displaced_seagull

Those of you who have been with the CM/FM franchise since the very early days will remember a brilliant tactic on CM93/94.

I've not got FM at work (thankfully ), so please excuse the picture, but it was set up something like this;



You didn't have many instructions on CM93/94 - but the passing was set to 'Pass to Feet' - which I have taken to mean slow tempo and short passing.

I tried it out before I went to work (at 5AM - "Doctor, I'm not an addict, honest" ), with a Short Passing and Slow Tempo game. Low Closing Down on the Centre backs, a tad higher on the Fullbacks, generally low-middle mentality on the midfield trio with a slightly higher mentality for the AMC, 1 higher for one striker and 3 higher for the other striker (Set as Targetman with Run Onto Ball). Also ticked Counter Attack.

Anyway, played a game twice - first time we lost 2-1 with two, frankly, fluke goals, whilst the second time we won 1-0, beating struggling Carlisle away. With the game seemingly favouring an attacking, free-flowing, tactical approach, I think this tactic from the past could well come into it's own again.

I was certainly impressed with the style of play - My Brighton side looked like Arsenal in their pomp, with Dean Cox fufilling a Fabergas role, and loads of neat triangles and diamond passing moves. We retained possession really well, and that was with only a few mentalities set individually.

Any thoughts on mentalities/instructions both generally, and individually?

displaced_seagull

Oh - the original tactic had no arrows, but on FM08 I've added Sarrows for the outside midfielders - mostly in a bid to cut out direct play down the flanks.

displaced_seagull

You're all very mean for ignoring me - and the diodes in my left hand side STILL haven't been replaced ( )

But anyway;

Here's the tactic in glorious, non MS Paint, rendered in-game technology;



As you can see, it's fairly narrow, which tends to lead to a solid midfield.

I've set the following up as team instructions;



Now, this has changed ever so slightly from last night's 1-0 win - tested again tonight, and beat the same Carlisle team 2-1.

OK then, Individual Instructions. These should be fairly easy to understand, but to recap;

Fullback Instructions on the LEFT (Mayo and Whing on the Screenshot), Centre Back Instructions on the RIGHT (Lynch and Hinshelwood)



OUTSIDE Central Midfielders (Rents and Spillane on the Tactic Screenshot above) and the CENTRAL Central Midfielder on the RIGHT (Hammond in the Screenshot)



AMC on the LEFT (Cox) and DEEPER striker on the RIGHT (Forster)



'Poacher' striker (Robinson).



I certainly think there's a strong tactic base here, at least - I'm not yet going to upload it, as I've only played one game to test, but obviously all the instructions are there for you should you wish to try it yourself. I'm also going to play for a little longer tonight, and will update just before bed (Up for work at 5 again tomorrow, so it won't be an all nighter )

Hopefully this will help a few people, and it would be good to get a decent discussion going

johnlj

I loved this formation in versions way back along with the 4-1-3-2.

Never have gotten it to work lately with any consistency. I'll be following the thread and hope you upload and then I'll give it a try. Cause honestly I can't get started with all the bugs and stuff there is now. Just have the game installed and waitin for the patch so I can get going.

In the meantime its back to WoW for some slaying of bad alliance players.

displaced_seagull

A reply \o/

Still tweaking. Onto version 1.75 now - and I've decided to try with the same individual instructions, but a global mentality of 13 (First notch of attacking).

The reason being; It was never a counter attacking tactic anyway. It produced fast, flowing - but above all, attacking - football. So - Mentality up to 13, Counter Attack off - a 3-2 win at home to Walsall the result.

Ian White

I have been playing this since the first game arrived on the Amiga. This tactic was my all time favourite and thank you because I had forgotten about it. I am playing the game as both Arsenal and Weymouth so I will be able to get a fair view on how it is working. Played one game so far Arsenal away at Stoke City in league cup won 1-0 late in extra time, all players finished game with a 7. I'll be back later with more. One thought have you changed the tactic at all when you are away?

displaced_seagull

Are you using the version as set up in the screenshots or the more attacking version as described in the post above?

Cheers though, it's appreciated

I definatley think the more attacking version is the way to go. I'm not entirely happy with certain aspects as yet, but the win over Walsall was encouraging - they scored from 2 free kicks, from what I can remember, equalising twice, before we killed them off with a late flourish.

A free role on the AMC, perhaps?

Ian White

At the moment I am using the tactic as laid out in the screenshots. One thing I have done with the Weymouth tactic is change to direct passing. The Arsenal one is working ok home and away.

displaced_seagull

Interesting. How is the distribution out of defence? - I wanted to try and avoid hopeful balls forward that simply get returned by DMC's/pushed up defensive lines, by playing through, rather than over the top, as I usually do.

It also struck me that perhaps I should be instructing the players to play through the middle, rather than mixed - although this could cause the side midfielders to become bypassed. At the moment they operate as rather conservative wingers - making the odd break forward, but mostly keeping their shape.

Ian White

I have now changed to more attacking version, plenty of chances being made just not converting chances.

On the direct one for Weymouth distrubation out of defence is ok poor from keeper, so I am going to alter his passing.