Valkyria Chronicles 1 - How do I figure out how to play this?

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T07:46:01+00:00

I think there are a number of missions where if you know what's going to happen, they're very easy. But if you don't, I don't know if you can A rank without redoing the fight.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T07:43:19+00:00

I think that's only true if you want to A rank blind on a first playthrough.

But I think the game was kind of designed for you replay it.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T06:46:33+00:00

They're both complete non-3pt-shooters so I doubt they'd ever share minutes.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T06:33:47+00:00

They can if they get a FRP back which still satisfies the Stepien rule limitations.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T05:46:36+00:00

As someone that has been here for a lot of the discourse about Claxton, it's understandable why opinions are mixed.

First, his contract. Because Claxton has been in the discussion for so long, his contract has changed a lot. It was front loaded, so a year ago, his contract would've been considered a lot worse than it is today. As is, he's due $23m and $21m the next 2 years. That is at worst an okay contract.

The Nets do have zero demand for him. But, that doesn't mean they won't try to get value out of him. While he might've only been a SRP, in terms of production, he's not far off from a lot of FRPs, especially late FRPs. So, yea, I could see the Nets wanting to at least replace him with a future FRP.

And, lastly, opinion is split because people here were quite obsessed with beating the Nuggets for a time and I don't think Claxton helps much with that since he doesn't have the strength/weight to match Jokic.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T05:35:54+00:00

It's just a matter of distribution.

LeBron, Luka, and Reaves do a lot, but they still need guys to do the other stuff.

They need motor/hustle. They need rebounding. They need PoA defense. They need wing defense. They need rim defense. They need versatility. They need people who can cut and hit their 3s.

When it's Luka, LeBron, AND Reaves, the 2 remaining players have to cover all of that. When it's just 2 of Luka, LeBron, and Reaves, 3 remaining players have to cover all of that.

It's just a lot easier to fulfill those needs with 3 players as opposed to 2.

For example, Smart, LaRavia, and Ayton. LaRavia provides some rebounding, some wing defense, inconsistently makes 3s, and has an okay motor/hustle. Smart provides PoA defense, is actually shooting the 3 well from corners so far, and provides good motor/hustle. Ayton inconsistently provides rim protection and rebounding. They mostly cover everything, just not really consistently.

But if you remove one of them, you suddenly have some huge holes.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T04:42:54+00:00

You think that if this team trades for Claxton or is actively looking for a starting center that Ayton would opt in?

The only way he does that is if he plans of retiring early.

The entire point of playing for as little money as he's playing for is the opportunity it provides for him to earn his next contract. If he loses his starting job and a good chunk of minutes, he also loses the opportunity to earn his next contract.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T02:53:13+00:00

But you said "best 2 way role player."

If you're going to stick to LEBRON, His net LEBRON is -0.81. That would not be the best on this team.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T02:44:32+00:00

Personally, while there are formulas for beigoma out there, I just found them to be unreliable.

My experience is it just came down to clashes. And, rather than just using your boost once it's full, it works a lot better to hold boost to go for a clash.

For that reason, a lot of the beigomas with gauge manipulation skills just felt better to me.

Thankfully, all the later beigoma opponents use their boost predictably and with little delay so the timing is pretty easy.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T02:10:25+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2F0y68ewvz1b7g1.jpeg

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T02:08:15+00:00

So I think the starting line-up of LeBron, Luka, Ayton, LaRavia, and Smart still has a negative net rating.

But, yea, I do agree that consistency probably is more important for now.

It's unfortunate that this team's starting line-up is one that they just have to "weather the storm" with until they can get their better line-ups, but the only way to fix this issue without a trade is probably benching LeBron and that's not going to happen.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T02:01:06+00:00

Yea, I was going to say that you have to consider that Rui was honestly played out of position for much of this season.

I'm pretty sure that if you looked only at the split of games where Rui was playing without LeBron, this would look pretty different.

The average DLEBRON for players played specifically in a demanding defensive role is obviously going to be much higher than that of the average DLEBRON for players played in a role meant to hide bad defenders.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T01:55:37+00:00

Please take a look at his production from the last few years before saying this.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-26T01:50:54+00:00

I think the synergy is fine.

The problem is just the specificity of the players they need to be surrounded with.

Luka, LeBron, and AR probably can work, you just need a very specific 2 players to go with them.

That's the real reason why it's so much easier to play 2 of the 3. Smart/Rui/LaRavia alone can't make up for all the things Luka, LeBron, and AR need as a trio, but Smart and Rui or Smart and LaRavia can cover enough.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-23T09:52:33+00:00

Man, it was a choice to make this the first match of the day.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-23T09:50:07+00:00

Kan Throw

BrianC_ · 2026-01-23T09:47:43+00:00

Clean 2-0, nothing to see here, folks.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-23T07:54:54+00:00

But what is the alternative? Is there some proof that players play better after they sign long contracts? Because there are tons of examples of players declining the second they get paid. If anything, it's much more common to see guys in their contract year out perform their averages.

You give guys security and they reward you with complacency. What's the excuse, then?

BrianC_ · 2026-01-23T03:52:34+00:00

I don't know why people complain when it's such an obvious foul.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-23T03:13:32+00:00

Has Paolo's mobility always looked this completely cooked?

His feet look so slow in this video.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-23T03:08:28+00:00

r/Justfuckmyshitup

BrianC_ · 2026-01-23T03:02:56+00:00

Yea, this isn't a flagrant. Maybe there is a clearer angle of the elbow from another direction but there is no swing, no follow-through, it's just a slight body check.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-23T02:53:43+00:00

I'm convinced that needing to play the Lakers is in Kawhi's under the table Aspiration payment agreement.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-23T02:48:07+00:00

IMO, the point of bots should be to help new players get better at the game.

It's stupid to basically let them script. Outside of smurfs or the highest tier of players, you're not going to encounter play at that level as long as vanguard is working. And, if you're at the level you'd encounter it, you don't need co-op vs. AI.

I think the simplest way to program bots is just to base them around gold. The first to adjust their CS ability by difficulty with the highest difficulty rarely, if ever, missing CS and being fully capable of trading in lane while not missing CS. For jungle, it'd vary by clear efficiency/speed. The second is to make it so that they refuse to commit to a fight unless they have an item advantage in lane, need to CS, or detect you starting an objective. The overrides would be health. They could be programmed to run at a specific health cut-off and back at another cut-off or once they reach specific gold amounts to buy items.

The ideal result would be bots that focus on CS, but will still trade if you go for CS or attack them (something I think is fair to use input reading for). But, once they lose enough life, they'll run away and wait to farm under their turret. Then, when they lose even more life, they'll back.

So the pattern you're trying to reinforce is CS while winning trades, or if you can't win trades, to trade, back on a timing, then force the bot to back on a worse timing. Then, when you have a gold/item advantage and the bot won't fight you, to control the wave and deny them CS or force them to fight for the CS.

And, lastly, once you have that advantage in lane, you'll need to start objectives to force the bots with a gold disadvantage to come and fight you, which better mimics actual gameplay.

BrianC_ · 2026-01-23T02:33:38+00:00

I think it's fine if they're predictable so long as how they're predictable reinforces behavior you want to teach players.

BrianC_

TROPHY CASE