Pro Marines Make My Blood Pressure Rise
Nefilim
Join Date: 2003-08-09 Member: 19222Members, Constellation
Join Date: 2003-08-09 Member: 19222Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">and some words on multitasking</div> I have to rant, just comming on a large game (11v11, became 11v5 quickly when aliens saw that they just couldn't win).
Everyone seemed to think they had their own agenda. I say "Stay away from double nodes for now. Just lock down their corner hive and grab the two resource nodes on the way there." and everyone throws themselves at double nodes. Fortunantly, the people doing it were semi-skilled and took it after dying about five times. All the while I was pumping medpacks to them as I was also trying to save up for turrets in the hive to lock down for the people who actually went to the WP.
Sure, it did the team some good to capture their main nodes, but I know there was a cleaner way to do it than to send marine after marine in front of a wall of about five OC's and a team of skulks.
So the aliens start F4'ing and everyone starts to rambo. Tons of voicecomm spam ensues - I cannot tell who is talking and where any of them are. Keep in mind they don't bother reading the top bar that says I have no resources, and I'm not saving up for a phase gate, armory, TF, and turrets for another hive when I'm building a siege nest outside of an existing hive.
After trying to decode what these people are saying on their weak **** mics, I decypher these words of wisdom:
"Make this TF advanced and build sieges, we can siege them from here."
Well, that's nice. There's about six TFs right now. Who said that again? Oh, wait... some guy said "I need a medpack" over comms instead of using the menu to drop me a cue. I was too busy looking for the **** with red health instead of seeing who said what.
I tell the guy "Use the menu to say "In position."" about six times. He never does, and insists on blurring out words and shouting at me while I'm trying to check all of my upgrades and keep my team together. At this point, he demoralizes the whole team by giving them the impression that their comm is a newbie (albeit a newbie who just happened to secure almost all of the map). He also pointed out that I had 250 res to spend and we didn't have lev3 armor - way to go, it was in the process of upgrading. ****. When you have 7 resource towers heavily guarded, amassing tons of res isn't that big of a suprise.
Finally, he tells everyone to follow him - but I didn't want them to go anywhere. I was upgrading the armory there so that they could have GLs to clear out the hall. Great, so now my marines are off somewhere else and people are still whining for siege turrets to take out a small nest of offense chambers. I'm a punctual and frugal comm - I don't like spending on res on something that can be done with a little balls and some initiative. That means I'm not going to electrify a TF if it's in a corner, hiding from all vents, and totally surrounded by turrets. I'm also not going to advance it and make sieges when my ten marines can take out some measely OCs with lv3 armor/weapons and medpacks that I gave constantly.
Now, a vote to eject me is in place. Of course, it passes because the little hussie thinks he can somehow play god and know when and where everything is happening and everyone on the team has this impression since I'm too busy with commander duties to insult them about their skill of not being able to take on seven skulks while eating pizza.
The pro is now in the seat - leave it to him. Guess what happens? He **** on voicecomms about how he's too overwhelmed at the moment to drop a shotgun, and to SUYF about HA since it's already in the process of being researched. He also tells everyone to use the menu to give commander cues. Wow, it seems he wasn't that much better than me after all.
But alas, he was praised for building up siege turrets outside of their base. These are single-hive aliens we're fighting with lv3 armor/weapons. We outnumber them 11 to 5, now. THERE IS SERIOUSLY NO CHALLENGE AT ALL TO FINISHING THIS GAME. I went to a hive by myself and took it down with my LMG and welder while the 9 others hid behind four siege turrets in heavy armor, welding one another while blasting any skulk or gorge who wandered out with an HMG and a mess of turrets.
I guess this is two rants in one. I can't stand players who think it's absolutely nescessary to go all the way when finishing the game and I can't stand people who act like they're the sole reason that the team is totally dominating the map, and that every comm who doesn't pay keen attention to them and what they say is a total newbie.
Everyone seemed to think they had their own agenda. I say "Stay away from double nodes for now. Just lock down their corner hive and grab the two resource nodes on the way there." and everyone throws themselves at double nodes. Fortunantly, the people doing it were semi-skilled and took it after dying about five times. All the while I was pumping medpacks to them as I was also trying to save up for turrets in the hive to lock down for the people who actually went to the WP.
Sure, it did the team some good to capture their main nodes, but I know there was a cleaner way to do it than to send marine after marine in front of a wall of about five OC's and a team of skulks.
So the aliens start F4'ing and everyone starts to rambo. Tons of voicecomm spam ensues - I cannot tell who is talking and where any of them are. Keep in mind they don't bother reading the top bar that says I have no resources, and I'm not saving up for a phase gate, armory, TF, and turrets for another hive when I'm building a siege nest outside of an existing hive.
After trying to decode what these people are saying on their weak **** mics, I decypher these words of wisdom:
"Make this TF advanced and build sieges, we can siege them from here."
Well, that's nice. There's about six TFs right now. Who said that again? Oh, wait... some guy said "I need a medpack" over comms instead of using the menu to drop me a cue. I was too busy looking for the **** with red health instead of seeing who said what.
