When to use sound

[Baron Thunderquack]

Originally Posted by matt98

I have a question: is there a time when it's OK to use sound? I did see that the preferred CCG strategy (lure, and work from right to left) was very effective. I have decent sound gags (recently earned the foghorn), but they seem to go to waste. I made sure to load up on pies/cake and not bring any drop gags, but I did bring sound gags. I can also bring five lipsticks (I can carry 50 gags total.)

As far as I can tell, sound should only be used if:

-there are no low-laffers in your group, or
-you've emptied the reinforcements box of cogs.

Using sound any time before the final round,
if you have low laffers, creates the following recipe for sadualities:

1) Sound kills multiple cogs
2) Multiple new cogs come out
3) Lure fails at the worst possible time
4) Multiple unlured cogs kill your little toons.

By killing only one at a time, you limit your potential for disaster; even if the $10 fails on the new cog, a single unlured cog can't kill a super. Two or more and it's a very different story.

As a side note, don't be too quick to s**** your drop gags. You can do a lot of good with safes if you don't yet have a lot of other high-damage gags; I relied on drop through my early VP runs and had very few problems with it. And it's real nice to be able to kill a 12 with a piano plus one other medium gag, leaving two toons to lure and/or heal.

[Dizzy]

You and I have the same gags - I am currently trying to earn my lure as well. Here are the 50 gags I take in to vp on that toon...

• 13 toon up (highest type but at least 5 of individual and 5 group)
• 10 sound (only because my fog is completely maxed and before maxing I took 7 sound knowing they would not want to sound as much without it maxed)
• 13 throw (highest kind)
• 9 squirt (highest kind)
• 5 drop

My drop is not maxed either so I *only* drop if I know I can kill with it, or I drop on top of somebody else's drop. For instance, a level 4 drop will more likely hit a level 1 cog and you can still get the points as long as a cog is standing at least level 4.

Regardless, if you have a low laff with you (uber or not - doesn't matter what their gags are), kill one at a time please. If you kill 2 and then 2 cogs come out at level 10 or more, you can send your low laff friend back to the playground.

[Pinkersmirk]

I like your choices Dizzy.. The only thing I do differently on my uber Micestro who carries 50 is bring 3 fogs and 3-4 trunks. I have done this on all of my ubers and seldom if ever run out of sound. Everyone has their own comfort zone though as far as what gags they carry and that may change over time.

Originally Posted by Dizzy Twinklemuffin

You and I have the same gags - I am currently trying to earn my lure as well. Here are the 50 gags I take in to vp on that toon...

• 13 toon up (highest type but at least 5 of individual and 5 group)
• 10 sound (only because my fog is completely maxed and before maxing I took 7 sound knowing they would not want to sound as much without it maxed)
• 13 throw (highest kind)
• 9 squirt (highest kind)
• 5 drop

My drop is not maxed either so I *only* drop if I know I can kill with it, or I drop on top of somebody else's drop. For instance, a level 4 drop will more likely hit a level 1 cog and you can still get the points as long as a cog is standing at least level 4.

Regardless, if you have a low laff with you (uber or not - doesn't matter what their gags are), kill one at a time please. If you kill 2 and then 2 cogs come out at level 10 or more, you can send your low laff friend back to the playground.

[momofvincent]

This is a very helpful thread for me.

I have lost in a lot of VP battles recently. One reason was toons choosing sound, when no-one had Fog Horn. Too many cogs left standing.

Other times, when at least two had Fog Horn, we'd go through the cogs very quickly.

I always bring my elephant sound, in case they choose sound and have fog horn. It seems to compliment just enough.

[momofvincent]

Could you clarify on this?

When does Lure fail in relation to use of sound (other than when sound is used on lured cogs)?

Sometimes it seems lure misses half the time and I wondered if it's just chance or there's a connection.

Thanks.

[Dizzy]

Originally Posted by Pinkersmirk

I like your choices Dizzy.. The only thing I do differently on my uber Micestro who carries 50 is bring 3 fogs and 3-4 trunks. I have done this on all of my ubers and seldom if ever run out of sound. Everyone has their own comfort zone though as far as what gags they carry and that may change over time.

When my drop includes piano, I will definitely opt for more drop rather than more sound. Also, when I finally get lure, I would definitely opt for more lure (once it is decent since low level lure stinks). I almost always have sound left over at the end, yes, but since I have no lure, if I am the lowest laff on my side in cog round I usually try to coerce others into using sound in cog so they can save their lure for skel. This is why I carry so much sound. Obviously, if I have a low laff on my side, I usually don't use any sound at all.

[Pinkersmirk]

For when to use sound I think they only thing you left out is IF the the lower laff on your side ask to use sound. I Deputy Monty said it best in the General Discussion thread on this..

Just speaking from past experience I have been sided with toons who insisted on sounding when playing my ubers when I ran out of sound or knew that even with my sound we wouldn't take all of them out. I have found that the best remedy for this is to lure them in to make sure it hits. There have been more times that I can count that I went off on my own and went for the one that would be left standing only to have sound miss and all of them come for me.

Originally Posted by Deputy Monty

I operate under the assumption that if an uber wants to sound ...then I will follow them since they are the ones at risk if sound misses. If I'm on my 47 laffer and I'm the lowest laff toon...and the others most likely have maxed sound...and I say...lets use sound...then why not sound!!! And if it misses, don't waste your unites on me because I knew the risk I was taking when I suggested the strategy.

If a regular low-laffer suggests sound...I get a little nervous. They might have an aoogah at best and that usually isn't going to get the big jobs done. If they insist on sounding when there isn't enough to take out the cogs...I'll do my best but I probably won't pull a unite to save them from their own foolishness.

[Dizzy]

Originally Posted by momofvincent

Could you clarify on this?

When does Lure fail in relation to use of sound (other than when sound is used on lured cogs)?

Sometimes it seems lure misses half the time and I wondered if it's just chance or there's a connection.

Thanks.

I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) he was referring to use sound IF lure fails at the worst possible time, not that sound will cause it to fail. If lure fails, for instance, and you have 2 9s and 2 11s standing, it is sometimes good to have 2 people fog (if they are maxed) and 2 toon... then just the 11s can hit you, everyone is fully tooned so it shouldn't matter, you can get those 11s lower in hit points so it requires lower gags to kill them, and you can try luring again next turn. Of course, this is not a consideration if you have toons on your side lower than 60 laff, simply because the 11s can kill anything lower than that if they both hit the low laff. However, when in a vp or cfo with fewer than 4 toons on your side, it is sometimes wise to choose this method so you can get those cogs lower in hit points thereby saving your higher level throw and squirt.