Thank you, Peterko.
Ongoing streak of 406 was posted in November 2011. The question in post #1121 is directed at me, or my Milotic. It was achieved some time before posting, though. I deleted it because I feared it would ruin my Subway fun - no offense, your thread is wonderful, as I've already pointed out. Either way, I'm pretty sure my 406 never surpassed ~Mercury~'s November 509 (which I didn't know about until like 2012), so I've probably never been at #1. When I later picked up the streak (before 2012), I only won 3 battles (409) before losing to an early misplay, hence my comment on how my previous version (Garchomp) of this team lost to (non-hindsight) human error. As for believability, all the post had was a picture and some text touching on trial and error approach, I think.
Yes, I see, you provide impressive amounts of information about your streaks. As I said, I will answer any questions any of you may have, and that would also make it easier to give you what you want. For now, I could show screens from the Excel sheets I use when playing. While the
first screen is from the set in stone Subway roster data, the
second screen is from 3-0/3-1/3-2/3-2!-statistics accumulated from a humble 1083 battles, 300 with Garchomp (nothing from 409/autumn, all is recent) and 783 with Dragonite, only counting battles past #49. Should've separated by versions from the beginning, really. Too late now, all entangled.
Well, if people have trouble reaching 100 (or more) with attacking teams, they just have to play more, really. I don't remember the last time this team/these teams did under 100, but I doubt it was in 2012. As for Protect, using this in conjunction with Leftovers makes Scizor a way better dancer, and makes it more defensive (in terms of ability to deal with critical hits) than it could ever dream of being with Roost. I've done this since the Battle Frontier, and every time I try something else it doesn't even compare. Wish it did, though, since Leftovers would be great on Milotic, better than Sitrus Berry in many cases, but maybe not in the most important situations. Your comment on Protect may also count for Milotic (like post #1121). I imagine the alternatives to be Ice Beam or Substitute. I'd like to see a universal argument made for the use of either of these over Protect, as I find both way too situational. Protect is always used; for Toxic damage, for PP-depletion of foes' dangerous moves (for example: two chances of critical hit Draco Meteor, Head Smash, etc. instead of five), for PP-conservation of Recover, for scouting, even SolarBeam/Sunny Day, etc.
That's right, I don't use Substitute on this team. Do you agree with that passage of mine, which you quote here? As said, straight on 3v3 touch and go battles. Looks like a counter intuitive strategy, reading said passage, which is meant to describe the essence of the Battle Subway. The reason I use this is because I think it's more fun. Sure, Ferrothorn is an adorable pkmn, but if the battles last way longer and I can't even look at it, because it's hiding behind a Substitute, I'd rather go 'standard'. Actually, whenever I climb ~100-200 with 'foolproof', 'fixed-strategy' teams, I always change back to 'standard' while going, unless I lose to some blatant misplay before doing so. When I repeatedly win insanely misfortunate battles with teams like the one at 579, I embrace this strategy, knowing that it has its risks, but is more fun and much faster (playing speed is obviously an important factor when it comes to giving it another go), although not as fast as many other teams, like Shell Smash Cloyster. I usually use other teams or versions to reach #49 faster, by the way, but I could imagine that would be normal here.
You ask for statistics - are the images above adequate? That's all I use when battling. I initially didn't post more than the required information (not even paragraphs), because I didn't want to be all self important stranger, and history would suggest that I'd delete the post in a few days anyway. I understand the caution, especially with me coming from outside, not using the thread for strategy, etc. - some of the streaks here are hard to believe for me as well. I guess there are ways to produce counterfeit record screen photos, and that it would be almost impossible to safeguard against, proof-wise, which is a shame. I wonder what became of that supposedly ongoing, now #2, Super Double Train streak of 686 - is Speed Boost Blaziken that strong in the Subway?
Critical hits, (secondary) status, and OHKO-moves are examples (flinch is very important too) of those percentage risks I have to live with when using this team. When Walrein 4 Sheer Colds/Fissures two of my pkmn, or when all of the foes' 3 pkmn lead off with critical hits, there's no plan for my team, and I just have to do what I can, with what's left. Adding a tough match-up, undesirable pacing, misplay, hazardrous decision, and/or continuing misfortune, the game is lost and I'll have to start over or take a break. Simple as that. The team is generally able to handle ridiculously biased battles, as my streaks show. I think the double usage of high powder damaging priority-moves may have a say in covering up bad situations. The usage of Protect helps too, as does having a pkmn with strong defenses (all of you using Suicune know that even better, although Milotic does have the advantage of Recover), and more importantly I think it has a say that my team(s) is essentially a two-pkmn cell of Scizor and Milotic, with Dragonite (or Garchomp) serving as backup/insurance/rear guard - it (they) is used way less than the others. OHKO-moves are easier to handle with Garchomp version (because of Focus Sash), and something that helps a lot is immunity to Horn Drill/Guillotine and/or Fissure (former is experienced when I, as I sometimes do, opt for the defensively weaker Jellicent - Cursed Body is delicious).
I would expect that from you, noticing the Electric weakness. Garchomp version obviously handles this, as seen in the Depot Agent battles, which used to be the easiest of all, and now almost guarantee a 3-1. Strangely they haven't been that hard, with only one 3-2 (not '3-2!'), involving Electrode scoring a turn of self hurt (confusion), secondary paralysis, followed up by Durant causing two flinches and a critical hit - all against Scizor and Dragonite, so over few turns, and not a result of many turns = many chance occurrences (Milotic). No chance of loss, though - hence 3-2 without '!'. The Electric-types that resist Bug Bite in addition to Bullet Punch are troublesome - namely Magnezone, Zapdos, and Thundurus. Without critical hits/secondary effects, and with polarized damage rolls to my opponents advantage, Scizor can go 1-1 with Thundurus 234, thanks to Dragonite's ExtremeSpeed. Against threats, such as these, the lack of switching is what costs me, seen also against lesser threats like Raikou (Volt Switch can be devastating, though), Jolteon, Electrode, etc. Garchomp allowed more switching than Dragonite. Generally I want to go back to Garchomp version, because of the advantages mentioned, and also because I feel like a kid with a GameShark when using Multiscale against the Hidden Abilities-less Subway roster. However, I can't let go of Dragonite's Lum Berry insurance, and its major edge over Garchomp regarding boosted speed, via Dragon Dance. As a stand-alone pkmn, I think Dragonite is stronger, albeit solely thanks to Multiscale, no kidding.