Jetpacking Builder

Okabore

<div class="IPBDescription">or how to leave your troubles behind</div> Here's a strat I came up with today. I'ts untested but I think the idéa could work.
Equip your marines with jetpacks, not to rush a hive but to help them defend themself while building. It seems like builders often doesn't die because they never saw the skulk, but because they don't have time to draw their weapons and kill the skulk before he reach them. Now if the marine had a jetpack then he could start flying as soon as he saw the alien and get some more time to kill the alien.

pros:
One marine could build an outpost by himself with low risk of dieing, freeing up other marines to other tasks.
Enable multiple marines to build at an high risk outpost with maybe only one guard warning about incoming boogies. This could result in things like an siege outpost get up fast.
Will probably still work after the release of 1.1 since the main objective is to gain a burst of distance and not constant flight.

cons:
Equiping 6 marines with jetpacks is a cost of 54 res making this quite costly.
The marines have to learn to twitch on the jump button instead of just trying to shoot the alien.
Harder to aim while flying.
Many maps has low ceilings wich lessens the effect a bit but it's not that big of problem since the objective is to get away not nessecerily up.

So what do you think, could it work?

Error404

Hey this is a good idea, but unfortunately most of the important building work happens at the beginning of the game, thus there are no resources to purchase thy divine jetpacks with.

Anyway, you know what happens when you give out jetpacks, everyone goes off to shoot down a hive, orders go out the window.

ZiGGY

i use jpers to patrol res routes ;/

severijn

Nice idea, but i think it might be better that you limit those to 1 or maybe 2 marines or else you will be ruined. And another con: it only works against skulks, not against lerks, fades and onosses(they just use paralyze and bye bye jp*crunch*), so using it while you they have 2 or 3 hives is almost in vain. I'd use it for the typical building spot like red room(ns_nothing) or the corridor above the great viaduct hive location(ns_nothing).
against a 1 hive opponent this tactic will rule.

Heist

The problem is JP's either come too late in the game (after you have set up a good phase/res/hive lockdown) OR so early that you need to fully use them for taking down the 2nd hive that is undoubtedly going up (to stop the fades).

K_e_r_b_e_r_o_s

I completely disagree with the majority of the replies here. A lot of the cons come from the lack of Confidence to even try something drastic. The tactic represented here DOES work and it is very effective. Patrolling with Jetpacks is one of the best elements of Pshycological warfare a marine can use against a Kharaa skulk.
Remember, with a jetpack your just as good as the Skulk. Very good tactic. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

Heist

Patrolling is all well and good, but the aliens are going to put up the second hive, and if they are at least somewhat intelligent they will put it up as soon as possible because they realize your rushing(I know your not rushing a hive, but the technology... huge res requirments). Yes your right that against skulks the jps are great. But if u haven't invested res into weapon upgrades or HMG's, your notgoing to last long. Not against Fades and Webs.

taboofires

When you are building, you can't hear. Or see your MT blips. That's what gets you killed, and it'd probably be too late to fly away by the time you noticed the attackers (and got past the delay before you can do anything). Just don't expect lone marines to build anything and survive, wait until he has a guard to drop anything.