A Message From Tsa Tactical Operations
Martigen
Australia Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2714Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Reinforced - Onos
Australia Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2714Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Reinforced - Onos
<div class="IPBDescription">How to succeed against the Kharaa</div> I posted this as a reply to an excellent thread in General by Icculus titled '** TSA Command to Frontiersmen **' (http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=1&t=9116), but it'll probably do more good here.
---
BRAVO Icculus!
I knew when I saw you at the Academy that great things were before you. You climbed fast, worked hard, and have proven time and again why the TSA made the right choice in basing you at TSA Command.
If I may, as a fellow officer, back up and emphasise your fine words with a few suggestions for our brave and talented marines.
Listen up men, these words will save your skin and the skin of your comrades:
* <b>Stick together.</b> Running off alone assures you a quick and painful death at the hand of the Kharaa. There are no live heroes in the TSA, only dead ones.
There is power in numbers -- the Kharaa know this, as you have no doubt found out already. If your comrades have fallen, hightail back to base or <i>hold your position and request backup</i>. Do not go in alone soldier, your commander can't bring you back from the dead.
* <b>Follow your orders. Always.</b> You can't see the big picture like your commander can. If he sets a waypoint for you, there's a very good reason he did so. Stop what you're doing, and move to it immediately. It doesn't matter if you're in the middle of attacking a hive -- go to the waypoint at once. You may be losing vital ground elsewhere and your backup is required.
<i>Ignoring your orders is a sure fire way to lose the war for your team.</i>
There are varying calibres of commander. Even if you think you have more real-world experience than a green officer right out of the Academy, give him the benefit of the doubt. <i>Don't tell him how to do his job, trust in his decisions</i>. We have a hard time enough fighting the Kharaa, we can do without fighting amongst ourselves. When your time comes to command, you'll appreciate the same co-operation from your men.
* <b>Work with your commander.</b> Report often of your findings and, when requesting resources, <i>use the command menu</i> -- this way he can find you quickly. Keep in mind he has to manage the whole squad so while your request may not materialise immediately, keep in mind he <i>has</i> heard you and <i>will</i> get to you as soon as he can. Repeat the request at regular intervals in case he has been swamped in his duties, but do not spam him -- you will only slow him down.
* <b>Use your grey matter.</b> Don't forget your military schooling so soon, soldier. Big guns will not win the war against the Kharaa. <i>Teamwork</i>, <i>communication</i>, and <i>strategy</i> will. A dose of common sense goes a long way as well.
When you patrol the corridors, <i>use your flashlight</i> and check the dark corners. If you hear the Kharaa nearby, <i>turn it off</i> to avoid alerting them to your presence.
The Kharaa excel at stealth, but they're not the only ones who can move silently. Unless you've been tagged by those horrible parasites, crouch and move slowly into a new area -- you may be able to surprise <i>them</i> for a change and take one down before it knows what hit it.
Don't wait before your clip is empty to reload. Reload always, at any 'quiet moment' during a fight. If you see it getting low, pull back around the corner and reload. Nothing assures a quicker marine death than being in range of Kharaa melee attacks whilst you're reloading. If you die this way, solider, you deserve it.
And lastly, a few tips for the fresh commanders out there:
* <b>Short, sharp and sweet.</b> Command the squad to take and hold an area one zone at a time. Do not move until the area is fortified. Move like a wall of human will from area to area -- secure, build, defend, and move -- and so on. Wether you are capturing resource points or securing corridors against the Kharaa, you will die if you spread out.
* <b>Capture remote resource points first.</b> Send one squad to capture remote resource points immediately, even while fortifying your base. This not only secure resources for your men, but it takes away quick resources zones from the Kharaa. Fortify them <i>well</i>, for once the Kharaa have realised what you have done they will throw everything at them. Remaining points closer to home can then be taken at your leisure.
