Monsieurevil's Advanced Commander Mode
MonsieurEvil
Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
<div class="IPBDescription">For commanding on a patched 1.01 server</div> Here are my personal commander-mode tactics for when you've graduated beyond learning your controls and the basics of commanding. All are with a properly-working resource system in mind, so they will apply to patched servers:
<b>Make your first major objective grabbing a hive as a sub-base - </b>
Once the Kharaa have 3 hives, your teams chances at a win go way down. The way to avoid this is to get your troops gathered up and assault an *empty* hive early. Start by making a fairly rudimentary Marine Spawn base, with 1 inf. portal, 1 armory, and LOTS of mines. Mines are very cheap, and until the Aliens have Fades mines are impervious to attack. You can also lay tons before reaching the cost of several turrets. Boobytrap the bottlenecks into your base ASAP. Grab 1 nearby resource point but don't waste points defending it. Just use it to get enough bonus RP's to make an observatory, then use it to run a scanner on the nearest hive, then the next nearest if that one is full. Send all but 1 of your troops on a bum rush of the nearest empty hive. Grab it, get a tower built, then some turrets and an armory. Then in your old base, make an arms lab, and drop phasegates that link your spawn to your hive for easy reinforcement. Build up that hive, and keep plenty of troops on alert to defend it via your gates! The aliens will have a hard time recovering from this, and will at least spend a lot of time and energy focussing on this area rather than your main base. Get a backup CC in there if you can too, in case the aliens wise up and go after your weaker spawn area.
<b>Make motion tracking your number one priority for Marine upgrades - </b>
This is overall far more useful and beneficial to your troops than any other upgrade, even HA and better weapons, as it greatly reduces an alien's main advantages - stealth and mobility. Knowing where nearby Kharaa is more useful to your troops than having them constantly ambushed with their expensive weapons. Only after you get motion tracking should you worry about grenades and HMG's and jetpacks and such. It's a bargain as it's a one-time expense as well, and will save far more lives than those 4 shotguns.
<b>Jump to the action - </b>
Not very well know, but anytime your command console software is telling you that 'your troops are under attack, your building is under attack, research completed, etc', or a you hear, 'Yo, need some ammo over here!', you have the ability to jump directly to it. Simply tap your jump key (usually space), and your HUD view will immediately move to the area of concern. This saves a lot of time scrolling around trying to find some wounded troops desperately trying to survive a skulk rush. Tell your troops to use that pop-up menu!
<b>Use your distress beacon during rushes -</b>
Part of always making sure you have at least once functional observatory. When those damnable aliens get organized and start rushing your base, remember that your observatory can be used to respawn ALL your troops at ONCE in the Marine base. Not very expensive either, and it can be the difference between being overrun or having the Kharaa experience a costly failed attack at minimal Marine damage. That's why as a Skulk I usually go for the observatory when we rush so that a smart Commander can't break it up easily.
<b>Double-siege hives - </b>
Never place 1 siege cannon, always 2. The hive area will die twice as fast and 2 sieges force the aliens to divide their efforts to prevent it. Make them in vents if possible, or behind walls with long circuitous routes that simply happen to be near hives at once point.
<b>Learn to recycle - </b>
An issue most commanders have not experienced yet is a lack of resources (due to this pesky RP bug); when you are in resource system as it was intended, money will get very tight very fast. All buildings, turrets, sieges, etc. can be cashed in for a percentage of their original cost. If you need to make some big buys for a 'go-for-broke' assault which you think will break the aliens collective backs. Get rid of that 3rd IP. Remove some of those extra observatories. Be good to mother earth!
<b>Pick out a couple NCO's and have the rest of the troops stay off the comm net - </b>
The hardest part of commanding is deciding which of your scattered troops needs help. Delegate your forces to 1 or 2 experienced 'Sergeants' (NCO's), and have them do the talking over voice comm as much as possible. After a firefight, they can keep you in the loop. It lets you divide your forces to a limited extent (not too much though - that's bad: stay together). They can also be your eyes on the ground and give you tips on where the Kharaa are weakest.
<b>Use your top-down view to the maximum advantage- </b>
If you just sent troops out on an assault, scout their route. Bring up elevators that they will be using. Give them constant waypoints - they can't see the level as well as you can. Open doors for them, and shut them as they pass through to slow down rear-ambushes by crafty skulks looking to get a quick kill on the tail-end charlies. Lead them along with ammo and health like a trail of breadcrumbs to where you want them. Scan likely areas of ambush before they get there to flush the Kharaa out and give your troops advance warning. The more the troops feel like you are working for their best interest, the more likely they are to go where you want and implement your strategy. Besides, it's friggin' cool!
