How much is learned?

[Maakt Droog]

I think that there is a lot of skill that carries a player from "very good" to "excellent" (at least, I certainly hope there is!! :cheeky:). It strikes me that innate ability helps make that transition quicker and more sustainable.

Pretty much all of what seems to me to make the difference between crack and elite has been mentioned. The biggies being: ability to read terrain, understanding match-ups/game mechanics, and developing enough of a plan to fit those reads.

The other biggun being the ability to read the opponent -- not necessarily what his "plan" is but more what's he got where and then responding accordingly. I don't think getting inside the opponent's head to anticipate his next moves is as critical as just accurately reading his force mix and applying the right tool for the job. Catching someone "off balance" is sexier, but solid and consistent play -- certainly at an elite level -- can't depend on that.

On top of these, the one element that really hits me as critical is positioning -- assuming a good read of the terrain. I think that timing is also very, very important, but that good positioning can make up for bad timing. More and more, the game appears to me to focus heavily on getting into the right position. Even if you manage to do it late and with heavier casualties/losses then if you'd done it earlier, being in the right spot with that that one squad, antitank team, tank or gun will work miracles.