Starting Off As Commander: Need Help
clankilla
Join Date: 2002-11-21 Member: 9509Members
Join Date: 2002-11-21 Member: 9509Members
ok since beign a commander is pretty much like starcraft or warcraft, i was wondering if you guys can give me a guide. Example in warcraft three, as a NE you build a moon well the altar and que up as many wisps as possible something like that but in ns terms. Like first 2 portals turret factory then sentrys. I pretty much know how to start, but expanding is the porblem. Do i build a resourcer first then turrets or the opposite. Do i take a hive next example. If you can post the amout of resources at the time. For example you start with 100. two portals = 15*2 equals 30 so 70 left. Im not sure about the number just posting examples. So if anyone can lets see your strats <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo-->
Comments
The basics:
If you command, GET VOICE COM!!! You have to have it.
Tell your marines to use the com interface to ask for amo/health and space bar to the last call.
Use your resources as you get them. If marines see them up there they'll think "SHOTGUN"
Aknowledge requests even if you can't fulfill them at the moment.
Tell your marines what the plan is.
Keep an eye out for respawning marines. They allways want payback, but you may need them somewhere.
Once you have an observatory up, remember to use the distress beacon if you're being overun. It will respawn all your marines even if you don't have inf portals. 60% or more must be dead for you to use this feature.
Upgrading and researching:
Click on the structure you want to upgrade, and select the upgrade.
To research, click on the appropriate lab, and click on the research you want.
Building at the start:
2 inf portals
Turret factory
4 turrets (depending on the rushing, you may want to get the armory out sooner)
Armory
A welder to seal vents, open doors and repair structures
A cheap way to take the teeth out of rushes is to put some mines on the approaches. They have to be stagered low (crouch, stand or jump when placing)
Resource collection and expansion:
This is where it gets tricky for the commander. Once the rushing subsides, your Marines will start wandering about and telling you to build here...here...here, and some others will start asking for shotguns (waste of resources)... I'm sure you get the idea.
To avoid this, you have to start giving waypoints right away. Left click on a Marine to select (health meter will light up) and then right click on a location for a waypoint, an unbuilt structure for "build", or built structure for defend. You can select more than one trooper by left clicking and draging. Get used to left clicking on a map location instead of scrolling your way there (that's why you right click to give order, it lets you left click arround the map with troops selected). Do not give waypoints that are several turns away, drop them like bread crumbs.
Depending on the size of your team, leave a couple troopers defending the base and send the rest out TOGETHER.
The first order of business is to secure a hive site. You will never be attacked with Ohnos, Spore cloud, Babbles & Xenocide while you hold a Hive. Luckily, in most maps, there will be a hive close to your base that is not ocupied. Lead your marines here. No stoping on the way!
Turret factory
Couple of turrets
Tap the resource at the hive
couple more turrets
Armory
Send a pair of marines to tap the nodes that you passed on the way to the hive. Leave those alone. Don't waste resources defending them yet.
Back at the base:
Build an observatory
Build a phase gate at base
Build a phase gate at hive (now you can reinforce)
Upgrade your armory. Tell your marines you're about to do so, and give them a few seconds to top off. The armory doesn't dispense amo while upgrading)
Research motion tracking
As soon as the armory is done upgrading, start doling out HMGs to the troopers that follow orders first. Make sure they don't run off to play with their new toy by themselves. Do a scanner sweep of the ather 2 hives, and see which on is least defended. Start moving your troops towards the 2nd hive, and destroy any enemy extractors along the way. When this is happening, you have to keep an eye on them, and have itchy fingers on that medpack/amo buttons. Remember, Fades will start apearing about this time. You can kill them with HMGs, teamwork and medpacks.
Back at the base:
Build a second command chair at the hive you took (better safe than sorry)
Decide where you can defend easier (hive or base)
build an arms lab
Build a prototype lab
Research heavy armor
Upgrade armor
Upgrade amo
Keep equiping your marines
If you have a good team, you can crack the next hive with just HA/HMG and HA/GL equiped troopers. Keep the medpacks and amo raining.
If you don't have a good team you're going to have to turret walk your way there. Build aturret factory near the O/D chamber walls. Upgrade it, and start building siege turrets. Aliens will come storming out as soon as the siege turrets start firing. Be aware!! Another favorite Alien tactic is to take YOUR hive while you're killing theirs. Don't let this hapen!!
If you managed to hold on to your base, your hive and take out one of the enemy hives, you're pretty much done. However, I've seen Aliens come back from worst, so don't drop the ball by losing command of your marines. Keep them together, heal them, equip them, and move on to the third hive.
You must defend your base, and the 2 hives at all costs!! You can still LOSE. Most of your manpower should be holding what you have gained. Luckily, the Khaara will be down to basic Aliens which are HMG food. Siege the 3rd hive, hunt down the survivors...Game over.
Now this sounds nice and all, but the Khaara will not sit idle while you carry out your plan. You may have to change your choice of hive, defend some critical nodes, fall back to regroup...
However, do not commit the ultimate Marine sin: allowing the Khaara that 3rd hive while you turtle inside your base. You may feel safe behind those turrets, but they'll do you no good when Ohnos come a-calling inside a Lerk's spore cloud.