Hero
"It is difficult to work in a group when you are omnipotent." ~Q
<<June 27, 1998>>
You walk to the area which you were pointed at and assay the troops assigned to you. Suddenly, your eyes fall on one individual. You sigh. It was just going to be one of those days.
A young, smiling soldier shouldering his prized CPS 2500 looks back at you, next to five other people brandishing a CPS 1000, a 275 AS, an XP 110, and an XP 70. You yourself carried an XXP 175.
Well, it could be worse. At least this was only an intra-army practice.
"All right," you say dully, "let's get to base camp."
* * * * *
Your unit follows you as you enter your assigned base, a small (and currently empty) shed with two doors on opposite sides and no windows. You look around the room to find your supplies; a crudely-drawn (and error-riddled) map, three pens, several spare sheets of paper, and a small bucket of water carrying 15 water balloons. You had made sure everyone had air-loaded their guns, as this was all the water you got unless you could steal some from another team.
"All right," you say, moving toward the map, "my plan is for --"
"I'll attack this base here," the soldier with the 2500 says, with a speed you can never quite get used to, "I'll beat them all and steal their supplies, then I'll bring them back here and use them to attack another base!!!"
You sigh again. Someone really had to put this kid in his place, he must think he's invincible . . . either that or suicidal . . .
"No," you say firmly and with more calm than you feel, "you will be in a group of three people which attack this base and attempt to draw their defenses out while--"
"No, no, NO!!" the soldier interrupts you again, "I'm attacking this base, alone, so that I can beat them all with my CONSTANT PRESSURE SYSTEM TWO-THOUSAND AND FIVE HUNDRED!!!" with that, he leaps up and starts running for the door.
"STOP right there, private," you say, asserting your superior rank. "I am in command of this unit and you will follow my orders!"
Never slowing down or flinching for an instant, he quickly retorts "But your plan is stupid!"
"You cannot possibly know that," you point out, "because I haven't finished explaining it."
He walks over to his chair again and slumps down into it, a glare on his face pointing directly at you. At least you had his attention.
"Now, as I was saying," you begin again, "you three will attack this base from here in an attempt to draw out their defenses so that he" you gesture with you hand, "can move in and--"
"NO!" the soldier with the 2500 jumps up again, "NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NOOOOOO!!!!!!! I want to go in and kill them all and take the supplies!! Me, me, me, me, ME!! And I won't do your stupid plan!"
That was the last straw! Decisive action had to be taken now, before your base fell under attack with your plans unfulfilled . . .
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I would sternly say "YOU DISOBEY ME, AND YOU GET SHOT." To my whole team while my eyes are on the soldier with the 2500. Also, I would be one of the three on the "distraction" team just to keep an eye on him. If he did go off on his own, when he got defeated, he'd learn his lesson.
~King Cobra (Erik Bengtson)
The biggest problem with starting to make threats like that is that your subordinates are just as capable of taking that action as you, and if you give them the initiative (you wait until they disobey you before you take action) YOU may end up being shot instead. Rather than shooting them, try pulling rank instead (demotion, suspension, expulsion, reduction to a less favorable weapon, etc.)
Letting him go off and learn his lesson is a good idea . . . . as long as he learns it! It IS a practice, after all, so there's probably nothing significant hanging on the victory.
As for accompanying him on the distraction team . . . . that's questionable. Depending on the skills of those involved, your presence may be required elsewhere.
I'd use my insubordination elimination plan ( I just came up with it this weekend!).
Basically what I do is just assign him the XP 70 and give someone else the CPS 2500. If he objects and doesn't give up the 2500, I let him think he was attacking the base by himself. While he's parading around, acting like a moron, thinking he can win, he'll be drawing a lot of fire towards himself. The rest of us go around and attack from a different direction.
That's the good thing about kids like that: It's easy to get them to be the distraction.
~Matt Lindsay
Yes, unfortunately they're often a less-than-perfect distraction. He's likely to concentrate on moving in toward the base rather than just drawing attention and staying alive. If he thinks of himself as invincible, then he's likely to be shot down and eliminated too soon to serve as a distraction; and if he is capable of standing a chance against whatever defense they leave, he'll soon be in the base and draw attention to you.
As for re-assigning his weapon, that's probably a good idea, although it might be a good idea to take it from him (provided you have the authority) even if he does object, teach him something about the chain of command.