I tell the guy "Use the menu to say "In position."" about six times. He never does, and insists on blurring out words and shouting at me while I'm trying to check all of my upgrades and keep my team together. At this point, he demoralizes the whole team by giving them the impression that their comm is a newbie (albeit a newbie who just happened to secure almost all of the map). He also pointed out that I had 250 res to spend and we didn't have lev3 armor - way to go, it was in the process of upgrading. ****. When you have 7 resource towers heavily guarded, amassing tons of res isn't that big of a suprise.
Finally, he tells everyone to follow him - but I didn't want them to go anywhere. I was upgrading the armory there so that they could have GLs to clear out the hall. Great, so now my marines are off somewhere else and people are still whining for siege turrets to take out a small nest of offense chambers. I'm a punctual and frugal comm - I don't like spending on res on something that can be done with a little balls and some initiative. That means I'm not going to electrify a TF if it's in a corner, hiding from all vents, and totally surrounded by turrets. I'm also not going to advance it and make sieges when my ten marines can take out some measely OCs with lv3 armor/weapons and medpacks that I gave constantly.
Now, a vote to eject me is in place. Of course, it passes because the little hussie thinks he can somehow play god and know when and where everything is happening and everyone on the team has this impression since I'm too busy with commander duties to insult them about their skill of not being able to take on seven skulks while eating pizza.
The pro is now in the seat - leave it to him. Guess what happens? He **** on voicecomms about how he's too overwhelmed at the moment to drop a shotgun, and to SUYF about HA since it's already in the process of being researched. He also tells everyone to use the menu to give commander cues. Wow, it seems he wasn't that much better than me after all.
But alas, he was praised for building up siege turrets outside of their base. These are single-hive aliens we're fighting with lv3 armor/weapons. We outnumber them 11 to 5, now. THERE IS SERIOUSLY NO CHALLENGE AT ALL TO FINISHING THIS GAME. I went to a hive by myself and took it down with my LMG and welder while the 9 others hid behind four siege turrets in heavy armor, welding one another while blasting any skulk or gorge who wandered out with an HMG and a mess of turrets.
I guess this is two rants in one. I can't stand players who think it's absolutely nescessary to go all the way when finishing the game and I can't stand people who act like they're the sole reason that the team is totally dominating the map, and that every comm who doesn't pay keen attention to them and what they say is a total newbie.
Comments
I will take marine advice, if I really think it is good judgment, but if I have a plan; I stick to it, and adjust as needed. The strength of the command interface is that you end up having a much stronger sense of macromanagement than your marines do, and if the marines understand this, then you have a much higher chance of winning, as a TEAM.
What I like most about winning as marines is giving my folks direction and purpose. Marines without purpose are weak marines. Marines are meant to be a guided force, killing everything in sight as they push towards their objective. They are strongest when they work together to complete the objective.
An unwise commander can spoil a victory just as easily as unwise marines; but in my opinion a marine win depends far more on the sense of teamwork in the squad to complete the goals it has been assigned. A wise marine will do his objective to the best of his ability, and a wise comm will support his marines to the best of his ability.
Skill comes in many different forms, and one of the most important forms of skill in a game such as ns is good judgment.
"God has a **** for marines, because we kill everything we see."
If someone says "This place is a great spot for siege turrets." then yes, I'd take their word for it since most marines aren't going to tell you to waste res on building unimportant objects. The thing is, these gunghos seem to think that the Comm is always focused on them, and that the Comm knows -exactly- what they're talking about when they say "We need a siege turret over here."
Where the Hell is "here!?" Why can't you leave a waypoint!? I could be building the protolab everyone else is bitching about right now instead of trying to find you on this huge map. I KNOW you don't mean the waypoint I issued since no one is anywhere near it.
then ur half team gets slaughtered by one uber skulk.... and the grenade gun you hand out to get the lerk over the vent in main base runs off and dies at a hive without taking care of the lerk.... for the life of you you cant get anyone to build the phase at base cuz the lerk keeps sporing it.. even tho u say u will med spam them so the guys you managed to get to the other hive hidin in the corner watchin it go up die cuz you cant get a phase up.
No matter how hard you scream to get to xxx res node.. everyone sits in a HUGE group and stares at the lerk in the vent.. gettin pot shots off as it spores my ENTIRE TEAM since its impossible for them to stand ANY CLOSER together.
Finally we are down to one res node.. and every welder i get the fucktards run out of base to weld some measly vent that doesent even matter any more. and DIE losing me my welder as no one else can get out there.
Somehow ive managed to get level 3 weaps and armor, but turrets are a little short.
Despite the fact that i have 5 res left, the idiots start yelling HA/HMG and welders plz. then ur a bad comm i need a WEAPON
Then some idiot says RECYCLE BASE AND GIVE US all SHOTGUNS so we cna rush a hive... wait... NO
Then some even bigger idiot calls me a noob...(the idiot who took the grenade gun out of base and died if i recall correctly)
Anyways.. rant over
Why do we have waypoints again??
