[Deputy Monty]

After just taking Midnight Rose (with sound) into the mint with a toon w/o sound I can appreciate why some people would rather jump than play with someone they consider to be a freeloader. Here's the other side of the coin. A soundless toon should always select a gag and be prepared to hit a cog if the other gags fail. You can even use lure when...if their sound hits...the cogs will die. I think even a failed lure sometimes helps as it is the gag that fails rather than sound.

This toon stood by and did the BORED emotion, not even choosing a gag to hit with while we used gags enough to take out the 10's in a mixed group of cogs.

Ok...so he was working to max lure and I can appreciate that those with both trap and drop are often doing something other than luring. However, there was plenty of opportunity to lure leftovers and misses. I mean, we had at least 2 toons building trap.

However, when I threw a trap on an injured cog, this toon constantly did the "confused" emot for 15 minutes. I was the one confused and only stayed because of the other 2 toons.

Maybe I've been playing too long...maybe it's time for a long LONG break. I don't have problem one with strangers using their non maxed gags in the mints. There are PLENTY of opportunities to do so and still kill the cogs in a timely fashion.

Playing a soundless toon gives me a greater awareness of cog damage, combinations and other things. I enjoy the challenge and I think it's made me a better player. But dudes like the one I was in the mint with this morning are part of the reason that ppl don't like playing with soundless teammates...well, except for those who are working gags. Unless I'm with friends...it seems the only ones that will stay with me are the gag workers.

Okay..rant over.

One last thing...when I'm playing the soundless toon, I often choose last so I can make up the difference so we can take out a cog. i.e. IF the team gets confused and uses 2 elephants instead of 2 fogs, I need to hit a 10 or drop on an 11. If they are using sand, I need to drop a piano. I often hang back when the cogs are engaged so I can determine where the 11's are.