I noticed that OH rating doesn't include SET even though he does sometimes. Not that you want him to set as he then can't attack.

And MB doesn't include DEF which leads me to these questions.

Is it only the back row that digs the ball?

When you receive I know the libero is on the back row replacing the middle blocker. But when you serve why can't the libero replace either blocker? Is this just a TMVL play balance thing?

On player grades the above formulae are the vanilla ratings.

If your player has Fit +1 they increase by 5.5 and this taken into account on your team page, preview page and match pages 

And you are at home they increase by varying amounts for increased ATK, BLK and DEF and this is taken into account on preview and match pages 

Outside Hitters (OH) and SET

I think Max left off SET from the OH calculation as it happens rarely in the game.  If you go to your team page and sort by assists (a) you'll see all the OH players at the bottom.  When do they set?  More to come in a future article on setting.  :-)

Also note that OH SETs have a bug in the stats where we count the a (assist) but aren't always counting their ta (total setting attempts) so their pct looks higher than it should be.

I probably won't be coaching SET much for OH's but will use XP on it if I have extra available.

Middle Blockers (MB) and DEF

Digs for MB's (which uses the DEF skill) are like the OH scenario above.  It happens, but if you sort your team page on Digs you'll typically see most of them done by the L/OH players, then there's a tier of S/RS players with digs.  Finally you'll likely get to the MBs at the very bottom with the least digs.

When do MBs get a dig?

Typically in our game the MB will only get a dig on the same play when he serves.  Here's the sequence:

- MB1 rotates to the back row to serve.  L comes out.  MB2 comes in as he's now in the front row.

- MB serves.  If the ball comes back over it is HIS ONLY CHANCE to get that coveted dig.

- After MB1 loses his serve, then L comes back in to play back row.

- When MB2 eventually rotates to the back row to serve then L comes out and MB1 comes in to play the front row

If the Libero is serving for an MB then the MB won't get a chance for a dig.

So there aren't many chances for an MB to get a dig (but it happens). 

This is also something to think about strategically:

- should I have both MBs serve (knowing in a rally their DEF/digging ability may be poor).

- OR should have the L serve for one of them (especially if equivalent on SRV) because NOW I have a player who can make digs (typically higher DEF) and keep my team in the point.

Is it only the back row that digs the ball?

I believe in our game that's an accurate statement Steve.  And by back row it is players currently in the back row to start a point.  Players move around during the point, but the takeaway here is that you are correct.

Serve Receive 

The libero is really just in the back row to play defense for the Middle Blocker.  He ends up playing defense for both of them when they would rotate to the back row (unless a MB is serving).

I may not be answering your question Steve, so perhaps tell me a little more.  I may need to find a website that shows the rotations/subs/MB-L replacement etc to better illustrate...

Thanks Al. The only thing I wondered about was if your libero was on the back row (V), having been in for MB1 to serve and staying on after losing a point, and then you win the point on their serve.

The libero goes off to be replaced by MB1 in the front riw and MB2 moves to back row to serve.

In our game the libero doesn't replace MB2 to serve 

In real life does/can he?

And if he does is there any reason why he doesn't here?

I probably haven't explained this super well because its hard to explain.  :-)

In the women's game, Liberos can serve (typically for an MB).  In the men's game they often don't let liberos serve depending on the level (In college NCAA does not, NAIA does).  

In our game either the MBs serve or 1 MB and 1 L serves.

This is a longish video.  But it will really explain in a visual way what happens as you go through a point and how people move around.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkpmYtogPdw

Our orders form uses the zones to start with each point (then rotate).  But as you'll see after the ball crosses the net on a play, players move to their base positions.

One addition is that when players go to their "base" positions in the video (essentially after a serve is made by your team or a pass is made by your team) the L is back left and the back row OH is back middle.  

This is because back left is the more common digging spot and middle back is an attacking spot for the back row OH.

Great video that explained a couple of things I hadn't realised.

He mentioned the libero can only serve for one middle blocker. 

Players can switch diagonally as long as the don't break rotation. So III can switch with V as long as they don't go ahead/behind or left/right of IV/VI. 

It appears to be pronounced lib-air-oh. I've always read it as lee-buh-ro.

Huh, I thought it was pronounced leeb-row.

You lost me at, "Here's a breakdown..."

Actually, after I get past the numbers and ((())) that made great sense. 

Steve and John are both right.  It can and is pronounced either way.  I think the more "old" school prounciation is the "leeb-row"...

Phil: I assume you understand that you took algebra and calculus in high school to help you play strategy games in your 50s.  You knew that right?