<b>Attack attack Attack (MOST IMPORTANT TIP HERE)- </b>
Go read up on some of the biographical works and memoirs of George Patton, Erwin Rommel, Chesty Puller, or Robert E. Lee. The key to winning as Marines is to avoid getting yourself stuck in endless base-building, and focus on assaulting the Kharaa as often, as fast, and as viciously as possible. Use jetpacks for more mobility. Carry shotguns and LMG's. Mass your forces. Keep the pressure on the Kharaa as constant as you can afford, so that they spend all their time on their heels instead of finding a CC to munch on. Make your defenses as minimal as you can and get your troops on the move. Use phasegates whenever possible to keep the speed of the battle in your favor. Don't give them time to settle in - once they have 2 hives, you are already in a heap of trouble. Push push push!
This is all just the tip of the iceburg. NS has a lot of depth, and the possibilities are pretty limitless. Use some of these as a basis for your own imagination and tactics.
Good Luck, Lieutenant![CODE][/CODE]
<b>Make your first major objective grabbing a hive as a sub-base - </b>
Once the Kharaa have 3 hives, your teams chances at a win go way down. The way to avoid this is to get your troops gathered up and assault an *empty* hive early. Start by making a fairly rudimentary Marine Spawn base, with 1 inf. portal, 1 armory, and LOTS of mines. Mines are very cheap, and until the Aliens have Fades mines are impervious to attack. You can also lay tons before reaching the cost of several turrets. Boobytrap the bottlenecks into your base ASAP. Grab 1 nearby resource point but don't waste points defending it. Just use it to get enough bonus RP's to make an observatory, then use it to run a scanner on the nearest hive, then the next nearest if that one is full. Send all but 1 of your troops on a bum rush of the nearest empty hive. Grab it, get a tower built, then some turrets and an armory. Then in your old base, make an arms lab, and drop phasegates that link your spawn to your hive for easy reinforcement. Build up that hive, and keep plenty of troops on alert to defend it via your gates! The aliens will have a hard time recovering from this, and will at least spend a lot of time and energy focussing on this area rather than your main base. Get a backup CC in there if you can too, in case the aliens wise up and go after your weaker spawn area.
<b>Make motion tracking your number one priority for Marine upgrades - </b>
This is overall far more useful and beneficial to your troops than any other upgrade, even HA and better weapons, as it greatly reduces an alien's main advantages - stealth and mobility. Knowing where nearby Kharaa is more useful to your troops than having them constantly ambushed with their expensive weapons. Only after you get motion tracking should you worry about grenades and HMG's and jetpacks and such. It's a bargain as it's a one-time expense as well, and will save far more lives than those 4 shotguns.
<b>Jump to the action - </b>
Not very well know, but anytime your command console software is telling you that 'your troops are under attack, your building is under attack, research completed, etc', or a you hear, 'Yo, need some ammo over here!', you have the ability to jump directly to it. Simply tap your jump key (usually space), and your HUD view will immediately move to the area of concern. This saves a lot of time scrolling around trying to find some wounded troops desperately trying to survive a skulk rush. Tell your troops to use that pop-up menu!
<b>Use your distress beacon during rushes -</b>
Part of always making sure you have at least once functional observatory. When those damnable aliens get organized and start rushing your base, remember that your observatory can be used to respawn ALL your troops at ONCE in the Marine base. Not very expensive either, and it can be the difference between being overrun or having the Kharaa experience a costly failed attack at minimal Marine damage. That's why as a Skulk I usually go for the observatory when we rush so that a smart Commander can't break it up easily.
<b>Double-siege hives - </b>
Never place 1 siege cannon, always 2. The hive area will die twice as fast and 2 sieges force the aliens to divide their efforts to prevent it. Make them in vents if possible, or behind walls with long circuitous routes that simply happen to be near hives at once point.
<b>Learn to recycle - </b>
An issue most commanders have not experienced yet is a lack of resources (due to this pesky RP bug); when you are in resource system as it was intended, money will get very tight very fast. All buildings, turrets, sieges, etc. can be cashed in for a percentage of their original cost. If you need to make some big buys for a 'go-for-broke' assault which you think will break the aliens collective backs. Get rid of that 3rd IP. Remove some of those extra observatories. Be good to mother earth!
<b>Pick out a couple NCO's and have the rest of the troops stay off the comm net - </b>
The hardest part of commanding is deciding which of your scattered troops needs help. Delegate your forces to 1 or 2 experienced 'Sergeants' (NCO's), and have them do the talking over voice comm as much as possible. After a firefight, they can keep you in the loop. It lets you divide your forces to a limited extent (not too much though - that's bad: stay together). They can also be your eyes on the ground and give you tips on where the Kharaa are weakest.
