PG Placement
Rapier7
Join Date: 2004-02-05 Member: 26108Members
Join Date: 2004-02-05 Member: 26108Members
<div class="IPBDescription">MEIN COMMANDANT!</div>Just when I thought I kicked the NS habit, I just got another taste and now I'm back for another round of screaming through the mic at incompetent idiots. It's just way too addictive.
And, of course, here is another one of my infamous guides to commanding. But this one is different. I'm only going to talk about strategic PG placement.
<b>Poor PG placement</b>
I cannot stress how important PG placement is in Natural Selection. Good PG placement is the difference between sieging down that second hive or losing.
<u><i>In marine start</i></u>, there are two good areas to place the PG. One is between the IPs and the armory. If the PG on the other side is getting attacked and you need marines to get to the front ASAP, tell your marines not to hump the armory and phase ASAP. The time this saves can mean the difference between saving or losing a PG under heavy pressure.
Another good place is to put it in the dead center of marine start. This is because the starting positions of marines (at the beginning of the game) are spread out across marine start. If you beacon and need everybody to phase as soon as possible, a PG in the middle is statistically the best way to minimize the time marines waste by moving to the PG.
<u><i>In the field</i></u>, good PG placement will dramatically cut down the time it takes for a marine to move into a hotspot. PG placement in the field should be in an area that is relatively defensible, but also is a short way away from any crucial point (a hive spot, double res, or an important chokepoint). For example, Primary Access Corridor 1A in NS_Eclipse is relatively wide open, and offers quick transport to South Loop, Maintenance Hive, Computer Core Hive, and Power Sub Junction, which is effectively half the map. Another example is System Waypointing in NS_Veil. It is wide open, and offers easy access to double res, Sub Sector hive, Cargo Hive, and Overlook. Again, to hold System Waypointing is to hold half the map.
It is also important to note that crucial places might not have res nodes in the room. Both Primary Access Corridor and System Waypointing do not have a res node in the immediate vicinity, but they offer access to many nearby nodes. One mistake many commanders make is to put PGs right next to res nodes. The problem with this is that there are vents at almost every res node on the map, offering easy alien access to the PG. This allows skulks to bridge the gap to bite your marines very shortly.
If you have to siege a hive and the siege spot has a vent that allows lerks easy access to spore, make sure to place the PG directly under the vent. This forces the lerk to expose itself in order to spore the PG. And NEVER put PGs in corners. It makes it very easy for aliens to surround and destroy the PG.
<u><i>In a hive</i></u>, placing a PG there early on is usually retarded. The reasons are numerous. Hives are located at one end of the map, hives have lots of vents, which makes sporing incredibly easy and fast access for skulks. Marines phasing to hive spots have to walk a long way if they want to reach another part of the map and defending hive spots from a competent lerk and a good fade is impossible.
<u><i>At a siege spot</i></u>, always place the PG far away from the actual sieges. Ideally, it should be placed on an elevated surface that is at the direct opposite part of the room where you place the sieges. For example, in NS_Tanith, placing the PG on the highest box or just on the upper level makes it hell for skulks to bridge the gap, and offers a convenient overlook on the sieges. But when noob commanders place PGs near the RT in Cargo, it makes it easier to spore (from that damn vent on the western entrance into fusion) and it takes a shorter time for skulks to bridge the gap. The longer it takes for a skulk to reach the PG, the better.
<b>Let's recap</b>
Place PGs in wide open spaces, never in corners. Also remember to factor in vents and accessibility when determining PG placement. Avoid placing them in corners or places where it would be too easy for a lerk to spore. If you are worried about lerk spores, place PGs closer to the vent to force them to come out to spore.
Alright, now go out there and kill some Kharaa.
And, of course, here is another one of my infamous guides to commanding. But this one is different. I'm only going to talk about strategic PG placement.
<b>Poor PG placement</b>
I cannot stress how important PG placement is in Natural Selection. Good PG placement is the difference between sieging down that second hive or losing.
<u><i>In marine start</i></u>, there are two good areas to place the PG. One is between the IPs and the armory. If the PG on the other side is getting attacked and you need marines to get to the front ASAP, tell your marines not to hump the armory and phase ASAP. The time this saves can mean the difference between saving or losing a PG under heavy pressure.
