Offical Tactics Thread: General / Even Strength

Francois Tremblay · Post by **Francois Tremblay** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:51 pm

I know the FAQ says that the Shooting setting dictates how often your guys shoot at the net v getting good opportunities, but I have not really observed this to be true. My team does not shoot significantly less when I set the setting to "very selective": they just score more easily. I guess the effect of doing this would depend on the players' talent?

mod note: All caps suck. I did not even notice I had done that. oops. Changed./batdad

Francois Tremblay · Post by **Francois Tremblay** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 6:17 am

All right, fine, here's another question I have: does higher Shooting really help with goalies that have bad rebound control skills?

Post by **Tasku** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:52 pm

Francois Tremblay wrote:I know the FAQ says that the Shooting setting dictates how often your guys shoot at the net v getting good opportunities, but I have not really observed this to be true. My team does not shoot significantly less when I set the setting to "very selective": they just score more easily. I guess the effect of doing this would depend on the players' talent?

It's more a question of "psychology", rather than a strict order from the head coach. I find, sometimes when my team is shooting alot but getting no goals, while watching the 2D it looks like they're struggling to just get the puck to the goal, as if they are only attempting to shoot it away, and be rid off it. Then I change it to selective, as to say "right guys! You're just slapping it away, without putting much effort into it! It's time we wake up! From now on I want you fellas to get closer, and shoot only when you think you can score, or atleast create a scoring opportunity!" And then they will shoot more or less, doesn't matter, atleast now they have in their heads, that they must attempt to score and not just slapt the puck away.

This also works the other way around on teams that are kept on selective shooting. You may find your players frustrated, not getting the score, trying to get close and just half-assing it towards the net. Then you must tell them to go barrage, just slam the puck towards the goal, and that will rid them of the frustration and possibly make them score more.

Not sure if that makes any sense. But many things can be seen in the 2D, if you know what signs to look for

CrockerNHL · Post by **CrockerNHL** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:54 pm

I agree with Tasku on that. In addition, a low shooting is just the one I need to beat good goalies. (in a rare game I end up scoring less than 3 goals). I have no explanation for that, but such is indeed the case.

Almost all of my players are very good shooters though

A low shooting (coupled with a five hole in a lesser extent) works really well for me.

Francois Tremblay · Post by **Francois Tremblay** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:20 am

I see, so what you are saying is that you can observe them getting stuck in a rut of sorts?

Also, what do you think about my question on rebound control?

Post by **Tasku** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:59 am

Exactly. Tactical settings should not be taken literally, they are only instructions given to the team and their effect varies according to the situation.

I don't know what do you mean by "higher shooting"? More shots, or higher, as in opposed to shots by the ice.

Anyway, I have no idea. Never thought about it.

Francois Tremblay · Post by **Francois Tremblay** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:52 pm

Well, I was commenting on the fact that the Guide says that setting shooting higher is good against goalies who are weak on rebound.

Post by **batdad** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:03 pm

I have decided that since I did a search and 1000s of threads popped up about tactics, that this thread will now be the official thread for tactic questions in EHM 2007.

ANY AND ALL TACTIC QUESTIONS are to go here. Regardless of what they are in terms of tactics.

personal, line, team, coach, girlfriend, wife, shooting, passing, stickhandlin, hitting, fighting, pickup lines, defensive systems

ALL GO HERE

pinheirobcp · Post by **pinheirobcp** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 12:52 am

About shooting targeting, I've found by experience that, if the goalie has a poor positioning and rebound control attribute, shoot low and barrage. You'll make him look bad real quick. It makes sense, too, if you think about it, but not all that makes sense in real life works in-game. This one does, at least for me.

Specially if you're playing outside the NHL, you'll sometimes face goalies that have a high Glove attribute and low Blocker attribute, or the other way around, but setting the Shot Targeting as glove/blocker side never worked for me, it seems. I admit, it has happened very rarely and far in-beetwen to make it a real study, but still, I think I've never been able to expose a golie this way.

vissia · Post by **vissia** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 1:47 am

CrockerNHL wrote:Almost all of my players are very good shooters though A low shooting (coupled with a five hole in a lesser extent) works really well for me.

Crocker, by low shooting, do you mean selective shooting or shot targeting set to low?

I suppose you mean

shoot frequence = selective
shot targetting = five hole

But somehow somewhere that sentence just lost me.

CrockerNHL · Post by **CrockerNHL** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:59 am

Vissia: I think we all know what to do when we face goalies that have a so-so Glove and Blocker Attributes.

I've found by experience that, if a goalie has more than decent main attributes including positioning and rebound control (let's say above 17), set shot targeting to low and it works pretty well. However, if you see no goals after 12-15 shots, try to switch shot targeting to five holes.
As regards to shoot frequence = selective, I use it mostly on PP.
I hope it helps.

vissia · Post by **vissia** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 10:17 am

Actually, I have never played with shoot targetting. I don't coach the game, just set the tactics. So I basically just let the boys shot at wherever they pleased.

After reading your post, I've tried with 5hole/low targetting a bit. First game was great, Canada won 13-1 against some european team I can't recall now. The next few are decent with 4 - 6 goals scored. Given that I was playing in the World Cup with Canada. I'd say this result is not conculsive enough. I'll try playing more with these once the nhl season starts.

Off topic, this is the frist time I GM a national team. It was fun for sure.