* <b>This <i>isn't</i> a damn shopping mall!</b> Use every resource point wisely, don't go spending your cash like you're a schoolgirl with daddy's credit card -- your resources are limited, everything you buy could make or break your assault on the Kharaa. Shotguns are a fine weapon, and available with any armory -- use them. Don't go chasing after HA when the Arms Lab can provide three levels of upgraded armor for your men -- <i>which once researched provides increased armor protection at no cost from then on for every soldier that teleports in</i>. HA is a luxury, not a necessity. If you're buying HA before you have three levels of armor upgrades from the Arms Lab, you should be shot. More than that tell me your schooling commander at the Academy, and I'll have him shot too.
* <b>This <i>is</i> a damn shopping mall!</b> If, at any time, you have resources ticking up past 100 you're not doing your job! Your men are out there being torn apart at the claws of the Kharaa, and you're sitting on a stockpile of turrets, heavy weapons, and drop-in health and ammo kits! Unless victory is near and you own the battleground, you have no reason to be hoarding resources -- spend them or we'll put a schoolgirl who knows how to spend in the command chair!
* <b>Sweep it baby.</b> I think many commanders skipped chaper 12 of the 'Official TSA manual for the divination and eliminaton of xenophobes' manual, the one that specifically deals with <i>scanner sweeps</i>, affectionally called <i>pings</i> by those who use them.
Be like those who use them, and <b>use them</b>! They reveal a wealth of information for the commander and men nearby, including the location of cloaked alien scum. It's also one of the few things that scares a Kharaa -- knowing that their secret little bases and minions are known to the forces of the superior TSA marines!
That's it for now men. You are doing the TSA proud, and while the war on the Kharaa could seemingly swing both ways at the moment you and I both know that eventually the TSA will prevail. Or die trying.
First Commander Martigen
Tactical Operations Division
TSA Central
---
BRAVO Icculus!
I knew when I saw you at the Academy that great things were before you. You climbed fast, worked hard, and have proven time and again why the TSA made the right choice in basing you at TSA Command.
If I may, as a fellow officer, back up and emphasise your fine words with a few suggestions for our brave and talented marines.
Listen up men, these words will save your skin and the skin of your comrades:
* <b>Stick together.</b> Running off alone assures you a quick and painful death at the hand of the Kharaa. There are no live heroes in the TSA, only dead ones.
There is power in numbers -- the Kharaa know this, as you have no doubt found out already. If your comrades have fallen, hightail back to base or <i>hold your position and request backup</i>. Do not go in alone soldier, your commander can't bring you back from the dead.
* <b>Follow your orders. Always.</b> You can't see the big picture like your commander can. If he sets a waypoint for you, there's a very good reason he did so. Stop what you're doing, and move to it immediately. It doesn't matter if you're in the middle of attacking a hive -- go to the waypoint at once. You may be losing vital ground elsewhere and your backup is required.
<i>Ignoring your orders is a sure fire way to lose the war for your team.</i>
There are varying calibres of commander. Even if you think you have more real-world experience than a green officer right out of the Academy, give him the benefit of the doubt. <i>Don't tell him how to do his job, trust in his decisions</i>. We have a hard time enough fighting the Kharaa, we can do without fighting amongst ourselves. When your time comes to command, you'll appreciate the same co-operation from your men.
* <b>Work with your commander.</b> Report often of your findings and, when requesting resources, <i>use the command menu</i> -- this way he can find you quickly. Keep in mind he has to manage the whole squad so while your request may not materialise immediately, keep in mind he <i>has</i> heard you and <i>will</i> get to you as soon as he can. Repeat the request at regular intervals in case he has been swamped in his duties, but do not spam him -- you will only slow him down.
* <b>Use your grey matter.</b> Don't forget your military schooling so soon, soldier. Big guns will not win the war against the Kharaa. <i>Teamwork</i>, <i>communication</i>, and <i>strategy</i> will. A dose of common sense goes a long way as well.
When you patrol the corridors, <i>use your flashlight</i> and check the dark corners. If you hear the Kharaa nearby, <i>turn it off</i> to avoid alerting them to your presence.
The Kharaa excel at stealth, but they're not the only ones who can move silently. Unless you've been tagged by those horrible parasites, crouch and move slowly into a new area -- you may be able to surprise <i>them</i> for a change and take one down before it knows what hit it.
