How to beat counterpunchers

With the return of WeBL, Counterpunchers may just return to the top of the food chain,
right where they were when we left off. Here's a short bit written by Pip on how to beat them:

Ok, here goes nothing......Master-class number 1 on how to beat
counter-punchers!!

Firstly, I have to say that when AP's are low, speed is the most
important attribute your fighter can have. You will always find that
regional counter-punchers are particuarly difficult to beat in the
higher weight classes in general (when AP's are taken up by height)
and in the lower weight classes at lower status's.

When working out how to beat a counter-puncher, the first and most
important thing for you to do is to scout the opponent. As a general
rule a counter puncher will be a v.light build, and will have speed
between 1 and 5 higher than strength. Usually agility will be equal to
or a little higher than strength, but you should be able to work out
the str/agi bias by assuming a very light build and plugging his
height and weight into the practice sim.

The most important things you will gather from scouting your opponent
is just how much of a speed advantage over you does he have, and in
which stat (Str or agi) do you have the biggest advantage?

You now have to work out what style to use, and how to fight the fight
and this all depends on what type of fighter you have and where your
advantages lay Shocked

There are several ways to beat a counter-puncher, and in general, the
best way depends upon your fighters build, I will outline the 3 or 4
most common ways and state in general which types of fighter will have
most success with each strategy:

1. Stun the opponent to win yourself rounds, and go 4b/8/8 to the body
between times. For example, you could set up a simple FP which goes:

1) 5h/10/5 (inside)
2) if score >= 0 then 4b/8/8 (clinch)
2) if score >= 0 and endurance_percent < 70 then 1/1/8 (clinch)
2) if hiscuts > 4 then 5c/10/5 (inside)
2) if score < round - 10 then 5h/10/5 (inside)
1) if warnings = 0 then cheat

This is a simple and surprisingly effective FP, and if you have doubts
about it, can be put on the bottom of a stanard clincher/ropes
FP....To do this put if score >=-1 and mystuns = 0 before the first
line.

This type of FP is effective for when you have a large speed
disadvantage, so winning rounds via upping aggression is very
inefficient. Usually it is most effectivly used by sluggers, but in
theory agile sluggers/ropist with very low speed may want to consider
this option. Just make sure you have enough str to be able to at least
stun the opponent!

2. Look to win the endurance war, by fighting from 2 rounds behind,
then slap, or stun him late in the fight....Only open up more when
score his close (If he is up on score he will not be using high agg):

1) 4b/8/8 (clinch/ropes)
1) if score <-1 then 5/7/8 (clinch/ropes)
1) if scote < round - 8 and score < 0 then 7/6/7 (clinch/ropes)
1) if score < round - 8 and score < -1 then 5/7/8 (clinch/ropes)
1) if endurance_percent < 70 and score >=-1 then 1/1/8 (clinch/ring)
1) if score < round - 10 and score >= 0 then 14/1/5 (feint/ring) or
5h/10/5 (inside/ropes)
1) if score < round - 10 and score < 0 then 10/5/5 (clinch/ring) or
5h/10/5 (inside/ropes)
1) if score < round - 10 and score < -1 then 8/6/6 (clinch/ropes)
1) if score < round - 10 and score < -2 then 6/7/7 (clinch/ropes)
1) if score < round - 12 and score < 0 then 10/5/5 (clinch/ropes)
1) if score < round - 12 and score >= 0 then 14/1/5 (feint/ring) or
5h/11/4 (inside/ropes)
1) if score < round - 12 and score < 0 then 12/2/5 (feint/ring) or
5h/11/4 (inside/ropes)
1) if score < round - 12 and score < -1 then 9/5/6 (clinch/ropes)
1) if score < round - 12 and score < -2 then 8/6/6 (clinch/ropes)

This will tend to work for fighters who don't have a huge speed
disadvanatge, and who can therefore win rounds vs his 4b/8/8 fairly
effieciently.

3. Fight a standard fight......You may be a ropist with a HUGE agility
advantage over him, in this fight, your standard ropist pre-made,
should be able to do the job.

4. 'Slap then rest'-In general you should aim to be winning the rounds
by a fairly small margin, and you will need to scout your opponet to
see how he reacts when down on score.

In general, your FP should rest when up on score and under 70%
endurance, and it will need to use higher aggression to win rounds as
you get further ahead, and be careful if and when you move into
teritory where you will be triggering his lines such as:

if score < round - 10.....

At this point he may upp aggression or headhunt.......Base what you do
at this point around this, so a line like:

If score > 10 - round then 8/2/10 (ring)

May be good if he headhunts at that point.....If he slaps, a well
timed rest then perhaps a BIG slap, or headhunt depending on how much
he ups his aggression and how efficient he tends to remain.

This can be good for fighters who are nearly as fast as the counter
puncher, and have high conditioning, or are weak so can't gain much
from an endurance war.

Hope that helps...It isn't foolproof, but it may help you get a few
more wins!