Francois Tremblay · Post by **Francois Tremblay** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 6:26 pm

Hey, my thread has become an OFFICIAL TACTICS thread! I love tactics so that's great!

I will have to try the "barrage the goalie with low-aimed shots" next time against rebound and glove-problematic goalies. It sounds like a sound strategy! So far I have been playing the exact opposite strategy "shoot very selectively with top-aimed shots" and it has been going well, because I have a fast team that develops more opportunities and shoots more than the opposition even at the "very selective" setting. Still, anything that can give an edge is appreciated.

Another tactic thing I've tried recently is lowering aggressiveness and turning up hitting. So far it seems to work well because I have many players who can hit, but I was wondering how the two attributes compare in terms of getting penalties. Or is aggressiveness more of a general order (be more aggressive) and hitting more specific (when you're aggressive, elbow them in the face)?

CrockerNHL · Post by **CrockerNHL** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 6:35 pm

Vissia: If you do not coach the game and do not set your tactics, how can you say that the "result is not conclusive enough"?

Probably you'd like to win 13-1 every day

, but 4-6 goals scored is a pretty good result as well.
Besides, I suggested low shoot targeting only against really good goalies, not european teams you can't recall...

.

vissia · Post by **vissia** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:42 am

I do set the tactics, just don't coach. I find spending 10-15 min on a game is not fast enough for me, but that's another story. My head coach should be using the tactics that I set, so it should still make a difference.

With the quality of Canadian players, I do expect 13 - 1 everyday. haha. Maybe a 10 ave rating for Crosby and a few other players for the tourny. asking for too much i guess...

vissia · Post by **vissia** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:29 am

Francois, I don't find hitting (normal, hard, v. hard) to be a major factor in getting penalties. I don't even find it has much to do with the number of hits that is given. I've seen my 3rd line hitter (aggressive and hard hitting) throws his body around ZERO time in freaking 12 min of ice time. I've also seen my dmen (easy and hard hitting) registering 6+ hits. I think puck pressure has more to do with how many penalties you get.

Now on to my question... Which (personal) tactics setting helps to increase takeaways? Guys like Chara and Pronger always seems to get 130-150 over a season while my best guy is lucky to be getting 60. I understand that M Staal is not the best dman, but he does have 18's for all important def. attribute. Anything I can do in this regards?

Francois Tremblay · Post by **Francois Tremblay** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:25 pm

I don't want to interrupt your question, but I must mention that I can find no thread about giveaways and takeaways. So any information at all on this subject would be welcome.

Post by **Shadd666** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:59 pm

Vissia is right: puck pressure results in way more hitting and penalties. Pretty intimidating for your opponents, and pretty tiring for them too, but you'd better have some solid PK units.

As for takeaways, i guess it has to deal with stuff like puck pressure, gap control, and your tactical positionning. Not 100% sure though. I ask my guys to play the man, not the puck

Hypnotist · Post by **Hypnotist** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 11:55 pm

Poke Check is (almost) the end-all - be-all of the takeaways stat. I've never been able to get a player with a low PC stat to do much in the Takeaway dept, even playing defensive style. But my well-rounded or super star players always get high marks.

As for hitting tactics...I think this has about s much effect as the "Shot Targeting" tactic. Guys I have set to hard hitting with agressive style do ok, Witt (Hit = 96 [20] has 176 hits. But Mats Sundin who I have play normal style-normal hitting is leading the team with 210 hits with a Hit stat of 52 (10). Jagr with a Hit = 47 (9) is leading the league with 317!

vissia · Post by **vissia** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:10 am

If the sole reason for TA is pockcheck, then it makes perfect sense for my case. When I look for dmen, I always go for positioning and checking (given they have decent speed and stamina) before I look at PC. I don't think i've had one with 20 PC ever. If they stay in good enough position not to give the other team breakaways, they are good in my books.

In regards for hitting, I am thinking I'd try to play

aggressivness = easy/normal
puck pressure = heavy
hitting = easy/normal

This way, my guys should be giving often but soft hits. Hopefully, the guys will hit soft enough not to get a penality but often enough to cheat the system for higher ratings due to the hits.

Doesn't sound like good hockey, but has anyone try such a system?

Post by **Shadd666** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:04 pm

Not me... I'm generally with:

aggressiveness = normal
puck pressure = high
hitting = normal/hard

I got something between 40 and 70 hits in a game, and very rarely go under 30. No need to make a spectacular takeaway that could put you out of position when your opponent is down on the ice and the puck is free...

Yes, i'm always between 25% and 35% for PK training...

No need to wonder why...

Francois Tremblay · Post by **Francois Tremblay** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:12 pm

Funny because my settings are generally the same as shadd666, and I am the one who has the most PPs on pretty much every game.

Post by **Shadd666** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:36 am

Oh i have a bunch of PPs too

As the game's going on, the opposing team looses his mind and start to become too dirty for the refs... but still not enough for my guys

vissia · Post by **vissia** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:17 am

70 hits a game?? that's more than 1 hit per min. Must be pretty exciting watching the dots in those games.

vissia · Post by **vissia** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:41 am

I got a new question...

When I've personal tactics for my players (set in unit tactics screen), I notice that sometimes they are gone if the player misses games yet sometimes they stay.

Does anyone know when and how the settings would get cleared? Can I make the personal tactics to stay even when the player is not playing?

Offical Tactics Thread: General / Even Strength

Offical Tactics Thread: General / Even Strength

Re: The Shooting tactical setting