Ip + Armroury + Arms + Armour

BelrickNZ

<div class="IPBDescription">first things that need doing</div> All very well to save your starting res to get 2 or 3 res nodes early but too many times my helpless rines get pwned even before taking that first res node.

Lv1 armour gives the boys a fighting chance even if it can cost you in the long run. WIn the game early i guess is my driving point.

The way i see it to not upgrade early is like gambling lmg skill vs skulk skill but as a comm you should be stacking your teams chances.

Remember lv1armour is like having %33 more rines <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

My typical build order these days is in the beginning

Lv1 armour
1 or 2 rt
hive + rt + tf
lv1 attack
electrify nodes
maybe one more res? (better 3 defended res than 6 being chomped on)( only need 4-5 SECURED rt to win as rines)
phases + shottie or two.
lv2 attack
motion
base tf
upgrade armoury

If i get this far i win about %50 of the time which is pretty good for me on ns2.0 <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

One alternative im keen to try is spending that 50 res on 5 shotties early!
w00t!

lagger

Ip+Armoroy+Arms+Mines+Armor#1+rsr++(As many as possible)+Weapons+Weapons+tf+elect+Weapons+Armory+Armor+Proto+Jp's+Armor+Misc

During this you can get more rsr nodes/elect/build siege assualts etc depending on what is needed. Its just a basic build order to reach tier 3 with gaps for the comm to fill if they need more mines/welders/hive attacks/shotty rush's/gl spams/etc etc.

cat_poop_waffles_for_justice

I'm sorry, but if the marines can't hold 2 res nodes while you electrify or tf, then you are bound to lose the round. You need those res at the beginning to make those later upgrades, and you can do the upgrades while they are out hunting for more res, and killing the aliens structures. Unless the aliens attack your base, which is the equivalant of the old shotty rush.

taboofires

It's just too expensive to get any weapons upgrades until you have the rts up. Having the rts up means having your marines stick together and not in your base. Them being outside your base means that you need at least a few turrets.

IP(s) + armory + tf/turrets, making sure to leave 20 res left over for a new rt, getting a third rt, THEN getting the upgrades seems to work much better. It's not like the research would even be done before you are done building, anyway.

When then level 1 research cost drops down to 20 again (it seems likely that it will stay in the betas), it may be more worthwhile. In 1.04 I'd always go IP armory and then upgrades, and use the momentum to mow down the kharaa all the way to their hive.

Where upgrades really shine is when you are in a disadvantage. Marines should have no problem there in early 2.0 games, because a large number of the kharaa will be gorges, and the rest will likely be scattered around a bit. Plus, when you are building, and holding a room, it's easy for marines. You can't really ambush someone who's standing still, and that removes a large part of kharaa effectiveness.

If you want early marine power, drop 1-3 shotties. You are only fighting skulks at the time, and they will get torn up. Level one armor will come in too late and do less short term, and the short term seems to be where your marines are having problems.

Spetz

I say:

2 IP, Armoury, Observatory, Phase tech.

I prefer gun upgrades to armour upgrades, becuse your dead if they get close enough to bite you anyway so i'd rather not let them get close. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

Spazmatic

The big problem with armor upgrades is, while it gives you an extra bite, it does not mean 33% of the time your marine will now survive... If he's in biting range, it's hard to get OUT of biting range.