Here is what would I do:
I'd tell him that I 'm the commander and he is the troop who should obey me.If he doesn't
listens up,then I would explain that commanders' plans successes rather than careless
plans and working as a group is important at these situations.And I would give him the
chance to soak up some enemies when attacking the base with the rest,without ruining the
plan and losing a soldier.
~Commander
The reason that people like this jerk are hard to deal with is because they simply won't listen to reason -- they seem to be convinced that they know best and no one else could possibly equal their idea quality without copying them, and won't listen to anything else. If this is the case (as it usually is) explaining to him that he's your subordinate and telling him your plan is better won't solve anything.
Well, in reference to the Emperor, I would promptly execute the man on the spot. But I probably need him. So I would give him a swift kick in the pants. Being the good sergeant that I am, I would make him cooperate or use him in a different way(as bait).
~B. Wallace
Well . . . in most armies intense physical discipline is restricted.
The kid is totally dumb and needs a beating. I say, go let him attack that base he wants to. tell him all he gets is one fully loaded CPS2500, and a water balloon. You then tell him to meet at a certain point after he's out of water. You on the other hand do whatever you were planning to do. you tell you soldier also to never come back to the base. you two then go on your separate ways. your goal is to get the kid to understand that he's not superman. if he gets captured, maybe its to your advantage. if he comes back all drenched, it teaches him a lesson. if he comes back with the other teams supplies, well yippee.
~Captain Sheng
Well . . . in most armies intense physical discipline is restricted, so I don't think a beating would be allowed (or solve anything for that matter . . . but let's not get a philosophical debate started). Letting him go would be a good idea, it is only a practice after all, but that would leave your team with a distinct number/equipment disadvantage, and you'd have to reduce a number somewhere -- either no defense or a smaller distraction party, or a totally new strategy would be needed.
And of course, if he makes it back successful, he deserves the "I told you so" he's going to give you and should probably be assigned to a rogue element allied with your own army . . . . of course, the probability of that is minimal, and if it does happen its probably a fluke (or the base was unguarded) and he doesn't deserve any credit . . . ask him, I guess.
Okay this guy is a big problem and he isn't going to change his mind.
The only thing I can think of doing is to let him go and use his sacrifice as a decoy to infiltrate the base while the enemies attention is distracted. If he attacks one side attack the opposite side. After the initial attack send in reinforcements to attack other sides after the happy gunner has been plastered. Hopefully this would work.
~Chris Jones
Well, that is the easiest and probably the most reliable way of dealing with the problem, but you've still got the problem that he's destroyed all your carefully laid plans and this will probably not be as good . . . . but, its a choice between two ( . . . well, maybe more) evils, and the only question is which is least.
Save your enemies the trouble. Kill him and take his gun.
~Royce Huntley
Unfortunately, that guarantees that he will do you NO good, and doesn't really teach him a lesson -- it just teaches him to dislike you.
And, um, why exactly do you want to save your enemies trouble?
I've seen this before, new kid got new big gun that he can't even run with properly, wants to go and blow everyone else to he**.
First, I'd stop him, and say, okay, you can go to the enemies base... But, what if they have men with CPS 3000 and 2500s? See what the answer is. he sounds really obnoxious, so it'll probably be I CAN BEAT THEM ALL. Fine, let him go. Tell him to do what he wants, and send him off. Then, just sit there until he comes back or you get attacked at your base. When he runs back, crying and soaking wet, tell him, that's why you shouldn't really go alone. Then continue with your main plan.
Two major problems so far: you loose the initiative, and also if you're going to do this you should deploy everyone else around your base for defense before you get attacked!
Someone said about taking his gun and giving him a smaller one. I think that this would be a very bad idea. He might just desert you completely.
It is a training. Besides, some might argue that your army is better off without that kind of jerk ;)
Or, send him off to do whatever he wants, but send a force behind him, of 3 people. the XP 70, the XP105 (or the next bigger gun you've got) and then you also go, with your XXP 175. Send the rest of your troops to flank the other base. When wunderkid gets wet, when he starts to run away, let him run past you. Hopefully, the opposing commander will follow with at least a few of his troops. Then, you 3 get out from cover, and take them out. Then you move on the the base. set up a call sign and get your 2 other men to move in. when you've got what you need, retreat to base and find the 2500 kid. Talk to him about it, showing him that he only got shot up.
