“In the midst of difficulties we should ever be ready to grasp every opportunity so that our object may be obtained. In a favorable situation, we should be alert in detecting our weaknesses so that we may avoid misfortune.”
- Sun Tzu, The Art of War

I’m writing this because I have been seeing more and more relatively good commanders that could be so much better were it not for this one simple quote.

There are a countless number of topics on this board that deal with playing as the Commander, and, more specifically, the tactics and strategies that are required to win as the marines. While the majority of these are extremely detailed and would most definitely lead a team to victory, there is a major factor that many players, myself included, often forget:

No plan survives first contact with the enemy.

There will always be something that you hadn’t accounted for in the specific strategy you had in mind. As honed as your tactics are, the enemy will do something unexpected, every time.

This leads me to my main point of this post (about time, huh? ): Commanders need to learn to adapt throughout the course of a game. Even though your strategy has won you the last 10 games that you’ve played as a Commander, if the aliens start gaining some ground on you, if you still want to win, you need to stop what you’re doing and alter your overall plan for the game in order to reclaim what you’ve lost.

Your build orders shouldn’t last you more than 5 minutes into the game. Relying on a specific build template 10 minutes into the game will not utilize your resources and your troops to their full potential. If you’re not adapting your game plan by then, you’re already at a massive disadvantage.

In a few games I’ve played, I’ve literally taken my hands off of the keyboard and mouse, taken the headset mic off of my head, and said out-loud, “This isn’t working. I need to change this. Now.”

I end up getting some weird looks from my roommates, but I also usually wind up with another win under my belt. I’ve found that the marines you’re controlling are more than willing to cooperate with you – most likely, they’re as tired of dying as you are of losing fortifications at a key location.

Failure to adapt strategies throughout the course of the entire game has many negative results:

1. Loss of morale. Your troops, the good soldiers that they (probably) are, are following your waypoints into an area that is critical to the success of your strategy. You controlled it at one point, but lost it after a massive assault. Now you need to re-capture it in order to get back on your feet. Your marines will get tired of running in to their death, respawning, and doing it over again. This is when you get a few “Rambos” on your team – the army of one that will go toe-to-toe with a group of Skulks. Not only does this cost you the cooperation of your marines, it costs you control of your forces.
2. Loss of resources. Trying to secure that Hive when you’re getting flanked from all sides, constantly losing turrets, factories, armories, and personnel will get you stuck with next to nothing in your wallet. Remember that troops cost 1 resource point to respawn, and when you’ve just blown 152 resources on a forward base (factory, armory, 3x turrets, 3x siege turrets), those single resource points are going to start adding up.
3. Loss of time. Every minute that you’re spending trying to salvage your strategy is one minute that you could be spending getting everything together in an attempt to try another tactic, and one minute for the aliens to bolster their forces. Also, as the game drags on, irregardless of how we’d like people to act, people playing on a team and just getting their butts handed to them are going to quit. This just puts you at an even greater disadvantage.

Losing morale, resources, and most importantly, time, is not typical of a successful plan. From the other side’s perspective, when you fail to change your strategies throughout the game, they are gaining all of the things mentioned above.

Keep in mind that your opponents most likely have a general strategy that they’re sticking to as well. When you change yours up, they will either have to adapt to counter it or fight a losing battle. You want to keep them on their toes the entire game. Don’t fall victim to doing what they’re expecting you to do!

The simplest solution to changing your strategy is to change your tactics. Yes, tactics and strategy are not the same – a strategy is an overall goal that you want to accomplish (securing a Hive location before the aliens can, for example). Tactics are the maneuvers that you use to fulfill your strategy (moving 2 squads in different routes in order to outflank an opponent, and then setting up a forward base).

The best way to change your tactics is to change them before you have a chance to even start them. I know it sounds weird, but hear it out. If you are gathering constant intelligence on your opponent – where they are, what units they have – you can determine ahead of time if the strategy you would like to utilize would succeed or fail. This can easily be done by getting an Observatory up as soon as resources permit, and researching motion tracking. You should be constantly using scanner sweeps throughout the entire game – for only 1 resource point, you can save the cost of respawning your troops and the equipment that they may lose if they die.