Don't wait before your clip is empty to reload. Reload always, at any 'quiet moment' during a fight. If you see it getting low, pull back around the corner and reload. Nothing assures a quicker marine death than being in range of Kharaa melee attacks whilst you're reloading. If you die this way, solider, you deserve it.
And lastly, a few tips for the fresh commanders out there:
* <b>Short, sharp and sweet.</b> Command the squad to take and hold an area one zone at a time. Do not move until the area is fortified. Move like a wall of human will from area to area -- secure, build, defend, and move -- and so on. Wether you are capturing resource points or securing corridors against the Kharaa, you will die if you spread out.
* <b>Capture remote resource points first.</b> Send one squad to capture remote resource points immediately, even while fortifying your base. This not only secure resources for your men, but it takes away quick resources zones from the Kharaa. Fortify them <i>well</i>, for once the Kharaa have realised what you have done they will throw everything at them. Remaining points closer to home can then be taken at your leisure.
* <b>This <i>isn't</i> a damn shopping mall!</b> Use every resource point wisely, don't go spending your cash like you're a schoolgirl with daddy's credit card -- your resources are limited, everything you buy could make or break your assault on the Kharaa. Shotguns are a fine weapon, and available with any armory -- use them. Don't go chasing after HA when the Arms Lab can provide three levels of upgraded armor for your men -- <i>which once researched provides increased armor protection at no cost from then on for every soldier that teleports in</i>. HA is a luxury, not a necessity. If you're buying HA before you have three levels of armor upgrades from the Arms Lab, you should be shot. More than that tell me your schooling commander at the Academy, and I'll have him shot too.
* <b>This <i>is</i> a damn shopping mall!</b> If, at any time, you have resources ticking up past 100 you're not doing your job! Your men are out there being torn apart at the claws of the Kharaa, and you're sitting on a stockpile of turrets, heavy weapons, and drop-in health and ammo kits! Unless victory is near and you own the battleground, you have no reason to be hoarding resources -- spend them or we'll put a schoolgirl who knows how to spend in the command chair!
* <b>Sweep it baby.</b> I think many commanders skipped chaper 12 of the 'Official TSA manual for the divination and eliminaton of xenophobes' manual, the one that specifically deals with <i>scanner sweeps</i>, affectionally called <i>pings</i> by those who use them.
Be like those who use them, and <b>use them</b>! They reveal a wealth of information for the commander and men nearby, including the location of cloaked alien scum. It's also one of the few things that scares a Kharaa -- knowing that their secret little bases and minions are known to the forces of the superior TSA marines!
That's it for now men. You are doing the TSA proud, and while the war on the Kharaa could seemingly swing both ways at the moment you and I both know that eventually the TSA will prevail. Or die trying.
First Commander Martigen
Tactical Operations Division
TSA Central
Comments
I pretty much agrees with everything you said in there. The most important thing to stress however, is to stick together with your team at all times. It makes the diffrance betwen succes or defeat.
Also something to add; by giving yourself a job; people will appreciate you. In my last game, I defended the base, welded armor (they were almost in our base), and helped the research along. By the end of the game; people were asking for me and my welder where it needed it be.
Defining your job secures your teammates calling on you. You can see "jobs" in another thread (I cannot remember it; if someone does, please post it.).
"Who is good with a grenade launcher?" If I get a couple replies (I always get at least one) then I drop one on that person. I tell him to be careful and not die. He usually is careful.
"Who wants to weld the HA's?" Not too many people sign up for this one, but I will occasionally get a response. Done deal, I have a designated welder.
Remember that a good commander doesn't necessarily ORDER his troops as much as guides them. Some people don't like to be told what to do, even in normal, real-life military organizations. What you have to do is let them participate in the decision making process, or at least THINK they are participating. =)
<!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::gorge::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/pudgy.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='pudgy.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::gorge::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/pudgy.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='pudgy.gif'><!--endemo-->
"See what happens when I decide what to do, Comm?!?"
"Err...I told you to go there in the first place..."
"stfu"
**obscenity** Marines... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->