~Millasur
Including yourself, you've only got 6 people; therefore, if you send this guy with a party of three people behind , that leaves only two other people, which could probably be used better to guard your base (you've got no one guarding it, since everyone is on offense). This means you'd either have to expect to loose all your supplies you didn't carry (i.e. a full bucket of water and balloons, quite a burden for a mobile assault) or carry everything!
Then you've got the problem that you're making assumptions about the enemy commander; if he was smart, he'd already have all his non-defensive troops out making strikes and keep the rest at the base (or be waiting everyone out in an attempt to minimize his own loses, in which case he'd keep everyone at his base), which means you'd have little or no advantage in numbers.
Well, it's a practice, so it doesn't really matter if you lose...
Let him go ahead with the base he is attacking. He'll learn his lesson. And let him go alone. He'll blame it on the other people if he gets help.
Probably the best way to make sure he learns the lesson, and actually probably cuts your losses as much as possible (as dealing with this person as they are now would probably be more harm than help).
Send everyone to another base, preferably the smallest. The person currently carrying the XP 70 gets water balloons, while the person with the CPS 1000 uses the 70 as backup until the water balloons run out. Use the plug and light spray on the 275AS to save water. Attempt to take that base, then the next smallest, and so on until the battle is over.
Um, what about defending YOUR base?
My general attitude, which has gotten me defeated occasionally but has allowed me to thrash my opponents much more often, is that defense is the important and primary concern -- attack is what you do when you've got extra resources, or when its absolutely crucial.
And also, at the end of the battle, punish the arrogant soldier if he fails by shooting him with whatever water you have left.
~Nathan M G Hannon
My educated guess would be that by the end of the battle, "the arrogant soldier" would not become any less dry by your attack.
I'd show him an "alternate base" that I tell him is an important target. I tell him that I was wrong and that I bet he could wipe the whole base out on his own. I also tell him that he is so good all he will need is an XP 70. I let the moron go.
Despite how appealing that sounds, there are two major
problems:
1) He's not listening to reason, and he's going to want the really big gun no matter what
you do.
2) You cannot SHOW him an "alternate base" which you are making the existence of
up on the spot -- there's simply no way to do it, other than pointing him to a real but
unoccupied structure, which won't keep him long.
Also, while this will probably solve the problem for part or maybe even all of the battle, afterwards it turns out that the problem has only been inflated. Beware such temporary solutions, because in this case postponing the problem only makes it worse, and if you don't know how to fix it NOW, what makes you think you'll be able to fix a worse problem later?
Meanwhile he's distracting the enemy looking for this "Alternate base" while I and my team plus his CPS 2500 blast the REAL base and win!
~Chris "Weasel" Biesele
Somehow, your primary battle plan leaves something to be desired . . . . . let's see, that would be . . . . . . DETAIL!
shoot him
~Anonymous
Haven't we been over this before? I already evaluated this solution:
Save your enemies the trouble. Kill him and take his gun.
~Royce Huntley
I'm not going to waste time pointing out the same things about the same plan just because it was submitted by two different people.
I would let him keep that gun and I would assign him the job of a assault bomber
~Your Name Here
Well . . . that could work, but I doubt it would. I can just imagine the problems you'd have trying to get him to stand back and bomb the enemy base. Think about it: this guy apparently thinks he's invincible and just wants to get in there and kill all the bad guys. He's not going to stand back and shower the enemy base when he knows its not going to get everyone, he's going to charge in firing and then when he gets close and runs out of pressure your enemies will kill him and grab his weapon.
I would tell him, "fine, go all alone, but if they soak you it won't be my fault." When he goes out I would get the first most powerful gun remaining and give the second to another person and head out with half the bucket of water balloons and the other half for defense. When the 2500 guy weakens the base and goes out crying I'll tell him to give me his gun to double our arsenal and use the guy as a distraction. Then when we finish the base of we move our base to their base's location.
~Ofelia Gomez
First of all, you've got to make a choice between using him as a distraction and getting his gun right after he attacks. If you wait for him to get soaked and then ask for his weapon, your distraction is already used up . . . also, he may refuse to give you the weapon, because he's blaming you or is attached to it or something like that. Also, I wouldn't count on him weakening the base's defenses much.
