Team Name:
Scratches:

FORWARDS

               0I DI  Percentage	LW	CENTER	 RW	STRATEGY
LINE 1
LINE 2
LINE 3
LINE 4
LINE 5

DEFENSE


              OI  DI  Percentage	LD	   RD
LINE 1
LINE 2
LINE 3
LINE 4
LINE 5

STARTING GOALIE 
BACKUP GOALIE

SIXTH SKATER STRATIGY

GOALTENDER STRATIGY


THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE LINE SETUP, YOU WILL START
4 FORWARD LINES AND 3 DEFENSE PAIRINGS.

YOU MUST BOLD ALL CHANGES TO YOUR LINES WHEN SENT IN.
CHANGES THAT AREN'T BOLDED WILL NOT BE MADE.

YOUR LINES MUST FIT ON ONE PAGE WHEN PRINTED OUT.
PLEASE USE MICROSOFT EXCEL TO DO YOUR LINES IF YOU CAN.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE EXCEL THEN LINE CAN BE SENT AS A .TXT FILE
OR PASTED TO A EMAIL.

YOU MAY USE ALL FIVE LINE SETS IN A GAME IF YOU WANT.

AT THE TOP OF EACH EMAIL YOU MUST HAVE YOUR TEAM NAME
AND TEAMS SCRATCHES FOR THE GAME
THESE ARE THE PLAYERS ON YOUR ROSTER WHO ARE NOT PLAYING.

OI AND DI - SEE BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR EXPLANATION
YOU CAN USE OI & DI FOR ALL LINE SITUATIONS (FORWARDS AND DEFENSE) (POWERPLAY AND PENALTY KILL)

PERCENTAGE IS THE ICETIME OF GAME EACH LINE WILL PLAY, THEY MUST EQUAL 100%
EXAMPLE LINE 1 30%, LINE 2 25%, LINE 3 25% LINE 4 20%. TOGETHER THEY EQUAL 100%

POSITION COLUMNS, YOU MUST START A PLAYER RATED AT EACH POSITION
EXAMPLE LW AT LW, C AT C, RW AT RW.
THE PLAYER RATED F CAN PLAY ANY FORWARD POSITION
THE PLAYER RATED W CAN PLAY EITHER WING POSITION
PLAYER WHO PLAY NOT RATED POSITIONS LOSE 1 POINT OFF THERE DEFENSIVE RATING

DEFENSE CAN PLAY EITHER SIDE WITHOUT A PENALTY ( RATED POSTION JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA WHICH SIDE
THEY PLAY)

THE ONLY TIME YOU HAVE TO PLAY PLAYERS AT THERE RATED POSITION IS AT REGULAR
STRENGTH, WHEN YOU ARE ON THE POWER PLAY OR SHORTHANDED YOU CAN PLAY PLAYERS
OUT OF POSITION WITHOUT RECIEVING AN OUT OF POSITION DEFENSIVE PENALTY AGAINST 
THE PLAYER.

THERE ARE 4 STRATEGIES YOU CAN CHOOSE
PRESSURE - MEANS HIGH PRESSURE OFFENCE
NORMAL - MEANS NORMAL FORCHECKING
CHECKING 1 - 1 MAN DEEP
CHECKING 2 - LINE PLAYS THE TRAP

EACH LINE CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT STRAGEGY

YOU MUST ALSO SELECT A STARTING GOALIE

YOU MUST DO 3 LINE SETUPS
REGULAR STRENGTH
POWERPLAY
SHORTHANDED


New Additions for Season 2


OI and DI
By Craig Currie

Faceoff: 2001 has many new additions, and one of the more critical is the change in the coaching AI. 
The single biggest difference: In Version 1, the computer coach would consider the time remaining to 
play nearly exclusively, whereas in Version 2, that is just one of the factors.
 
In Version 1, the computer would calculate a "time index" based on the amount of time that the players 
had left to play in comparison to the amount of time they were allotted.  This idea has been further 
extended in Version 2, and now an "offense index" and a "defense index" are also generated. 

The offense index is a combination of shooting ability, range, and shifts played, and is applied linearly, 
with one exception: mutants.  Players who play less than 14 minutes have their offense index reduced 
proportionally, to reflect the fact that they are generally not part of the offensive scheme, but fluked 
out by scoring 1 goal on 2 shots in 2 shifts per game.
 
Defense index is based on the defense of a forward - or the average of clearing and defense for 
defensemen - and has bonuses added based on blocking, intimidation, forechecking, shadowing and, 
if killing penalties, penalty killing ace.  Defense index does not suffer the "mutation" ability because 
there are many players who play a specialized defensive role (intimidator, checking forward, etc.) 
who play less than 14 minutes per game (two years ago, Guy Carbonneau played 12 minutes per game, 
but no one could argue that "Father Selke" was not a legitimate defensive specialist!)