Now, you marines reading this probably don’t think this post really concerns you – you’re outright wrong. You are the ones that know exactly what’s going on during battle. If you know your Commander’s set-in-stone plan that won’t stand up to what you know is lurking around the corner, let them know. If you just so have happened to come across an unprotected area on your way to your waypoints (because you are following waypoints, of course), let the Commander know! It may be a huge boon to your team and a huge setback to your opponent if you move up through that area rather than the place at which they are expecting you. Regardless of what Commanders in other games have said, we really do rely on you guys to let us know what’s going on.

This concludes my opinions on tactical versatility, I hope some of you Commanders find it useful, and some of you marines realize that you play an extremely important role in this as well.

Outstanding flatline, I couldn't have said it better myself. I've done that more then once where I am looking at the map and realize that the kahraa have a hardon about some node in the map and though I usually take it they just keep coming. So I gave it to them and moved my men around the map, took 3/4's of it in no time and procceded to basically outflank them.

Always remember Commanders, Improvisation...if something isn't working, improvise and try something else. There is nothing worse that you can do then to always do the same thing over and over again...then you get into a routine...and your enemy will eventually figure it out...and then you lose. Always be watchful and adapt to the game as it comes.

Damn. I knew someone was gonna beat me to the punch of posting this! Grrr.

Very well written. I use these priniples every time I play. It's much better to have tactical plans set up in your head, or layouts for areas, then place them together when you need them. Multiple variations help too. And never be afraid to screw it all and change if it isn't working.

In short, excellent post; a must-read for all commanders. I hope someone pins this one.

Narfwak - I was hoping someone wasn't going to beat *me* to the punch in posting this.

If I get a response to this article, I'll consider writing up some more similar to this, or any topic that someone is interested in.

Amen!

Heh, I've lost count of the times where a commander was too stuborn to change something he was doing. Today, can't remember the map name, but we rushed to their sewer hive, and were holding, yelling out at our commander for a turret factory so we could claim the hive. He had plenty of resource, always over 60, but he was busy securing other areas, telling us to "wait, I know what I'm doing, need to secure these resource points so we don't lose them." Well, we lost. By the time he got ejected we have fades so far up our behinds all we could was respawn and be slaughtered. Another guy would spend all his resources on upgrading everything, and didn't have us expand at all. What happened? Slaughtered.

You HAVE to be flexible. The map on where the holo room is kinda the "middle" and is considered crutial to hold if you want to win, the Aliens were just throwing everything they had at it, and took it. Instead of throwing all of our guys, we had one or two harrasse it, while we went around it, and took two resouce points behind it, and while the alliens were protecting their wonderful holo room, we took their thrid hive.

Moral? Be open minded. If you have an advantage, take it!

Also, I'd live to hear more of your stratagies, so post away! ;D

Judging from the positive responses this is getting, I think it's worth a *BUMP!*

It's definatly something all new commanders...and even some veterans should read. You have to be ever attentive and willing to change and adapt. It is said those who cannot adapt will die. This game is an easy way to notice that.

Because there are probably people who haven't read The Art of War.

Well said.

*SHAMLESS BUMP*

I'll shamelessly bump with a piece of my own. It is my First Essay on Marine Tactics Perhaps inspiration can be gained. I soak up any good advice given out on this forum. My biggest problem with being commander is to locate my troops and give them orders. Therefore, the most important thing to agree with your troops is: Stick together! I find that it works great if either you or them selves work out a informal team organization from the start.

***

Make Groups
In a 16 player game you can have two teams of 3 players each, plus one "Grease Monkey" to maintain the base. In a 14 player game, the marine can typically have two 3 man groups plus a commander. I suggest always a few marines remain in base to help defending against raiding skulks. Only later in game can you afford enough turrets to keep all but heavy groups of fades out.

'The commander picks the three topmost players from the list of marines and tag them "Group 1"
The commander then picks the next three players from the list of marines and tag them "Group 2"
The remaining marine is tagged "Janitor" or "Group 3", if not just going with the rest of the groups.