Then, assuming that you do capture the base, it is doubtful moving your base location there would help you at all -- your forces would be vulnerable while transporting equipment back and forth and you might be left with no base. Besides, what makes you think that the other base is any more secret or defensible than your own? You're planning on taking it out with two men, for pete's sake!
let him try it by himself
~Briane Cook
On the up side, you don't have to deal with him anymore. On the down side, you lose a troop and your most powerful weapon, which means you're going to have to play for survival rather than victory for the rest of the game. Simple as that.
Since this guy probably won't change his mind I'd let him go, but not tell him I'm sending a back up force of 2 men to reinforce him once he starts getting in trouble. The only thing that would not work for is if he pointed to the base that looked the biggest and most well protected (which is probably the one he pointed to) so I might just let him go alone to learn his lesson. I can't do anything else except shoot him witch as you said would just get my "superiors" angry (I also could use the thing about telling him that they have 4 3000s and 2 2500s (witch is probably not true) and if he still wanted to go what else is there to do but send him??)
~itsmeagian
If we assume there are teams of six, then sending three people total to attack a base (one of which believes he's invincible) seems like its not going to do you much good. If you were well organized and the defenders weren't you might hope to take it with as many as four defenders, but you're not organized, and you can't assume that they're disorganized or that they're sending out a lot of troops to attack.
So, to reliably take a base you'd need to commit your entire force. If you have sufficient information about it and/or a really good plan, you could possibly pull it off reliably with four or five of your six, but not two competent soldiers and a distraction.
So unless you can come up with something a little more astoundingly brilliant than telling two troops with unspecified equipment and duties to follow him, I think you'd better send him alone even if he points towards the weakest and most ill-defended base on the battlefield.
First, I would take him off to the side away from the rest of the group. It's not good to have your authority questioned in front of the rest of the team, and telling him he's wrong in front of everyone won't improve his attitude or the situation anymore. I'd ask him what his plan is (not like I don't already know it, "I'll go kill them all," but it might calm him down if he thinks I'm listening to him.) This kid sounds like he's really tickled pink about this brand new gun of his, so chances are he's probably barely used it, if at all, so he probably doesn't know the capabilities of the weapon. I'd tell him that his gun only has a few seconds of firing time, and that it would almost impossible for anyone, including myself who's been in several battles, to do what he plans to do, especially if the enemy has any weapons similar or equal to his.
Saying "even me" is NOT going to pacify him, unless its followed by "even you," emphasized more strongly. Also, I suspect he'll care very little about the statistics of his gun in numerical quantities ("few seconds of firing time"), and to have any chance of getting your point across you'll have to phrase it in terms he can understand -- i.e. a very simple example.
I'd tell him from my vast experience, I don't think his plan could work.
If he's convinced he's so good, his delusions are probably accompanied by fantasies of being "special," "unique," or otherwise beyond your experience.
Now, a key point to this discussion is to try and keep myself and him calm, if we get all hyper, he'll never listen to reason. After this, I'd ask him if he understands and if he'll go along with my plan. If he still won't, which is likely, I'd tell him he either goes over there and takes part in my plan, or he's out. If he still won't, he's out; I'd send him home. I know this discussion probably took up a good amount of precious time, but it was the only way I saw to keep the most powerful gun I had in the fight.
Um . . . I hate to disappoint you, but this kid is obviously very attached to this gun, and I doubt he'll let any of the other kids play with his toy if he has to go home. Now, if the weapons are distributed by your army, you can probably get away with just making him very angry, but . . .
Threatening didn't work, if the calming down and ultimatum didn't work, it's just as well to cut my losses and move on. If he won't listen, it's like I have only 4 people to work with anyway, might as well have one less thing to worry about, and I wouldn't waste any water by shooting him. I'd have to adapt my plan in a hurry, though, and probably send the 1000, 175, 110, and half the balloons to attack and leave the rest of the balloons, the 275, and the 70 to defend the base.
~Brian
With any simple distribution of your remaining forces, there is a very real possibility that one or both of your parties will be outnumbered and overwhelmed. That possibility can't really be avoided except by a detailed list of contingency plans (or something along those lines).
Okay, as if this POW didn't have enough solutions...
Let him try it. Let him go in there and get himself killd. There's really
nothing else to be done. As you pointed out in all the answers that involved
reasoning, he won't listen to reason.