Another good place is to put it in the dead center of marine start. This is because the starting positions of marines (at the beginning of the game) are spread out across marine start. If you beacon and need everybody to phase as soon as possible, a PG in the middle is statistically the best way to minimize the time marines waste by moving to the PG.
<u><i>In the field</i></u>, good PG placement will dramatically cut down the time it takes for a marine to move into a hotspot. PG placement in the field should be in an area that is relatively defensible, but also is a short way away from any crucial point (a hive spot, double res, or an important chokepoint). For example, Primary Access Corridor 1A in NS_Eclipse is relatively wide open, and offers quick transport to South Loop, Maintenance Hive, Computer Core Hive, and Power Sub Junction, which is effectively half the map. Another example is System Waypointing in NS_Veil. It is wide open, and offers easy access to double res, Sub Sector hive, Cargo Hive, and Overlook. Again, to hold System Waypointing is to hold half the map.
It is also important to note that crucial places might not have res nodes in the room. Both Primary Access Corridor and System Waypointing do not have a res node in the immediate vicinity, but they offer access to many nearby nodes. One mistake many commanders make is to put PGs right next to res nodes. The problem with this is that there are vents at almost every res node on the map, offering easy alien access to the PG. This allows skulks to bridge the gap to bite your marines very shortly.
If you have to siege a hive and the siege spot has a vent that allows lerks easy access to spore, make sure to place the PG directly under the vent. This forces the lerk to expose itself in order to spore the PG. And NEVER put PGs in corners. It makes it very easy for aliens to surround and destroy the PG.
<u><i>In a hive</i></u>, placing a PG there early on is usually retarded. The reasons are numerous. Hives are located at one end of the map, hives have lots of vents, which makes sporing incredibly easy and fast access for skulks. Marines phasing to hive spots have to walk a long way if they want to reach another part of the map and defending hive spots from a competent lerk and a good fade is impossible.
<u><i>At a siege spot</i></u>, always place the PG far away from the actual sieges. Ideally, it should be placed on an elevated surface that is at the direct opposite part of the room where you place the sieges. For example, in NS_Tanith, placing the PG on the highest box or just on the upper level makes it hell for skulks to bridge the gap, and offers a convenient overlook on the sieges. But when noob commanders place PGs near the RT in Cargo, it makes it easier to spore (from that damn vent on the western entrance into fusion) and it takes a shorter time for skulks to bridge the gap. The longer it takes for a skulk to reach the PG, the better.
<b>Let's recap</b>
Place PGs in wide open spaces, never in corners. Also remember to factor in vents and accessibility when determining PG placement. Avoid placing them in corners or places where it would be too easy for a lerk to spore. If you are worried about lerk spores, place PGs closer to the vent to force them to come out to spore.
Alright, now go out there and kill some Kharaa.
Comments
It's about time someone made something about this.
"Commander, why aren't you placing the PG next to he Hive node and electrifying? waaaah waaaah"
However, sometimes a PG in center Hives work out OK if you can't hold such a high-traffic area and need a place to push out from. Also, ALWAYS mine the PG. They can literally pay for themselves with the kills from skulks who don't see them.
For those of you who haven't seen it:
<a href="http://ns.desidius.net/comguide/?page=1" target="_blank">http://ns.desidius.net/comguide/?page=1</a>
edit: I dont agree with everything in that commanding guide
Check the Wiki for all the links:
<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns/wiki/index.php/Commander" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns/wiki/index.php/Commander</a>
Add more that are good.
Agreed!
<!--quoteo(post=1662898:date=Dec 4 2007, 07:05 PM:name=spellman23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(spellman23 @ Dec 4 2007, 07:05 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1662898"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->They can literally pay for themselves with the kills from skulks who don't see them.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Statistically they won't, but it will come close and is definately worth it.
edit: I dont agree with everything in that commanding guide<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Because of how knockback works, sitting under the pg and biting wont help the skulk since any marine who gets bit as he comes through will get launched up and away from the skulk.
Good guide in general.