leifr Eiríksson]

Because Great Swords are the mark of the pro, obviously.

 

[Mr.X]

I don't see how bamboo spears are a lesser measurement of skill than Greatswords. 

Nor why using any of the other weapons in the game other than the Greatsword means that styles or tactics are worse or the players any less dedicated or concerned with winning.

If anything at this point in Warband some variation would be nice.

First, a decent number of people prefer 2handed swords, heavy bastard swords, and bastard swords. So it's not just greatswords.

Second, I would say it's a lesser measurement of skill because a lot less time has been spent "figuring it out", and it very clearly favors specific fighting types and very clearly disadvantages other fighting types. Part of playing is choosing the weapons you think are most effective. Limiting that choice limits the ways people can play effectively.

Third, people I think are less dedicated or concerned with winning this tournament because the atmosphere it sets up is a "just for fun" atmosphere. And I don't have a problem with fun (which seems to be everyone's opinion). I don't have a problem with people running and participating and having fun in tournaments like these. I just have a problem with the lack of competitive tournaments, and so when another tournament finally appears, I'm annoyed that it's another "just for fun" tournament because I prefer competition.

[Úlfheðinn]

it very clearly favors specific fighting types and very clearly disadvantages other fighting types

How is this different from any other weapon? They all have strengths and weaknesses and methods of fighting related to their stats.


I tend to see skill as being the ability to use more than one weapon in game, hence why I don't find it impressive that most
people focus solely on one weapon or class.


Again, I don't see why this is less competitive than any Greatsword or really any other weapon focuses tournament. I am sure you would find some challenging matches if you played.

Then again for some reason, we have this "this weapon and this mode is pro/competitive" here. Anything that doesn't conform to this is often viewed as "lesser" which kind of sucks because as a result we have had years of the same stereotypical views on competitive Warband.


Maybe I am a cynic but at this point any competative activity in Warband is a godsend, even if some would view it as lesser.

It's not as if we are a growing community anymore.