You're going to say I'll lose a soldier and a weapon. This is not true. I
won't lose them because I never really had them.
If I let him take a crack at it, he stands at least a chance, whereas the only other
options, reasoning with him (HAH!) and shooting him on the spot don't gain me anything.
~Ben Nesson
All right, you won't lose a soldier and a weapon because you never really had them. You'll lose an opportunity to convert a soldier and a weapon to your use. And no matter how you look at it, this causes your manpower and firepower to be lower relative to that of the other teams.
As you've already pointed out that I've already pointed out, he's not going to listen to reason, shooting him on the spot is useless, and he doesn't stand a chance attacking an enemy base.
However, although no one has chanced upon them yet, there are other options.
First I'd ask him to explain his plan to me (where he will attack, how he will move). I'd sit back and think to myself for a second and then tell him, "It sounds like a pretty good plan to me." I'd tell him that he's the only one skilled enough to pull off a plan like this and I'd ask if him if a few of us (the CPS 1000, XP 175, XP 110, and XP 70) could come along and watch him to see how he does it so that we can all learn from him. I'll tell him that we'll only shoot if we are directly threatened. By now, his ego appetite should be pretty well satisfied.
That sounds like it should satiate him.
One potential problem with this plan -- can you say "appeasement?" Those of you who, like me as of about 3 weeks ago, really know your history, know that an appeasement policy contributed to World War II. To sum it up, "give an inch, they take a mile."
This may or may not be a problem. It depends how you handle subsequent events.
Now a CPS 2500 would most likely be the main assault weapon in an attack and that would probably be the case here. Although a frontal assault is probably not a good idea, this is only for training purposes so it couldn't hurt to see how both sides deal with it. The 275 AS would guard the base with most of the water balloons and the rest of us would attack the enemy base.
If you've only got one defender, then even if he's awfully good, a lucky or surprise attack by any enemy will take out the base. You should leave specific defensive plans for the soldier that will keep him from being totally overwhelmed in case of an enemy attack and also keep him from getting so edgy and adrenaline-filled that he reflexively shoots at your team when/if you return.
There's also a slight problem regarding leaving anyone behind, and that's that now your resident brat's mind is set on being a teacher, he's not going to want anyone to "miss out" on his demonstration, and you could wind up hard-pressed to turn your entire army into an audience.
We would be either in a single file or V formation led by the "one man army."
You think that after you told him you were going to sit back and watch the fight that he's going to get into formation with you, even at the front?
During the attack, the rest of the team would provide cover for each other, except the 2500, and try to accomplish the mission. More than likely we wouldn't win (but this is only a learning environment), and if the kid with the 2500 gets soaked (which he probably will) I can talk to him about what happened that he wasn't successful. He can't say it was because of the rest of the team because we were only protecting ourselves. If he can admit he was wrong or at least learn from his mistakes, he's got a chance to be more of a team player, if he won't, well he shouldn't even be allowed to play with us.
If you follow him into the attack, he could potentially claim that you somehow messed him up and that that's why he failed. The problem with forcing reason down someone's throat is that you have to make sure that none of your points could possibly imaginably be debated, because you know they will be.
Besides, I think it would be a good idea to let this kid show his stuff. Who knows, we've never seen him in action, he might really be that good and we could learn something from him.
~ Brian
All right, frankly, there is very little chance that he'll be even average, let alone spectacular. If you're hoping that he really is that good, then the plan repeatedly suggested by other people to just send him alone should work just as well.
As for your primary plan, it seems to me that you're not really trying to win, you're giving in to pressure and allowing the kid to lead your team into suicide. Although this may help teach the kid a lesson and it is just a practice, you're throwing away any potential benefit to the rest of your team, except of course for the guy with the 275 AS if he happens to be lucky enough to live two minutes into the first battle.
Judging by his attitude, he will not listen to orders, and also will not trade guns with one of your other team mates.
So quietly, you say "Fine, you think my plan is stupid? Lets go with yours..."
You chuckle lightly as he runs hysterically out of your base towards the enemy and his inevitable death, then turn to your other men looking at you weirdly, and say "Looks like we've got a Volunteer to Draw their fire"
You order the Soldier with the XP70 and XP110 to follow the Disobedient CPS2500 user to the enemy base as backup (without him knowing, that is), and Group yourself with the XXP275-AS and the CPS1000 officers, and take the task of attacking the enemy base from behind while their defenses are drawn...
