Quote Originally Posted by Tactician View Post
*snip* The 'funny' thing is that, based on posts in this forum, it seems that some teams who played decent formations lost or got a draw against teams using hollow formations. How can this be realistic; all players playing on the sides, leaving the middle free, and still the teams beats or draws with a team playing with players both in the middle and on the sides? Even a team with is far much stronger should get beaten by a much weaker team playing a decent formation if a hollow formation was used.
This gives doubts on how the game engine functions.
Agreed and this ofc gives insight into why illegal formation penalties existed in the first place. Its a game and is no place for realism without a keen eye on 'playability' effects.

(Which is why I'm not keen on suggestions that cite realism as there basis. But maybe that's just a pet hate of mine. )

PS. I ofc often use the flanks only passing formation with through the middle option as my standard tanking set up. (Called it 'Guard of Honour' but I might change to referring to it as 'Wedding'.) Most of the time it works (or should that be fails).