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[COLOR="White"][CENTER][FONT="Century Gothic"][SIZE="5"]The Art of War[/SIZE][/FONT][/CENTER][/COLOR]

6. Weak points and strong
[nqb]Relatively simple, this is. Having played DotA, you should know that there is nothing known as a “perfect team”. You don’t pick your team to be perfect. You pick the heroes to do a specific job, which would generally help you in winning the game, thus completing the objective of playing in the first place. DotA has many, many unique heroes that fulfill different roles, are strong at certain things and weak in various else. Some are stronger in a general sense than others, but that does not mean there should be such a hero that becomes a “must pick” a.k.a clearly doing things too good. Such a hero should not exist nor should be relied on, considering how this is an ever changing game and things from a distant past might or might not hold its relevance as well as it did if put into the context of today’s metagame. What does this mean? Well, judging by the picks of your team, you should be able to realize the strong and weak points in the composition. This also applied to the enemy as well, but different. Perhaps your allied heroes are not good at killing Roshan, for example, be sure to memorize that. It shall easily be the most devastating blow to be Roshan-jacked simply because you were committing too much to be able to accomplish such a task, resulting in severe loss. There is an obvious risk/ratio reward that every player should take note of. See, it is always good to cover up your weak points, just in case your opponent tries to jab you. However, you must understand that conversely, your opponent might be thinking the same thing. If both go all out or play conservatively, the idea of taking the game into your control is lost, and it becomes either a slug fest or a feast fest, both of which you are as likely to come out on the losing end as you are not. Thus, do not only focus on one point. As a strategist, it is better to exploit the opponent’s weakness while fueling the preparation to use your strong ones. Remember that nothing is stopping the opponent from thinking the same. You obviously do not want to jab at a team who has little AoE to defend against summons, yet have prepared themselves for dealing with it. The obvious flaw is often the most deceiving, as it can be easily turned into a trap. So, watch things with an open eye and another behind your back.[/nqb]

7. Maneuvering:
[nqb]Everyone knows what the DotA map is like, none of it is quite hard to perceive. However, the simple act of walking has extreme importance upon several of other things. Moving is to be done efficiently and secretively. There’s a reason people ward in enemy’s territory, in order to track their movements and therefore predict the enemy’s plan and devise your own to counter that. If you're not taking in Deception; then the act of moving efficiently simply means moving in the shortest route. This is painfully obvious however, as you can be easily percept and caught off guard. The last thing you want to be is predictable, and allowing the enemy to “read” you would turn to disastrous results. If you throw in Deception as previously mentioned; you have a whole new perspective to take in. The shortest route might as well be the most dangerous, but also the most rewarding, since it IS the shortest route after all. It’d get you to where you want to go the fastest, and it depends on where you were going from that determines whether it is the best way to take. If you’ve known of juking, then you should know how NOT taking the shortest and most obvious route can turns to be very beneficial. However, always remember that there’s no assuming that your opponent can be outsmarted. If you were able to think this up, there is no reason for the opponent not to be able to find counter measures. Sometimes, it is perhaps better to simply do the obvious thing; faking your intention can make the most experienced of enemies doubt themselves. Confusion is crucial when your life is on the line; and always thinks ahead.[/nqb]

8. Variation in tactics:
[nqb]In DotA, you cannot hope to control your soldiers, but you can concentrate the team’s focus through several of interactive means. Going into a game, you know what you are going to do to win. However, things might or might not go your way. It is always better to have a backup plan; something your team can do, even though not as good in optimum conditions as your first plan, but instead can pull a victory from the jaws of defeat. While devising up tactics, there are things you should watch out and not do:
*Recklessness
*Cowardice
*Hastiness
*Doubts
As complicated as that sounds; balance is always best. For if you are reckless; you would not have time to think. For if you are cowardice; you would let opportunities get away. For if you are hasty; you would be susceptible to provocation by the enemy. For if you are full of doubts; then there is no plan you shall accomplish. If you fail, then it would obviously be attributed to one of the aforementioned faults in the design of your course of action. Take those words in to decide what you would want to do, and how you were to set out in completing it. Be cool-headed but risky, as balance is the key.[/nqb]

9. The nine situations:
[nqb]These are the battle situations that you would obviously come across while involving yourself in a game and the tasks should be taken to ensure your chances of winning.
* Dispersive grounds: This is your ground, indicated by territory markers. Territory markers are often the same as “Structure of truth” previously mentioned. They indicate, to an extent, the stretch of the map you are controlling. A fight within these grounds is highly advantageous, for you have your structures as long as undisturbed vision mostly. It is always recommended to fight here should the standings are equal.
*Facile ground: This is the shallow penetration into hostile territory. You are not too deep that enemy structures surround you, while the enemies themselves can approach in several of directions and cut off your exit. This is rather that of the opponent’s jungle, might or might not be vision checked and should be either close to allied territory or neutral grounds with fog for ease of escape. Only fight here if it is necessary.
*Contentious ground: This is where either side, should they be properly positioned, would be greatly favored. This mostly attributes to either jungles when the outer towers have been cleared, or the Roshan area. The one controls the vision and has in his or her hands the right combination of combat prowess to excel in that specific area shall hold great advantage. Fight here when you are able to secure the advantageous positions (usually where your vision isn’t impaired), or else skip.
*Open ground: Fair to everyone, and is usually open to reinforcements from both sides with equal distance. This would usually be the rune spawns and the middle of middle lane, or sometimes the river path hitting the bottom and top lane should the respective nearest tower have been removed. This gives no advantage to either side, so requires no positioning but should not be counted on.
*Ground of intersecting highways: These are usually where the destroyed Structures of Truth are. Claiming vision and control over these grounds usually grand huge territorial advantage to the team. These are, however, very bad places to fight, but only rather to ambush, for they are usually close to the enemy team’s base.
*Serious ground: All your bases are belonged to us! This is when a team has successfully penetrated one of the key paths into the throne/tree and the creeps can now freely engage with impunity. These grounds are under constant battle, be it against creeps to prevent them from harming the throne/tree or opportunists’ attacks strike at the heart of the weakened territory.
*Difficult ground: Where neither team would have any advantage, only hindered fighting here, as opposed to open ground. The secret shops are prime examples of these, hard to engage and maneuver from, yes still prone to enemy attacks and allied misfire (though this isn’t in DotA). One should stay clear of these.
*Hemmed in ground: serious grounds before it became so serious. This is usually deep within territory with terrain acting in favor of the defenders, where the opposition must squeeze through a predictable pathway in order to reach you, but you are freely in control of movements.
*Desperate ground: Where you must save by directly engaging the enemy. There are no two-bits about this one. When your tree/throne is exposed, you must fight the marching opposition head-on, even though they might have much more vision and strategically advantages. There is an exception of throne-race, but that must be handled with care, or you shall immediately lose without delay.[/nqb]

10. Terrain:
Shall be written as an exclusive article.

[nqb][FONT="Georgia"][COLOR="White"]So that's it, the end of the Art of War. Now it took me a bit longer than usual to write, but I hope that it turns out to be worth it. I mean I didn't give any small talk during the early of this article, blasphemy!
Regardless, it should stay the same, for I haven't much to say except that I'm pretty busy with the Webzine at the moment, and is still appreciating everyone's help should they decide to give it. My name is LightRedemption, and this has been another good day blogging.[/COLOR][/FONT][/nqb]

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