<b>Use your top-down view to the maximum advantage- </b>
If you just sent troops out on an assault, scout their route. Bring up elevators that they will be using. Give them constant waypoints - they can't see the level as well as you can. Open doors for them, and shut them as they pass through to slow down rear-ambushes by crafty skulks looking to get a quick kill on the tail-end charlies. Lead them along with ammo and health like a trail of breadcrumbs to where you want them. Scan likely areas of ambush before they get there to flush the Kharaa out and give your troops advance warning. The more the troops feel like you are working for their best interest, the more likely they are to go where you want and implement your strategy. Besides, it's friggin' cool!
<b>Attack attack Attack (MOST IMPORTANT TIP HERE)- </b>
Go read up on some of the biographical works and memoirs of George Patton, Erwin Rommel, Chesty Puller, or Robert E. Lee. The key to winning as Marines is to avoid getting yourself stuck in endless base-building, and focus on assaulting the Kharaa as often, as fast, and as viciously as possible. Use jetpacks for more mobility. Carry shotguns and LMG's. Mass your forces. Keep the pressure on the Kharaa as constant as you can afford, so that they spend all their time on their heels instead of finding a CC to munch on. Make your defenses as minimal as you can and get your troops on the move. Use phasegates whenever possible to keep the speed of the battle in your favor. Don't give them time to settle in - once they have 2 hives, you are already in a heap of trouble. Push push push!
This is all just the tip of the iceburg. NS has a lot of depth, and the possibilities are pretty limitless. Use some of these as a basis for your own imagination and tactics.
Good Luck, Lieutenant![CODE][/CODE]
Comments
Part of always making sure you have at least once functional observatory. When those damnable aliens get organized and start rushing your base, remember that your observatory can be used to respawn ALL your troops at ONCE in the Marine base. Not very expensive either, and it can be the difference between being overrun or having the Kharaa experience a costly failed attack at minimal Marine damage. That's why as a Skulk I usually go for the observatory when we rush so that a smart Commander can't break it up easily.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
A quick note on this tactic: The distress beacon will bring your team in at the initial spawnpoints, it's therefore critical for this tactic that your original base hasn't been abandoned (or even overrun) before.
You don't want your people to spawn into a massively defended alien base, after all.
Part of always making sure you have at least once functional observatory. When those damnable aliens get organized and start rushing your base, remember that your observatory can be used to respawn ALL your troops at ONCE in the Marine base. Not very expensive either, and it can be the difference between being overrun or having the Kharaa experience a costly failed attack at minimal Marine damage. That's why as a Skulk I usually go for the observatory when we rush so that a smart Commander can't break it up easily.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
A quick note on this tactic: The distress beacon will bring your team in at the initial spawnpoints, it's therefore critical for this tactic that your original base hasn't been abandoned (or even overrun) before.
You don't want your people to spawn into a massively defended alien base, after all.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Shh! That'd be funny to see!
As for an offensive blitz start:
I prefer the full relocation into an alien hive room as soon as possible.
Build only 1 Inf portal, select all your marines and send them to the nearest hive with thier inital loadout.
Drop a few ammo cookies along the way if needed to direct your newbie marines and keep em happy.
It should take your marines about 1 minute to get to the hive room.
They will suprise any rushing aliens on the way who are expecting an empty path to the marine start - not a full squad of marines.
They will surprise any gorge who's sitting around waiting for rp's next to rez node along the way.
You might lose 1-2 marines, no matter.
As soon as they get to hive room drop a little ammo, build a cc there and an inf portal
Recycle the old inf portal. (skulks have almost eaten it by now anyway)
This is your new base, build up like you would from a normal start.
Soon the aliens will destroy your old cc and you will be ejected, run as fast as you can to the cc. Or just die and respawn.
If it's not the aliens 1st hive, they will have no idea where you are and some little gorge will come wandering in to his death.
<!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
As I play chess...I command this...Attack Attack Attack, keep them reacting...not acting. Don't give them time to breath...keep my men geared up and moving forward. I keep tabs on them, learn thier names in game. Keep them moving in groups...tell them to get out when need be. I've played with enough good troops that the new ones that come in tend to get told by other marines to keep the comm net clear and speak fast and concise when they need something.
Aww the admin pinned his own thread. How surprising! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
yup!
Also, I'd like to point out that the tactics available as a marine varies tremendously depending on the size of your team. If you have 12 marines on your team, there is no need to loose your original base... you will have enough resources to turret-and-siege crawl yourself to a win.
In an 8 marine team, it's a good tactic. In a 4v4, it's a necessary tactic - though you will need lots of skill and luck to win as well.
It's interesting, really .. you can choose your own difficulty level in this game. Want a tough marine fight? Choose a 6v6 game. Want to die? Choose a 4v4. Want to relax and coast to a win on a flood of turrets and siege guns? Choose a 12v12 game.