"Lets Move Out!"
(My explanation of this plan is as follows: The Stubborn 2500 toting idiot has pride in his weapon. Based on this, it can be safely assumed that he will not give it up his weapon to another team mate so that you can make better use of such a valuable weapon. It also can be safely assumed that, by openly objecting your orders, he will not follow any other plan but his own. What do you do? He is a lost soldier. You have 3 options, throw him off the team, shoot him on the spot, or let him go and do as much damage as he can to the enemy forces. Judging by his plan, he will attack the enemy base directly. But that's part of the plan... ["...you three will attack this base from here in an attempt to draw out their defenses..."] By letting him do what he wants, and sending 2 more soldiers out after him, you accomplish the exact same task your plan was to do, send 3 in to draw their fire, while the other 3 can move in to flank their forces. And best of all, without the dufus knowing about it! Whatever the enemy has for an arsenal has no effect on this choice of tactic, because this operation is going along to the original plan, and would uncover the same errors the original plan would have found had the 2500 user not defied your orders...)
(Also note that I have chosen the smallest arms to back up the 2500. This allows to make up for the 2500 not being able to flank the opponent by positioning the rest of the teams heaviest arms in the surprise attack position.)
~ Nicholas Lowe - Aqua-Nexus
You neglect several important points in your solution.
First of all, you've limited your options to throwing him off the team, shooting him, or sending him out with his own plan. The fact that these are the only options that you can think of does not mean that they are the only options, and since no two options are A and not-A, one would tend to assume that there's SOMETHING that hasn't been thought of.
Next, you've made several minor errors translating the original plan. You've compensated for not having the 2500 in the main body of the assault, but neglected to compensate for the fact that it will be eliminated within the first few shots and you will be left with a smaller force. Also, you've neglected the defense of your own base. Waiving responsibility for success or failure just because you're using another's plan is just plain foolish. Most importantly, though, is the fact that you cannot hope to translate the original plan because you never heard all of it -- you only know that 3 people were going to draw out their forces and then another (lone) person was going to do something, and you didn't even adhere to that.
Finally, I think you're making a grave temporal mistake. If you tell this fanatical warrior that he's free to go out and storm the enemy base, what makes you so sure that you've got time to outline another plan to the rest of your team and then to catch up with him again? One would expect him to run full tilt towards his doom, and chances are he'll be soaked to the bone before your follow-up squad gets within weapons range.
A lot of kids like this one live near me so occasionally, they join us for a water fight. I've found that the best thing to do is to send them off to secret "base" that recon has "uncovered". However in this case it might not work.
To make it work, you'd have to find a plausible location
to send him off to, explain exactly what "recon" you're referring to, and why
the "secret" base hasn't been marked onto the map -- not to mention what happens
when he gets back and what you're going to do in the interrim.
The second option is to let him go and attack the base all by
himself. He will then ( more than likely) run to the weapons cache because
stelling the weapons is his primary objective. After a couple of minuets the
kid would probably have been shot down and the enemy would find themselves low
on water. I would then lead a team of my three best soldiers into the base
and complete the pitifully wet kids mission.
~ Rob "reaper" Mercer
That's . . . er . . . well, not much better than Mr. Hero's plan. The difference between one heavily-armed kid rushing in without a plan and three more lightly-armed kids rushing in without a plan is not what I would call the difference between success and defeat in a direct-frontal assault.
Also, you can't really predict exactly how someone like this will attack the base, but if the enemy base is anything like your's, you can be certain that he's going to have to fight his way through the entire enemy team to get to the armory -- in other words, he'll never see it. Also, I expect that the enemy team will not need to use much water to subdue him, which means the only advantage you'll have over him is numbers -- but unless you get lucky, that still won't be an advantage over the enemy.
First make very certain that he (the annoying kid with the 2500) thinks he can single-handedly defeat the enemy with his all powerful CPS 2500. He'll obviously say yes (if he doesn't then he'll probably have to listen to your plan because he realizes he can't win all by himself). You and your men then drop all of your weapons, walk over to the enemy base and surrender. All the while the jerk will either be saying "I didn't need them anyways." or "What the F***! What are they doing!? Get back here!" He'll attack the enemy base and get slaughtered, not just because he doesn't know what he's doing, but because he'll be out-numbered. If he does manage to win the game by himself (even though he won't) it's probably not by luck (because no one gets that lucky) and you may have underestimated the kids abilities. You can use the kid's skill in the next battle.