Now, it's important that each marine understand who his buddies are. So commander calls out

Group 1 is [NARF]Blimey NSPlayer Johnny_Rotten
Group 2 is etc.

When ever Commander chats or yells "1 go to Computer Core" that means Group 1 should make their way to Computer Core - NOT Group 2 or anyone else.

Stick with the groups marines! It makes it easier all the way through.

when in the group
Make sure that the commander gives one of you a welder as soon as he can afford it. Welders can repair basic armor too. If welder boy dies, make sure to pick it up. Welder boy should weld his pals as soon as they have time for it. When he needs a weld himself, he can drop the welder with G key and another can weld him up and now take turn as a weld boy.

If any of the marines in the group have upgraded with a heavy weapon (Shotty, HMG, nade) he will not be the welder if A marine with LMG is present. LMGs should always be welder boy. They are the cheapest players res points wise.

Never build with more than 1 marine. The two others stay on overwatch. I have too often seen busy building marines being ambushed by skulks.

Death do you part
When one of the marines in your group dies, the remaining two continue to carry out their orders as good as they can.

Dead marine respawns waits in base for one of his pals to die and come back here. Unless his group is really close (like a 15-20 second run max). When 2nd marine is dead and arrives at base, you two head out together (if not expecting 3rd one to kick the bucket soonish - then wait for him).

Moving about
Dont run single file. Rather make a row or a wedge with no more than 3 meters between each marine.

When you run out of orders and not in a fight, do NOT start growing brain tumors and run off on your own strange errands. Commander is busy. Don't mill about as moths around a lamp when awaiting instructions. It makes it harder for the commander to lasso you. And give you that order. Stay close to each other, but not too close so that there is room to fire at incoming aliens.

MAKE SURE TO SCAN BEHIND YOU once and in a while. Especially when tracking upgrade is active, you can get information on approaching enemies in time to warn your friends.

Enemy near
When spotted enemy you can always just shoot to make sure your pals are aware. For this to work, it is imperative that you don't go around shooting for the heck of it when bored.

When fighting skulks, use short controlled bursts. Going full clip isn't efficient versus a swift dodging skulk player.

When fighting acid rocket throwing fades, you must quickly decide to rush them or retreat. A prolonged ranged duel with fades usually ends up with marines being dead. A fade can usually shoot 5 rockets before his stamina has spent, and he must recover. Use this pause to advance on him. Remember to go ALL of you or none of you.

Idling
When waiting, make sure you have an eye pointing in each direction that enemies can come from. If you are building stuff, and two marines must cover more area, do scans. Look in one direction for a sec, look a bit in the other for a sec, scan back. Dont run around when not in combat! Stand still but be alert.

Always ask for ammo/health with Comm option. Don't spam for it. Once every 20 second or so is enough if mr. comm has forgotten you.

Never say " Res here...". Say "Res at Computer Core" or whereever you are. Your current location is shown at the bottom left of the hud.

Chances for an early game skulk rush grow from day to day, as kharaa players learn about it. All marines stay in base at beginning of match, ready to defend vs the eventual skulk party. You are ready to move when the armory is built earliest. A prowling marine is no good that early, unless he got mad skillz that enables him to take out several skulks and harass their hive - but can he with merely 50 bullets and a commander b usy building the base?

* All player names in this essay are fictional. Any resemblence with living or future players or clans are purely coincidential. No skulks were harmed during this writing. They were, however, really in pain after I finished it and went online.

I've learned tons in this thread. Bravo!

Hmm, "greasemonkey" sounds like a good name for whoever plays as my Commander's Handyman ™ next. It's cool to see that someone else came up with a similar concept independantly of me.

Er, and about that [NARF]Blimey name - please tell me that's just something you made up. I've been using the name Narfwak for more than six years now, and I don't want some clan using my name.

"Pinkey and the Brain" stole your idea, unfortunately.

It's a cartoon about lab mice bent on world domination. Narf is one of the mice' catch phraise.

Heh, that's a funny show. I never even thought about that actually. But you didn't answer my question - does the clan exist or no?

Woohoo! It finally got pinned. Now I'll definately write another one - anything you guys want more information on?

Caged. Write a guide for caged, I cannot figure out that map as alien or marine.