Now to go to try this out...
Anyway, I was in base with two others and they just kinda stood there doing nothing whilst we had no commander, so despite not feeling ready for it I jumped into the command chair.
First off, i'm not too good with the maps yet but commander mode is the best way to learn. I now know bast like the back of my hand.
Secondly, I sincerely apologise to any commanders I have bugged the hell out of in the past. The number of people saying I need this or that is mad, and distracted me to no end, no doubt to the detriment of the team. Marines, if you need health or ammo, use the menu so the commander can jump to your location. If its not too far to an armoury, go reload there.
If you need something specific, like a GL to cope with some chambers or your in position to place a resource tower or you've sneaked into a prime position for a siege cannon, use team chat (or better voice comm) and GAVE YOUR LOCATION! Saying "Resource tower please ?" provokes a needle in the haystack hunt for one marine. On the sprawling (BTW, the maps are excellent, great job guys!) NS maps its impossible.
Just remember, anything you can do to help your commander helps you, and overall the entire team. Be nice, be reasonable, do as your commander asks, and you'll be the first toting a shiny HMG, clad in heavy armour <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
NB. Why is it that exactly 0.5 seconds after posting, you notice every spelling mistake ? <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
*edit* and I did have 2 NCOs monsE. I already used your tactics <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> Also got Heavy armor/wepons later to try to beat back the fades but they still owned us, very skilled aliens X.X
Last night, our marines set up base in one empty hive, set up turrets, cleared out another hive, set up turrets and were expecting an easy fight for a win....nope! The aliens regained the first hive, took over all the resource nodes that we had, got the 3rd hive back and proceeded to a hardcore, no lubrication rapage by <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tiny.gif'><!--endemo--> All this could've been prevented with an upgrade to the observatory...lessons learned I suppose...
Now I have commanders and Marines endlessly asking now for either a horde of turrents...which I have to point out really are not so useful after the first 2 or 3 resource wise. Then they ask for Mines...which seem cool but even a lowly goerge can take them down at range so...they really are not as cool as it might seem to hold an area.
Moving forward...attacking everything...deny the aliens resources...and be attentive. If nothing else...work as a team. Nothing is more annoying for me as a commander to see either 3 guys wonder off by themselves then ask for ammo and health over and over again because they are being overwhelemed. Or a whole team...sitting around asking for orders...not moving out to where they know aliens are...or where I have told them to go before. Very sad...work together...move as a group...listen to your commander.
just a thought.
The person in the CC really has no control over the rest of the troops if they don't want to listen to him.
However, it's usually a really, really bad idea not to do what the Commander asks - he can see so much more than a regular marine can, and is the one who can correctly delegate when and where to attack.
People that don't listen to the Commander are usually the ones that bring the whole team down. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo-->
Commanders should definitely make more use of this ability. Especially on that one map with the elevator leading up to the marine spawn point. I have seen several Onos ride the elevator up while the commander did nothing to stop them. He could have kept them from coming up as long as he liked. It would be even more fun if the commander could crush aliens under elevators or in doors. The poltergeist of natural selection <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
I know just what you mean. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> Motion tracking is one of the first upgrades I research every time I command.
Which bots are available for NS?
And about mines, WHY oh WHY do they have stupid red beams coming from them? Dont these people know that laser light is INVISIBLE unless theres one hell of a lot of dust in the air? Having mines shoot stupid red beams of god knows what across the corridoor is the most incredably pointless and stupid thing in the whole game (I really DO believe this).
As a skulk I approach a newly built base, all entrances surrounded with mines. Yup, very nice, very defencive, only I can see where each and every mine is and weave through them with minimal effort. Mines should have no stupid red beams and should provoke those charging aliens to be a little more aware and careful.
Not to mention the fact your average marine places mines at head height which a gorge and skulk can walk right under.
When will game developers learn that trip mines do NOT shoot stupid coloured, visible light beams rendering them completely useless?
<!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo-->
Hmm. Homophobia, Xenophobia, ageism and racism all exhibited in one post, and you wonder why admins kick you...
Oh, and before you criticize the language skills of others, make sure you learn how to spell.[/rant]
Nice thread, very handy <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Check those corners. ALL the corners. Abover, below, left, right and everywhere inbetween. Dont know how many times a skulk has been hiding HIGH up in some open tube, corner, vent, or ceiling. use shottie/GL and jetpack accordingly
Ballanced squad weapons. 1 or 2 GLer, 1 or 2 shottie, and 2+ HMG all in HA is all you need to take down a hive fast. and to allow for best squad abilities. GL takes out buildings at long range, HMGs take out anything med. range or closing in on other ppl; covering fire and shotties take out anything short/melee range that might want to chomp ppl.