When the time comes to select a line, the computer coach takes the three indices and generates a 
weighted average of the three indices. At the start of the game, they will all get equal weight, but as the 
game progresses, that will change.
 
Which brings us to the Comfort/Panic (C/P) Level.  The computer AI will look at the scoreboard, and 
consider the lead (or deficit) their team is in, and factors in how much time is left, to come up with a 
number from -3.0 to +3.0.  This number reflects whether the concern is scoring goals or stopping them.

How the computer uses this level to select its lines depends on whether they are home or away.  
The away team, at a disadvantage, has no idea which line the home team will come back with, but they 
can make a guess based on the line that was leaving.  If the line leaving was highly offensive, it will 
anticipate the home team putting out a defense line.  If the line leaving was highly defensive, it will 
anticipate an offensive line coming out.  Of course, the home team 
knows whether the away team is putting out an offensive or a defensive line.
 
If the C/P level is negative, the coach is thinking about the best way to generate offense.  Thus, if it is 
facing (or anticipates facing) weak defense, it will put out its best offense.  If it is facing/anticipating 
strong defense, it will put out its weakest offense and "save" the strong offense for later.  Likewise, 
if the C/P level is positive, the coach will be thinking about defense first.  If it is facing/anticipating strong 
offense, it will match with strong defense, and if it is facing/anticipating weak offense, it will play its weak
defenders.
 
This basically reflects one common maxim heard often in sports: When ahead, seek balance.  When behind, 
seek imbalance.  It also bears mentioning that these principles apply to short handed and power play 
situations - if your #1 line has two forwards on the point, but you have a pernicious 1-goal lead late 
in the game, don't be surprised if the coach opts for the "safer" power play with 2 regular defensemen.
 
If you are wondering exactly when the coach uses strategy files and when the coach looks at the situation 
on the clock, that question can't be answered.  Obviously, in the opening minutes of a 0-0 tie, or even in the 
opening minutes of a 1-0 game, the coach is still much more concerned with the line rotation.   Likewise, 
when there are 2 goals to gain with 5 minutes left, the percentage use plays second fiddle to the scoreboard 
(you don't really want Paul Laus to still play his 10%, do you?).
 
However, the figure gets really noticeable in games that have a lead with about 10 minutes left to play.  
In testing, the coach really started to take over around this point, playing the most appropriate lines in rough 
rotation (with some consideration to the percent allotment).
 
So, don't fret if a player plays too much or not enough compared with what you intended.  Sometimes, things 
get out of hand and a player is called on to go the extra mile.
 
What if I really want Guy Carbonneau to score a goal?
 
Umm, cross your fingers??
 
No, no, no, I mean REALLY.
 
Well, all is not lost.  The computer will duly go about assessing the offensive and defensive strengths of your 
lines for you, but if you want greater control over who is on your scoring line, you can designate any line you 
want as a scoring line.  Want the ever-working crew of Daigle-Zhamnov-Klima back checking when the game 
is on the line? Well, you can have your wish.
 
How?

In the Line setup, next to each line, there is a spot to enter the Offense Index (OI) and the Defense Index (DI) 
for each forward line or each defensive pair.   If you leave the number as 0, then that is a sign to the computer 
to use it's best judgment.  However, you can enter a value from 1 to 100, and if you do so, the computer will 
use that value for the OI or the DI (it will adjust that value for fatigue, however..)
 
So, if you want to specify a line as a #1 threat, or the blue chippers when the game is on the line, simply set their 
OI or DI appropriately.
 
What is appropriately?  What's the difference between an OI of 1 and an OI of 100?
 
The big issue is the relative difference between the values.  An OI of 80 doesn't necessarily mean anything on its 
own, but when compared to an OI of 60, that value now has some meaning.
 
So what if I set every line to have an OI of 100?
 
Well, as mentioned above, there will be no relative difference between the lines, and the computer will look at the 
other factors (DI and time remaining).   If you set all the OI and DI values to the same number, then the computer 
will look at time remaining exclusively.

Hope that helps!!

Sixth Skater Strategy:  You select the situation the Goalie will be pulled in by adding Goalie Pull at the end of your 
lines.  The typical selections will be "in the third", (x) minutes left, "down by"  (x) number of goals.  

Goaltender Strategies:  Your goalie is getting bombed.  He's given up eight goals and the fans are jeering every 
upcake save.  Time to get him out of there before he demands a trade.  Add a goaltender strategy to the end of your 
lines and input the total number of goals your keeper has to allow before you send in the back up.  
You can do the same for the backup