Expendable Marines
bitnine
Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9283Members
Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9283Members
First of all, I want to stress that this isn't about running off and getting killed. Well, it is, but only about certain types of running off and getting killed. I've got a good example of what I'm talking about which I'll give, but I want to start off with a description. I'm talking about completing objectives and aiding your team when HA and HMGs aren't available that second in the mid to late game.
All right, here's my example: it's mid-game on eclipse. The aliens have two hives and trying to take south loop. We have turrets and a phase gate at south loop. And then there's the correction that we HAD turrets at the south loop. I'm killed defending the position (as are a few others). While I see about 3 people at the spawn waiting for HA and HMGs I rush through the phase gate. The marines are trying to build up defenses again, but a pair of fades are hit-and-running them. So I rush out down the hallway and chase them both away with my lmg. Do I kill them? Oh god no. They take me down, but not before one runs away and I wound the other enough that he goes back to heal. So what's the result? My teammates have south loop rebuilt before they can return and I spawn just in time to **obscenity** a HMG before the other 3 who have been waiting there can reach it.
A lot of marines need to learn that dying won't kill you. That you don't need to sit around your base every time waiting for weapons. You certainly don't need HA to help cover your teammates or especially to build things when paired up with a couple of more heavily-armed marines. The fact is that you do a hell of a lot more good for your team if you get out there and work with them as an expendable marine than if you just stand there waiting for things.
This is one of the reasons that Phase Gates and a proper number of infantry portals are important. Phase Gates not only teleport you right from your spawn, they should bring you somewhere tactically important (and in the best cases EVERYWHERE that's tactically important). A lmg marine is still great for taking out skulks, gorges, lerks, and all manner of chambers. The fact is that dying costs a resource point. That's less than ammo, health, or any type of weapon or feature costs. Learn to love your lmg and how to best support your team in that role and you can do a lot of good.
Especially considering that the alternative is doing NOTHING and sitting at the spawn. I find that particularly useless. What do aliens do while they are waiting for resources so that they can become more combat effective? They use their skulk form the best that they can. Not doing the same is giving the aliens an advantage that really doesn't have to exist.
This is one of the reasons that upgraded armor is also important, more important than upgraded weapons. Note that I'm talking about the Arms Center upgrades here, I'm not trying to tell people that level 3 armor is more important than HMGs and Grenade Launchers. If you do have level 3 armor, though, those little lmg marines can take a surprising amount of damage, and each one of them can do it for free. I've seen others who realize that this upgrade is very nice to have, but don't quite communicate it to their commanders efficiently.
I probably can't stress enough how I'm talking about going off and (probably) dying for your TEAM here. Going off and dying as a lmg marine for YOURSELF and by yourself does no good at all. Sure, there are things that an lmg marine can quickly do and die to be back in time for the big weapons to drop, but a lot of them are entirely useless. You can jump over a wall of lame and hide behind the alien resource tower while you destroy it, but chances are that you won't. You can scout out for vulnerable positions, or even take out a few offense chambers, but that's definately not the most effective thing you can die for. Your lmg is best used as part of a group, and you freeing up someone with a HMG from building is even more useful.
After all, it's better than doing NOTHING.
All right, here's my example: it's mid-game on eclipse. The aliens have two hives and trying to take south loop. We have turrets and a phase gate at south loop. And then there's the correction that we HAD turrets at the south loop. I'm killed defending the position (as are a few others). While I see about 3 people at the spawn waiting for HA and HMGs I rush through the phase gate. The marines are trying to build up defenses again, but a pair of fades are hit-and-running them. So I rush out down the hallway and chase them both away with my lmg. Do I kill them? Oh god no. They take me down, but not before one runs away and I wound the other enough that he goes back to heal. So what's the result? My teammates have south loop rebuilt before they can return and I spawn just in time to **obscenity** a HMG before the other 3 who have been waiting there can reach it.
A lot of marines need to learn that dying won't kill you. That you don't need to sit around your base every time waiting for weapons. You certainly don't need HA to help cover your teammates or especially to build things when paired up with a couple of more heavily-armed marines. The fact is that you do a hell of a lot more good for your team if you get out there and work with them as an expendable marine than if you just stand there waiting for things.
This is one of the reasons that Phase Gates and a proper number of infantry portals are important. Phase Gates not only teleport you right from your spawn, they should bring you somewhere tactically important (and in the best cases EVERYWHERE that's tactically important). A lmg marine is still great for taking out skulks, gorges, lerks, and all manner of chambers. The fact is that dying costs a resource point. That's less than ammo, health, or any type of weapon or feature costs. Learn to love your lmg and how to best support your team in that role and you can do a lot of good.
Especially considering that the alternative is doing NOTHING and sitting at the spawn. I find that particularly useless. What do aliens do while they are waiting for resources so that they can become more combat effective? They use their skulk form the best that they can. Not doing the same is giving the aliens an advantage that really doesn't have to exist.
This is one of the reasons that upgraded armor is also important, more important than upgraded weapons. Note that I'm talking about the Arms Center upgrades here, I'm not trying to tell people that level 3 armor is more important than HMGs and Grenade Launchers. If you do have level 3 armor, though, those little lmg marines can take a surprising amount of damage, and each one of them can do it for free. I've seen others who realize that this upgrade is very nice to have, but don't quite communicate it to their commanders efficiently.
I probably can't stress enough how I'm talking about going off and (probably) dying for your TEAM here. Going off and dying as a lmg marine for YOURSELF and by yourself does no good at all. Sure, there are things that an lmg marine can quickly do and die to be back in time for the big weapons to drop, but a lot of them are entirely useless. You can jump over a wall of lame and hide behind the alien resource tower while you destroy it, but chances are that you won't. You can scout out for vulnerable positions, or even take out a few offense chambers, but that's definately not the most effective thing you can die for. Your lmg is best used as part of a group, and you freeing up someone with a HMG from building is even more useful.
After all, it's better than doing NOTHING.
Comments
Tell me was your Commander giving you mines at any point to use?
It's not running off and getting killed, its strategically assaulting a base with respawning troops. Think of it like a zergling rush or marine rush in Starcraft. A lot of Zerglings and Marines have to die before you can do any damage.
As a skulk or LMG marine, death costs nothing. If you suicide attack an enemy emplacement, kill a turret or offense chamber, you've costed the enemy 14-19 resources while your team loses 0-1 resources and 10-15 seconds of respawn time. With repeated attacks and with multiple players going on one suicide attack, you can deal quite a lot of damage - and it costs absolutely no resources!!!