@spyman - a lot of problems could be resolved if there was a shared expectation, but guess what when i form games called - quick retreats and builds the players that are losing still take the whole phase to retreat to their one available territory.

What I really despise is the people who don't place orders but still check onto the game when they're losing. NMR after NMR, but it doesn't make them CD because they're logging in.

I had it happen just a few days ago, We got a pause for a player because he had an emergency arise with one of his kids, and a player was about to get "the boot" and they would talk but not unpause because they didn't want to draw, we ended up waiting about 2 hours then we just drew it. I don't like pauses, in fact, I have needed 2 pauses for myself, 1 was when I got an unexpected call for Dinner (with family, I was leaving the next morning, so it would be the last time i saw them for a long time, going south due to personal interest) and when my brother wacked himself in the head with the claw of a hammer (yah.. i know..) I think live games shouldn't have the option, because it is obvious if you don't have time for a live game. Longer games could have unexpected turns in plans, like if you have to work overtime a day and you have a 12 hour phase and you don't get back in time for the phase.