Haha, I'll see what I can do.

I'm currently reluctant to play on that map, as I don't know it well enough to command (or even follow orders efficiently), and I get lost as the aliens. Give me some time, and I'll see what I can come up with.

Heh, thats why I want a guide for it; I have the same problem.

Woww... dude Flatline, what server do you play on? Just today i was on damn... the one with the Horseshoe, anyways.. no one wanted to command, and I play aliens alot. but dude, if i had a commander like you everytime, marines would kick some **obscenity**

-PD

Well, he played on spidergaming.com:27016 before, and I always play there.

I totaly agree with this tactical vertisatility thing. However I think it should be kept in mind that (especially due to lack of marine mobility compared to aliens without phase gates) you shouldn't completely throw a plan out the window as soon as it doens't work exactly according to plan. If your gonna try to take the leftside of a map for example, completely switching to the rightside just because your progress got impeded slightly halfway isn't too good a solution. Always weigh your options, thats what I think (yes a simple example, but I'm a simple guy )

Well, yeah, that's not really a good example. A good example would be trying to take feedwater hive as a rush in bast, getting rejected over and over and over again, then trying a different area.

QUOTE (PeregineDive @ Nov 18 2002, 07:20 PM)

Woww... dude  Flatline, what server do you play on?  Just today i was on damn... the one with the Horseshoe, anyways.. no one wanted to command, and I play aliens alot.  but dude, if i had a commander like you everytime, marines would kick some **obscenity**

Well thank you for the compliment - I play on a few different servers, but if anyone has some good ones, get in touch with me (website, email, AIM, PM, whatever), and I'll try and hit them up when I've got some time (and my connection doesn't suck).

QUOTE

However I think it should be kept in mind that (especially due to lack of marine mobility compared to aliens without phase gates) you shouldn't completely throw a plan out the window as soon as it doens't work exactly according to plan.

Good point. I'm not saying you should abandon a plan entirely - versatility can mean making a slight change, not just completely trying something new.

QUOTE (Narfwak @ Nov 18 2002, 09:45 PM)

Hmm, "greasemonkey" sounds like a good name for whoever plays as my Commander's Handyman ™ next. It's cool to see that someone else came up with a similar concept independantly of me.

I think it was you or another poster who gave me the idea that a commande needs a man back at the base to help out. Grease monkey just sounds funnier even though it hasn't got a lot to do with fixing aircrafts or cars. And the names where something I made up btw. I might as well had called them [POIT]Brain and [POIT]Pinkey


Btw a little lesson learned about morale yesterday

Our mediocre commander managed to get his mediocre team up near a hive on Caged, setting up a siege gun fortification. He could that because we went there together. But the aliens faded and eventually threw us out of the spot. This is where the morale dropped.

And it was at this time that soldiers started following their almost bred-in tendency to just load up ammo and rush out of the base ready to get that fade who just got them for the 3rd time.

Naturally it was a downhiller from there.

So after a tactical DEFEAT, do not lose your head marine! Stay in those groups and don't go fade hunting with LMGs. Just don't ok?

Well done Flatline...it got pinned. Good to see too since this is something inspiring commanders...and some marines it looks like, should read. I like that spo on grouping marines too...If I can find some Marines that can actually work that well together I'll have to give it a shot, though I recommend larger groups if possible. 3 men work well for recon squads...but in this game you may need larger groups for strikes...I recommend 5-7 if there are enough effective players on the server. It's a simple case where the more people on the server, the more you will need for an assualt simple because of the increased resistance you will likely face.

It's all about teamwork boys and girls...put the team before yourself and you will go a lot farther...know your place in the line, but don't be afraid to speak up. Remember, commanders have a limited view where as you can see everything before you. A good commander is more then willing to listen to his Marines.

Thanks Mindmeld... and Narfwak, I got that ns_caged guide up and running. Maybe that'll get pinned too.

QUOTE

I recommend 5-7 if there are enough effective players on the server.

Ahaha, 7 players is usually the entire team on the servers I play on. Maybe this is why I prefer 2-3 people as 1 attack group (which is why I posted the don't always stick together thread)

Thanks to everyone who has added imput to this thread! It has helped me SO MUCH! you all rock!

