TUTORIAL: Commanding for dummies

Discussion in 'Game Play' started by Private Sandbag, Sep 23, 2008.

  1. Private Sandbag

    Private Sandbag Member

    Messages:
    7,491
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    This won't teach anybody that is already a good commander anything new, but players that don't like to comm because they don't know how, or want to be good should read this.

    Create a server to practice on!
    -learn how to move the commander view around easily.
    -learn how to get a good view of an area quickly.
    -get good at going to locations in the map and getting your view into a good position.
    -get good at finding buildings in the building menu, rotating and placing them quickly.


    If you can do all of those things, you're fit to start commanding on the training server, any small (8 players per team) match, or a match where nobody wants to command.

    commanding is actually a very simple process:
    -Place a barracks at every new location, front line or place in enemy territory that your team gets to. place a barracks before refinary.
    -Protect your men with turrets, armouries and walls. all three of these are powerful weapons in your armoury
    -Give your men targets, by selecting all of them in an area, holding A, and drag selecting over as large an area as possible.
    -Keep researching at all times.


    If you can do these things for your team, then your team will do the rest. There are only a few other important things to remember before you're done:

    -Don't delay too long into the game before building a Vehicle Factory and Radar.
    -Always read the text chat. No commander is omnipotent- the text will tell you what your players need and where, especially refinaries and barracks.
    -Protect Yourself against ninjas (lone players who can kill the command vehicle by themselves). Do this by building turrets and a camra around your command vehicle at the earliest possible opportunity.
    -If a barracks in a base dies, but you have a vehicle factory, use the "spawn vehicle" section of the command panel to spawn an APC from the vehicle factory. you need a spawn to keep fighting the invading enemies!
    -Command your team! Tell them what to do, where to go, and if you can get a microphone, it'll make you twice as good a commander.


    The only thing I have not covered in this guide is what to research. I'll leave this up to you to discover, but info sheets can be found here

    Good luck, and have fun!
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2008
  2. Jephir

    Jephir ALL GLORY TO THE JEPHIR

    Messages:
    1,409
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    0
    In my opinion, if you always drop refineries, never research reactive/absorbant, and make sure to put the comm vehicle in a safe place you'll do fine.
     
  3. Emp_Recruit

    Emp_Recruit Member

    Messages:
    4,244
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Either be really smart or play 2 months before you comm. Preferably both.
     
  4. Ikalx

    Ikalx Member

    Messages:
    6,210
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Remember the commander is as much intel as anything else. Make sure your people know what's going on and where. Mark relevant targets, call out priorities. Get your men there. It doesn't really matter if you aren't a good leader, as long as you keep your team outfitted and up to date they'll be able to make the win.

    Remember, it's on the team whether or not they win - you can enable them, but they've got to take it the distance.
     
  5. pixelized

    pixelized Member

    Messages:
    204
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    I still think we need a sub commander to mark targets and execute the main commander's battle plan so the head honcho can focus on research and the greater strategy as a whole, especially if we get larger servers.
     
  6. Empty

    Empty Member

    Messages:
    14,912
    Likes Received:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Or just give squad leaders a laptop that lets them go into comm view and give orders and place cameras and radars.
     
  7. Metalhead

    Metalhead Member

    Messages:
    232
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    That sounds like researching reactive or absorbant is a bad thing... never heard about superlights or railheavies? Superlights are nf light tanks with reactive armor and 3-phase engine, which is the best tank you can get in early game. This armor-engine combination is also the fastest way to railheavies, which are one of the best tanks you can get as BE.
    On the other hand there's absorbant which is a good counter against railheavies and nukes...
    You can't just say that one type of engine or one armor should never be researched!

    A little off topic... but only a little ;)
     
  8. Jephir

    Jephir ALL GLORY TO THE JEPHIR

    Messages:
    1,409
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    0
    The thing about reactive is that if you don't win within 5 minutes, you're boned for the rest of the game because your resources are depleted and light tanks cost you 500 resources each. Reactive is only 2 less resource per plate than composite armor, except that reactive is also extremely heavy and you can't fit more than 4 layers on a well-equipped heavy tank. And the tank still costs a huge amount of resources.

    Absorbant armour dies from any type of missile; RPG, ML turret or otherwise. You'll always run into ML turrets so absorbant armour is useless half the time.

    Regen armor is definitely worth the extra 1 minute research time to get. Pays off in the end. No point getting these armors when you can get regen in just an extra minute.
     
  9. ScardyBob

    ScardyBob Member

    Messages:
    3,457
    Likes Received:
    30
    Trophy Points:
    0
    I usually go reactive for three reasons:

    1. I have good players who know how to effectively use superlights (reactive/3phase on a NF light)
    2. I'm getting LVL3's and need to quickly get an armor
    3. I'm rushing BE rail heavies

    Otherwise, Jephir is right. Its simply too expensive/heavy when compared to other armor/engine combinations.

    Absorbant isn't really that bad. However, its usually not a good first armor. Its poorness against missles is balanced by being cheap and light. Also, it puts you in close proximity to some good weapons (HE, UML, Upg/AdvRPG, HEMG).
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2008
  10. Empty

    Empty Member

    Messages:
    14,912
    Likes Received:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    0
    At the end of the day, at least it's not composite.
     
  11. Demented

    Demented Member

    Messages:
    2,337
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Does it say something bad about me that I like that idea?

    Dizzy would surely blow a gasket if you posted that in the suggestions forum.
     
  12. blizzerd

    blizzerd Member

    Messages:
    10,552
    Likes Received:
    60
    Trophy Points:
    0
    i personally believe that the type of research to be done depends from game to game on these factors:

    your team's skillset
    the enemy team's skillset

    your current situation on the map, and the map itself

    luck
    a lot of luck
     
  13. Empty

    Empty Member

    Messages:
    14,912
    Likes Received:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    0
    I'm serious about that. Thanks for the support, nobody said no. And it increases a squad leaders importance, so long as his orders don't override the commanders.
     
  14. DonMegel

    DonMegel Member

    Messages:
    1,368
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Que Solo saying it has been discussed and shot down.

    I have plans to that effect but there is just so much to do and so few coders. It might be a while before we get to the point that we can decide to implement that or not.
     
  15. Empty

    Empty Member

    Messages:
    14,912
    Likes Received:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Please do, I don't care if it takes 4 versions, do it :)
     
  16. Ikalx

    Ikalx Member

    Messages:
    6,210
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Are you sure? You'll actually be an adult by then...maybe even have children too! :p
     
  17. Empty

    Empty Member

    Messages:
    14,912
    Likes Received:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    0
    We'll form a clan, and kick your asses. With squad leader laptops.
     

Share This Page