Al, does the initial receiving team rotate upon their first "side out" as in a real game? And does the Home team by default start off receiving? At first I had started my setter in the "II" slot when I was the home team, assuming that upon winning a point he would rotate to be my first server? I then stopped because I interpreted the rules as having spot "I" be the first server regardless of whether you are home or away. Just wondering which is the correct interpretation.

I've noticed that my setter start at II when receiving the first point even though I put him at I.

I'm a rebel though and have had my setter at VI especially when I want my best attacker at IV.

Steve's Comment

Okay I'll do Steve's comment first.  :-)   I can't go against any of your approach Steve because you are doing VERY well.  

The concept of the setter serving first is that they are then "back row" for 3 (half of the) rotations to begin the set.  With that approach they can set all 3 front row attackers (more variety, more options).  When in the "front row" they can only set the OH and MB (two front row attackers).  They can still set the back row OH/RS in that case, its just the front row attacks are typically the higher percentage for kills.  

Mike's Rotation Question

Great question! Yes, the initial receiving team will rotate once they win a point.  

The home team serves first in sets 1, 3, and 5.   If it is neutral court it is the 2nd team listed in the schedule, boxscore, etc like the home team is listed 2nd.

When you say:  "I then stopped because I interpreted the rules as having spot "I" be the first server regardless of whether you are home or away."

That is absolutely correct.  The person put in Zone 1 in your orders is the first server in each SET.  If they don't serve first, we essentially move everyone up a spot (zone 1 to 2, zone 2 to 3....and finally zone 6 to 1) on that initial serve receive of the set.  Then when the team wins a point and is ready to serve, the person you had in your orders in the serving spot (zone 1) serves first in that set.  

We did it this way to keep orders simple (vs. up to 5 alignments per match).  

We don't show alot of front row/back row in the game yet, but we want to.  We're hoping to add a little more to the viewer so you can see at the start of a point where everyone is. I think its important to see it and we will get to it.

Below are some examples of a set 1 and set 2 start.  The alignment and the first server for each team should help you see your question in action.  You can see this in the Report tab for each match result.

START OF SET 1

START OF SET 2

Front row/back row setter.

I didn't know all this at the time and I'll give a couple of brief examples later based on my T7. I do tend to play setter at I now especially as he can serve pretty well and ny RS/OH have similar attack ratings 

One quick caveat - the tables I have mention set rating (and attack skill)  when deciding whether the attack is 3, 2, 1 or 0. Later tables mention pass so as far as I can tell the person the setter passes to is based on the receiver pass rating (1 to 3) and not the setter skill or set rating (1 to 3). This post is just a snippet of a longer one deciding who gets the attack. This is only based on a 3 pass.

Not based on T7 but a recent game where I had from I to VI,

S Lam

OH Smalls Atk 17

MB Hicks Atk 14

RS Torres Atk 14

OH Corbett Atk 12

MB Moore Atk 10

Middle blockers only get chosen on a 3 Pass from the receiver. Setters only "dump" when they are front row and it's a 3 Pass.

So in the initial set up Smalls (17) and Torres (14) are front row and Corbett (12) back row. Hicks is front row and Moore back (unless replaced by libero). The chance of the MB being chosen is based on his Attack skill.

Back row setter and the chances of each player getting the attack are Hicks 54%, Smalls 31% (best front row), Torres 10%, Corbett 5%

After one rotation Smalls moves to the back row and Corbett to the front with Torres. Lam still back and Hicks still front.

Hicks 54% Torres 31% (best front row) Corbett 10% Smalls 5%

After the second rotation Hicks moves to the back row and Moore to the front. The chance of picking the MB is based on his attack skill.

Moore 45% Torres 40% Corbett 10% Smalls 5%

Third rotation and Lam moves to the front and Torres to the back

Moore 45% Corbett 29% Smalls 6% (best back row) Lam 20% setter dump. This is not good as I have my worst two attackers picked 74% of the time. In the rules it suggests separating good MB and OH. This also means separating bad OH and MB I reckon.

Fourth rotation and Smalls is thankfully back at the front

Moore 45% Smalls 29% Torres 6% (best back row) Lam 20%

Final rotation Hicks joins Smalls up front

Hicks 54% Smalls 20% Torres 6% (best back row) Lam 20%

If that seems complicated wait till you see all the pass options, blocking and digging.

Thanks again, Al. This was a great explanation. It makes a lot of sense now. 

In the off-season, I actually plan on reading this. Seems important since I'm checking the Rules EVERY SINGLE WEEK to figure out what I should be coaching lol

Bump