Edit: Wait a minute? Sinse when have marines been able to read???

Laughs...good point BirdFeed. Well, I figure 5-7 because that is what you normally need firepower wise. i have been playing a lot of 10 on 10 but if your as high as 16 on 16 then you know why I have so many attacking. Massive alien resistance....you need massed firepower...depending on weapons and skill but, overkill never hurt anyone : )

Yeah... I usually play five on five (14 player server, spots usually open if not empty), so I don't even have seven people to use. I like turrets more than people anyway - they always shoot at them. All you need the players for is building stuff . Really though, if you take it slowly with a "build base here, then there, then there, then in their hive" approach you should be able to own them without nearly as many people.

I usually try to play on 14 or 16 player servers. The only big exception is the Clan Eternity server - that's got 22 players, is almost always filled, has good players, and a good ping.

:o)

Thanks to Narfwak and Immacolata for two very good posts.

Its guys like you .. and many others with great imput that makes this community so interesting.

Now if only the people on the servers were all like that

Hehe ohh well Ill go check it out !

Good day

Misterproof

QUOTE (Narfwak @ Nov 18 2002, 03:45 PM)

Hmm, "greasemonkey" sounds like a good name for whoever plays as my Commander's Handyman ™ next.  It's cool to see that someone else came up with a similar concept independantly of me. Er, and about that [NARF]Blimey name - please tell me that's just something you made up.  I've been using the name Narfwak for more than six years now, and I don't want some clan using my name.

I prefer Gunnery Sergeant, but hey.....whatever.

Flatline...a great read...I concur with almost all ya wrote in ya first post...I dont think much else can be added to it.
Grease Monkey...Im sure I heard that in Savin Private Ryan or another war movie.
The only place I could find it came up in is at Imdb.com... "Blair: No, I just never got combat tips from a grease monkey". tis from Wing commander ...funny I know I aint seen that tho

Grease monkey is an age-old term for people that "moneky around" with greasy machinery such as automobiles or other vehicles. It can also be applied to any sort of tech expert, but tends to exhibit a more "grungy" or "dirty" feel than other terms that could be applied.

Just thought I'd freshen things up a bit in here.

Anyone that hasn't read this thread should, and should know that I had Flat's notes on tactical versatility and dynamics in mind during the entire course of the game. Really, we would have been doomed if we didn't adapt.

Anyway, more people should post more stuff here. I feel guilty having more posts in my thread when Flat is so much of a better strategist than I.

Nice Post I have lost games due to my inflexibility.
A big problem when I 1st started comming was that I assumed all marines were as good as me, not that im excellent but I know the maps well (partly from comming) and can often get somewhere via an alternative route. Many people can't without waypoints so I'd always send marines that couldn't achieve what I wanted. However I'd continue with this plan until it was so bad that I *had* to change as we were dying.

Another point though is to always *have* a plan, don't just drop it and mess about for 5 minutes having no direction. Having a goal even a unlikely one is important (for me at least).

hi new here
my turn to post =)
my fren say that alien are too powerful because of fade but its also because of marine .

marine(s) in public server make a few mistake and they think its fine .

1) commander ---> like the name say its the commander , not the marine.

situation : base under attack , should the commander come out
NO !! well why ? skulk will be biting continuously at cc and ip , even you come out , you wil be bite once and that once cost ur life for sure . if you know its only 1 skulk , maybe you can come out but you have to wait a while before you go in again

situation 2 : no1 is following your order how ??
well i seen commander fed up until totally give up hope and start recycling everything .... stupid !!! 1 way , talk to em and use message to give them commands... that might seem easier

2) marine ----> do wat the commander ask you to
situation : you scream and scream for guns but the commander didnt give u..
well 1 way , prove urself worthy of that gun . follow your commander orders and move to waypoint.. when you meet problem like WOL in ur way , report to comm , and if he think you need that gun , he will giv u ......

