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It's no. 2. Walkovers are not affected by the change. This feature will only be used when none or just one starter is set. If the number of players dressed (in the roster) is lower than the walkover minimum, the game will still be a walkover.

This is surprising. I was convinced until yesterday that "Empty Lineup / Let Coach Decide" was an intentional feature, with a number of advantages:

- managers must trade- off optimum substitutions vs control over who plays at what position
- managers must trade-off optimum minutes in game vs better control over weekly minutes
- managers can study how the BB-code compares players - useful both for newcomers and for experts

What are the downsides?

- enables a casual managing style with empty lineup in all competitive games
- favours managers who skip the training dimension of the game

But are these real problems? Casual players are a significant - although silent - component of the user base. And training is not a competitive strategy, it is an alternative way of playing the game, which actually makes it more interesting in the long term. Those who claim that training and player development should be the optimum approach for short-term competitiveness cannot possibly be serious. Please look to the real world.

So in sum I do not agree at all that "Empty Lineup / Let Coach Decide" should be punished. This would make the game poorer.

From the Guide:
Substitution Pattern
The coach will sometimes use his own judgment to decide what the proper balance is between starters, backups, reserves, and even players on the bench but not in the depth chart at all. You can set the balance between how much coaches use their own judgment or defer to yours with the substitutions box. You can use entirely your judgment (Strictly Follow Depth Chart), entirely the coach's judgment (Let Coach Decide), a mix between the two (Coach Picks from Depth Chart), or you can use your depth chart strictly until the 4th quarter, then tell the coach to try and win the game however he thinks is best (Depth Chart until 4th).


No where does it say anything about blank lineups leading to the best rotation. This is not a newbie assist or casual assist. This only helps coaches that have learned the nuances of the game and that in fact know that blank lineups are ideal. I spent 8 seasons not knowing that BL was the ultimate strategy, until this season where I saw a former CUP WINNER having awesome rotations that I had never noticed before.

So no, this is just a powergamer strategy...not a normal user strategy. Maybe, you haven't spent enough time playing in low leagues?

What's the difference between Let Coach Decide with a depth chart and Let COach Decide with a blank lineup?

(71979782)

Sent a black line up, let the coach decide. Looks the same to me.

Real problem in the game is Game Shape Training, way too strong, I think that you need to focus into that, not in a tool that has no mayor impact in the game.

The "empty lineup prevention" is just a tactic that doesn't allows you to control the minutes, is an easy counterable tactic, but game shape training is not. I think that you need to hear the community. just search for the topics that talks about game shape unbalance.

I just completed my first game ever using a partially blank lineup where two starters were declared and Let Coach Decide.

I feel dirty now and need a shower. The two starters I had declared played 36 min until the 4th where the other 3 players moved around quite a bit to help the rotation work best with two backups utilized.

Not that it would have helped me win titles, but I probably would have spent less money on title run rosters had I known I could run a fluid 7 man rotation. Interesting. Also interesting is my starters actually moved to other positions where they could help out to create better rotations. No player played more than 38 minutes.

Would be better though if they publish insider information like that in the user guide. IMO it must not be something that was intended and obviously in reading the guide would not have been known unless you had engineered by testing it out. Its really not intuitive especially in the set lineup mode.

Well, it is definitely broken, you're right about that. Today I put 12 players in uniform and designated five of them in the starting spots, and Let Coach Decide the rest. Three or possibly four of the undesignated players are as good as or better than the starters. The result: the starters played 48, 48, 48, 48 and 45 minutes.

Let coach decide only works well with blank

It's a good tool to see what the game engine wants in certain roles too. For example, the SF/PF can be interesting when running blank lineups. This is MUCH more effective on a NT level than a team level with larger talent pools available. I used it extensively in my American U21 tenure and I took it as empirical evidence for certain skill builds being viable.

It should have been explicit in the guide. I'm certain it takes the best case scenario of the players into account. I understand the role for a test but I was always under the impression that the guide was explicit in nature. Basically unless someone told you, how would you figure out that you had to use a blank lineup in order for let coach decide to work?

Anyway, Marin is suggesting that blank lineups/LCD can still be used HOWEVER you will need to declare two starters. This is a nerf but as I tested today it certainly does not remove it as a strategy. You will just need two very high stamina players in the starter roles. It will also be more effective when you are likely to win the game by more than 20 points as your starters will sub out in the 4th.

No where in the User Guide or Help Forum is there an explanation of "Blank Lineups" or even a mention thereof. I remember asking Rick Smits Clogs about why Silverbacks rotation was so different and he said something about blank lineup. I guess at the time I just figured I was training players so it didn't apply to me. I didn't even consider the ramifications of using the lineup during the playoffs. If you look at the guide...it mostly talks about training and stuff, however, the best teams practically live off blank lineups. But this is not in the user guide?!?

Last edited by lawrenman at 7/5/2014 12:40:52 AM

Anyway, Marin is suggesting that blank lineups/LCD can still be used HOWEVER you will need to declare two starters.

Where did you catch that? The way I figured it out is: any blank position you leave, the coach will put someone into it?

Last edited by Aleksandar at 7/5/2014 8:02:53 AM