OH WAIT... CUZ THE COMM IS SMARTER THAN ALL U DUMB ****... NOT TO MENTION HE IS IN CHARGE ****!!
~Jason
For a newbie in a big game full of zany things, it's a guiding light. It makes things so much more simple - head towards that fat circle, try to stick with a group, and don't get killed. Once you're at the waypoint, stare at the entrance long and hard, making sure nothing comes through while the other person builds (you cannot build because commander didn't give you a welder, remember?).
Now, the only times I don't go to WPs is when they're in some far off place (usually to build a sentry turret at double nodes) and I'm in a good spot to start building (an empty hive or somesuch).
End result in 95% of the games ive commed now?Usually goes with complete ownage by the aliens(especially SC.....),onos in less than 10 minutes,and me being ejected so that one of them can turret farm with 30 res and 1 rt.....
Something that you all should bear in mind about comming.
Your marines aren't a bunch of idiots, even if they suck; they aren't necessarily idiots.
Part of the responsibilities of leading is giving a strong incentive to your team. In public play this is extremely important, because you don't "know" most of your team-mates. Being a leader is more than telling people to do things, its about making people like what you are asking them to do.
If your marines want to try to lockdown 2 hives, then say "ok, but I want us to get a little teched before we try" or if your marines want to try to siege rush a hive, then say "ok, but I need everyone to go there first, because it won't be worth it unless we pull it off for sure."
Screaming "GET TO THE freaking HIVE YOU IDIOTS" isn't going to make people want you to play. Much of the time when people call someone a bad comm it is because the comm is being an arse, maybe even without realizing it. I know i've caught myself getting exasperated and taking it out on my marines a number of times, but you can be much more successful if you learn to not do it.
By the way, say "PLEASE" whenever you ask someone to do something, don't just pass out a wp if it is a really important task and expect people to understand the gravity of what you are doing. If you make your team understand what you are doing, then they will be much more receptive to doing it.
I cant build 2 res nodes, a tf, get motion tracking, and support a hive rush ALL AT ONCE... even when i say i see you there xxx hold please... they still spam the freakin voice comm going GIVE ME THE RES GIVE ME THE RES
COMM WE NEED MOTION TRACKING
me: "Please stop spamming voice chat so i can instruct those who will follow my orders"
~Jason
Players need to learn that there are times when asking the commander for things isn't going to make the situation any better. If there is an area that is being attacked by 3 fades and 2 onos, asking for a medpac in a secluded area will only add tension to a commanders already confusing and hard lifestyle. Instead players need to prioritize their needs. Or the commander needs to ignore everything until a problem has been dealt with, then move on one problem at a time. But for players to expect a commander to do everything all at once for everyone is ridiculous. A comm can't drop a shotgun, a medpace, build a phase, and try to research arms while also currenlty trying to track a guy who's been split up and managed to get himself into a nice vantage point near a hive. Its a tough job and marines need to respect it.
As a commander think about naming certain people as squad leaders so that you can avoid the problem of having to multitask a whole bunch. let a player within a squad decide how to make the best movements and placements in certain areas. THen as commander you decide wether your field commander is right or wrong by going with his plan or with your plan. Let the marines know about your decision and things should be fine. The key is to reduce your multitasking burdens put on you. I think field commanders a great way to do that.
Be a good soldier, follow orders, and don't ask for anything, the comm will give it to those who deserves it. If you wanna make sure you'll get whats yours, STAND STILL BY THE ARMORY, darnit, its impossible to give my good guys gear when they are running around there (Yes I'm slow, but when handing out gear they can atleast thank me buy standing still. Its common curtesy(ispell)).
I think we've all had that great experience as comming with a bunch of rag tags but having that one guy who was in psychic connection with you, knew exactly what you meant over voice comm, and garnered the troops to do the duties, since 2 voices repeating the same thing is more convincing.
But then the problem lies when you either dont have that kind of field commander, or a field commander who thinks he knows different, and actually causes a different plan to unfold, and then your two plans collide into frustration and chaos.
Alas, playing the marines is all about being on the same damn page.
Actually I have to disagree. Having played alongside and against marines on a big mix of servers, I have to say a proportion of marines ARE idiots.
They don't follow orders.
They beg for health while in the base with LMG and basic armour and while surrounded by 5 friends all of whom are fit.
They run outside the base one by one in convenient Onii meals-for-one.
If they're about to die, the hug their GL rather than give to someone who won't die from the next whiff of gas.
If the comm doesn't give them the health, doesn't support them at the RT they found miles from nowhere, or doesn't give them ammo at said RT, then the comm is "WTH? NOOB COOM EJECT EJECT!!"
So in short the comm gets nothing done, no results, and rather than acknowledge that there's more organisation in a puddle of water our marines decide its the comm's fault they won't follow orders.
I'm not saying that comms aren't to blame, but they can only do so much. And there's nothing worse than being ejected halfway through a plan just because they don't agree with your strategy (which has kept them alive thus far).
Edit: Marines who think they're elite should comm. Whoops, where's your 'l33tness' now?