_____________________________________________________________
lastly i want to say , when you see ur fellow marine around the base idling and commander dont even care , and marine are just there taking ammo from armory , i suggest F4 to solve the problem , hell how they going to use the 350 ammo ( well becomng to 300 ) i cant even use more than 200 or at most 250 and i die . well useless you are fighting WOL but its also useless wif 350 ammo so what for take so much and spend time

adding more if i face more problem face by comm and marine!!

change is good

QUOTE (th@ annoying kid @ Mar 27 2003, 11:22 AM)

change is good

Like the title says... Change IS good.

Negative. I disagree.

You can not win a game without plan(s). Only by luck.

Let me explain. Although the topic is basing on the obvious ideas of flexible commanding, it does not give a clear explanation HOW. As one of the posters(Crazed Monk On a Mission) noted, *sometimes* it's not good to turn your strategy by 180 degrees. I'd say many of the times.

STUBBORNness wins

How many games I was amazed how constant pressure and never-giving-up really works! Marines coming to the hive and getting eaten, coming again and getting eaten, coming again and again and again, loosing 3 TF and a lot of turrets, shotties, mines welders in the process. Now everybody on the aliens think marines MUST change their tactics now, and aliens spread out to check far corners of the map. What do you think happens? Marines keep coming to the same spot, come there finally build TF siege the hive and win the game!
Aliens. This is the best race for examples. How many times I left the game because it was "obviously" lost. (I dont do that any more - NEVER_GIVE_UP! is my motto now, thanks to the NS). And how I was amazed when returning to the same game, to discover the constant attacking of a point on a map succeded!



Do not disperse!

That's maybe my personal experince but I lost lots of games because I was trying to achieve all at once, instead of sticking to a single plan. I was doing MT and armor upgrades, then dropping PG and TFs, then switching to JPs, etc. Well it does not work. You can have a lot of stuff but if you dont concentrate on the main direction (I call it a plan) it would not help. Always have general (not detailed) main plan and stick to it, especially if it works! If it does not, try harder, try again! If it still does not, ...

...Disperse!!

Sometimes plans just simply do not work. You need to train the feeling if your main plan is failing. Then and only then you need to switch over to another (backup) plan. But not just sit and wait for the opportunity! If you see the main plan is hopeless (which is always arguable and subjective), or do not want to take the risk, switch to the backup plan. And here is important p[art: you need to prepare several plans in advance: decide what plan is the best in what situation and then switch over.

Well all this is not against the idea tha comm does not have to use good opportunities. If you soldier happened to sneak to the hive and you can drop a PG without big risks, of course you can consider that. But if you already went to JP rush route, and it's going well, wasting money on the PGs will likely get you killed.

But what I got from this "change is good" guide is that the major idea for the comm is to sit and wait around for the aliens to give some opportunities. No way! All battles can be and must be planned in advance with several backups! You do not need to plan the whole battle, of course. What is really needed is to define some strategies / subplans and activating them according to circumstances. But that is not possible without carefull consideration in advance(and I call it planning)

Ah well. Just my opinion.

Good points all around White Kite Fauna.

The main thing I was trying to get at is that even if you do have a plan, don't be scared of changing it up a bit. Give up immediately? No. Weigh your options and try something new? You bet.

By the way, if anyone still remembers me from this board, I plan on getting back into things upon v2.0's release!

You got some good points there White Kite Fauna, but you also have some statements I simply
must object to.

"STUBBORNness wins"?

WW1

THAT was stubborn. That was also very stupid.

"But what I got from this "change is good" guide is that the major idea for the comm is to sit and wait around for the aliens to give some opportunities."

Now, sitting around and waiting for an opportunity will not give you anything to change, neither will you
have any ability to react to any change. What you should get from this "change is good" guide should
rather be to not be too stubborn, and to try a different approach if what you're doing isn't working.
There is more than one way to skin a cat, as they say. Don't change the goal itself, change the path.

I will have to agree/partially agree with all other points made.

Don't go into battle without a plan. But as stated in the fist post:

No plan survives first contact with the enemy.

Well Flat here has it nailed down on tactical flexibilty.

Stubborness is not always the way to fight most of the time.

Here's an example.....