By surrendering yourself you may lose the game but it will mean that the jerk can't blame his inevitable failure on you. As well, by dropping your guns he can now use any weapon he wishes and should have no shortage of water. All in all, he'll have nothing to whine about (except for being all alone in the attack, something which he requested) because his failure will be his alone. Of course he'll figure out excuses, but you'll be able to shoot them down without any problem.
Um, what if he complains that he was counting on you guys to defend the base and keep the supplies he couldn't carry with him safe? If you leave him with six guns and a bucket of water balloons, you can't very well claim that he should have been able to do that himself. Even if this is irrelevant (e.g. He gets killed before he even lays eyes on the enemy base), the fact that you can't shoot his argument down gives him leverage -- in his own mind, anyway.
You've turned yourself in and the jerk will soon be eliminated, so the game won't take very long at all. Because it's a practice the other team probably won't mind playing another game (if you weren't intending to play another game anyways). I'd like to point out, it's not really like you lost the battle and every body on the opposing team would most likely realize this. It's all to prove a point.
Well, yes, no one would credit you a defeat for that, but the point of a practice is usually to, er, PRACTICE. You're throwing that away.
If, after losing, the jerk decides to whine and complain you can kick him out of the next game(s). You and the other commander can figure out a way to make 5 vs. 6 fair (ex: By you receiving all of the opposing teams waterballoons).
~ Gambit
Since there is more than one potential enemy base to attack, one would assume that there are more than a total of three teams.
Furthermore, since this kid was assigned to you, one would assume that someone else is in charge of whatever administrative duties exist, and it is unlikely that you have the power to arbitrarily kick the kid out. Since you knew he would be a problem as soon as you laid eyes on him, one would also assume that he has a reputation, from that that others have complained about him before and yet he's still in the army, so I don't think he'll be thrown out after this practice.
I would go off to one side with the man with the XP 70(yes, the XP 70) and tell him to go to the base closest to the one the man with the 2500 is going to attack. Once there, he is to deliver a message to that base's commander requesting an alliance. If the alliance works out, tell the commander to attack the base that the 2500 will, just a little bit later, so it will look like a coincidence. If the enemy base is defeated, your allies may take a cut of the spoils, shooting your unassuming solider if he resists.
This being an intra-army practice, I would think that you could get into trouble with your superiors for attempting to tip the balance of power with an alliance. It may be allowed, it may not.
However, the primary problem is getting your man with the XP 70 to the base and getting the enemy to listen to him. You have made no provision for this -- as far as I know, you intended for this enemy to run up to the base with his weapon in plain sight while you try to delay the 2500 guy, who is no doubt getting impatient and/or suspicious. Your 70 guy will be shot down as fast as the 2500 guy.
Next, unless you plan on sending additional forces as well, it would stand to reason that the allied team may simply shoot your soldier if he isn't dead already, take the base, and lay a trap to take out your army as well -- it would, after all, be a great opportunity. In short, I'm not sure I would trust him.
If the alliance does not work, but your messanger gets away, let the 2500 go, but send a force consisting of the 1000, the 275AS, and the XP 70. the 1000 and AS are to wait in ambush, but the 70 is to keep a close eye on the 2500, whom I have told before he went on his "solo" mission, that there is no shame in retreating. If the enemy starts to charge, the 70 will jump up out of the bushes, shouting a prearranged signal and firing a few shots before running. The 2500, hopefully, will follow the 70, with the enemy in hot pursuit. Once your soldiers run past the ambush spot, they should turn and help the 1000 and AS finish the job.
I think that the chances that the 2500 will follow the 70 into retreat are slim to none, under any conditions. If the guy's either suicidal or thinks he's invincible, he shouldn't be deterred by enemy fire.
Now, of course, I wouldn't call anybody who acted like that predictable, so its possible, but you DEFINATELY need a backup plan.
If the alliance does not work, and the 70 is killed, I will substitute myself for him as the bait.
~ Joshua Altom
Same problems.
Tactician's Solution:
Solved P.O.W. #4: Hero