FSA DS For Dummies Continued....

So You are looking at this whole FSA DS thing and thinking that building a team looks complicated and stuff. Well that is not the case. I figured that I would give those on the fence a few pointers on how to put together a team.

First thing you have to go to the FSA DS web site see not so hard so far.

Now here's a tricky question, are you a member of the podium cafe?

If so just use your login to register for a team, if not, go back to the podium cafe and register. This is free and painless and I have never gotten a spam from SB Nation.

O.K. so now you are registered for the FSA DS wesite, so now what?

Create a team name and submit, don't worry this is not your final name you have until you finalize your team to think up a name that you will love for a year. After you pick a name you will get a screen that looks like this.

via cdn-pics.slickpic.com

Click on the Hire more riders here link and you will be brought to the riders page.

via cdn-pics.slickpic.com

Now you see some information on the left side of the screen, my team size is too small. I need to hire 25 more riders to have a full team. I can spend up to 150 more points, select up to 1 more 24 point plus rider, and up to three 18 plus point riders (including any riders costing 24 or more points). You can sort the riders based on criteria of your choosing using the drop down boxes and or the name field. So if you are looking for a certain rider just type in his name and you can avoid searching through all 1100 odd riders to find him.

Now so far this is all fairly basic and since SuperTed has done such a wonderful job programming this site you simply hit the plus beside a name and bang he's on your team. over the next week we will have lots of info on building a team using various strategies. I have never seen anyone actually build a team and walk us through their thought process as they do it. So here goes, my step, by step, team making guide.

For this exercise I will choose a particular Theme. I am going to do a Tour de France focused team. Specifically a GC focused Tour Team. My first choices will be relatively straight forward. After the first few picks my team will look like this.

via cdn-pics.slickpic.com

Now Already I have had to make some choices. Why Samu and not T-Mart? well I think that Samu liked the look of the dots last year and may have another go. Why Andy and not Frank? Even though Frank usually scores higher as I am aiming to pick the Tour GC finishers I think Andy will finish higher. Why Cunego? Well he was seventh last year and may not have a shot on this TT heavy route of repeating that, but he will give me some extra fire power through the year at the Ardennes and the Worlds. Moving on to the next page.

via cdn-pics.slickpic.com

Okay so I now pick Basso and Menchov, why? Well Basso will be trying the Giro Tour double, and whether or not that works out well for him at 10 points a double GT contender could turn out to be a big old bargain. Menchov's team got downgraded last year, and now he's a leader on a WT team. This year with a favourable route should see him bounce in a big way.

Okay so this has been fun up until now, but the hard work starts at this point. if you look to the left of that screen capture you can see that I have only 40 points of budget left but I need 18 more riders. Crap I can now only average just a bit more than two points per rider for my next 18 riders. Oh well lets see how this turns out

via cdn-pics.slickpic.com

So I picked up two more outside shots at the Tour GC JVDB and Jani. I have also spent 10 more points and only used two spots I now have 30 points to spend on 14 dudes, this could get tight. I think that I am now going to have to pretty much give up on guys with an outside shot at maybe doing something at the Tour. So as I am doing a tour focused team and really want this team to be a fun go at the Tour, I will fill it out with mostly Frenchies.

via cdn-pics.slickpic.com

So I picked a bunch of guys who will likely be banging in the breaks at the Tour this will give me something to cheer about most days, J.J. just looks like he could be a good value (ask a good many people who are showing Argentine flags this year), Nick Roche has an outside shot at not being total crap this year and could get back on form. Fedrigo is usually money at the Tour.

I have spent 150 points. I have 3 riders over 18 points(not necessary), I have one rider over 24 Points(not necessary), I have exactly 25 riders. A Valid Team has been assembled. It has a Theme and fulfils the purpose I set for it. This Team is not designed to win the overall competition in FSA DS, but if I am a Tour focussed fan this Team will make me very happy, It will give me many things to enjoy and watch during the Race that matters most to me. Fans of Cobbles, or the Giro, or the Vuelta, or week long stage races, can build teams to suit their tastes.

FSA DS is a good tool to enhance your enjoyment of the races you enjoy most. Or it can let you try to compete for Overall Greatness in the Greatest Cycling Game in the World. Build a Team, Find out that this is indeed the best thing since sliced Bread. You will know more about cycling than you did before playing, you will have more fun watching the cycling season, and more fun is more better.

And if you want more fun, hit the women's button, rinse and repeat, for fun with women's cycling.

Now as I have not submitted I have time to go back over things and tinker. Do I really want Samu or could I swap him out for T-Mart? Any other young Frenchies Impressing me prior to Oomloop Eve? Any injuries?

Hope you enjoyed my step by step guide to building an FSA DS Team.

Discaimer: This is not my Team. I do not endorse this Team, nor do I vouch for its suitability for in game use(other than its compliance with competition rules). This is a Demonstration Piece only. Any use of this Team by any Player in the FSA DS shall be solely the responsibility of the player and not the responsibility of the Poster. ;-P

.