Last night I was commanding the Marines on the Nano Gridlock server. The map was Bast. I did a somewhat predictable re-location to Atmospheric Processing right off the bat. The alien's first hive was feedwater right around the corner. I got two Res nodes up right away and told my marines to suppress feedwater in an attempt to do a siege on the hive.

The fighting was intense, just when i had a TF down outside feed (with 3 marines guarding) a gaggle of skulks pushed us back and took the TF. For 5 minutes we tried to hold the grating outside of Feed long enough to attempt to seige with no luck. I scanned the refinery and heard a gorg running around.

I knew time was running out, if we continued to pound feedwater we would be in fade trouble very soon. I had been pooling resources in prep for fast TF siege build. (I give great credit to my marines who worked as team and didn't question me at all) It was at this point I recalled Flatline's post in my head, "This isn't working, you need to change." (and change fast)

With about 112 resources in the bank I recalled all marines to our atmospheric base. I told my guys "we're going to try something not normally done." I gave out 7 shotguns to 7 marines. It got real quiet real fast around the armory. Someone finally said, "uh ok, I've only seen this done once."

Well 7 shotgun marines went down the hall to Feedwater with me following them overhead. One skulk tried to jump off the wall onto the herd of marines. If you have ever been duck hunting with 4 or 5 guys in a duck blind or skeet shooting you know first hand what happened next. That skulk never made it to the ground alive.

At any rate the marines buckshoted all the skulks on the way to feed with no losses. At feedwater I ordered everyone to unload on the hive. We lost 6 marines but the 7th one managed to drop the hive. The end game timer started ringing, it worked.

The aliens managed to get the refinery hive started, I took advantage of that time to grab every resource node on the map. 3 minutes later it was all over.

Had I been stubborn and kept throwing marines and TF sieges at Feedwater I doubt the outcome would have been very good for the marines.

If something it isn't working, stop and rethink. What are your options? What resources do you have? What would the other team totally not expect?

If you have marines that will listen to you and can shoot worth a damn you have won the hardest part of commanding in NS. Being flexibile, creative and competent is the rest of the fight. Luck is maybe 5% of the whole thing.

Oh and last of all a shotgun rush is not always a good idea. It's worked 1 of 2 times that I have tried it as a commander. Also I do believe Flatline was one of the aliens picking skulkshot pellets out of his arse last night.

Gat

QUOTE

It was at this point I recalled Flatline's post in my head, "This isn't working, you need to change." (and change fast)

Well I'm glad it helped someone.

QUOTE

Also I do believe Flatline was one of the aliens picking skulkshot pellets out of his arse last night.

Nope, sorry, wasn't me. I haven't played 1.04 in about 5 months, except for a few random instances when people need a Commander.

I did play a game last night, but it was on ns_caged. Stupid people copying my name. If it's not Flatline[UTD] it's not me.

Shotgun rush? lol that's very unusual. I've actually never seen a vanilla rine + sg rush.

Now, if you were to throw in a few jps though...

I agree 100%. I have seen many games lost by marines just by "hoping-aliens-won't-attack-here" and also many others lost by losing time.

excellently written. And a nice reply post on general marine field tatics also. Flexability is a necessity, not only for a commander but also for his soldiers. Maybe you might want to write something up on field strats/tatics also.

What I read is very interesting but incomplete, I think. Do you want to be a good commander and know all weakpoints of the ennemy? So, become the ennemy. You want to learn about Kharaa's Tactics, play Kharaa. In all tactics you will read, "Think as if you were the ennemy, become him, and you'll destroy him". It's a game and we have the opportunity to become the frontiersmen's ennemy. So, to be a good Marine, be a good Kharaa.

I also read that improvisation wasn't good to win when you are a commander. I don't agree with you guys. What is improvisation? Adapting a specific strategy to a specific case that u didn't expect. The more you improvise, the more you can win. But you must fulfill several conditions:
1. Knowing some Kharaa's strategy.
2. Be a good Marine before being Commander. If you learn the edges and the flaws of the Marines, as commander u can adapt your tactics.
3. Read the manual of the marines and aliens if u hadn't do it.

What I say is what I use in game. it's just a piece of advice like the others posts. I know some of you hate to play aliens, but to become the best you should take the hardway.
I hope I got answers to this post.