Commander strategies
QUAD
Join Date: 2002-07-17 Member: 963Members
Join Date: 2002-07-17 Member: 963Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Share your tactics with the world</div>I was thinking the other day about being commander of some NS matches, and devised a few tactics i beleive will help me kick some alien ###... if anyone else has some tactics for any alien class, the marines, or the commander to share, please do so.
(note- i realize that NS isnt out yet so these tactics are untested, I just put them together with my combined knoweldge of RTS games and what i know about the game from playtester stories and interviews with the NS team, etc.)
so, without further ado, here they are:
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Resource rush- as soon as the match begins, have a team of marines rush to the resource nozzles and have them build resource towers. now, with the steady resource income you can go on to build your base and defenses.
CC defense- as soon as you can, build turrets and have marines lay mines all around the CC. wouldnt want to be attacked while orchestrating an attack, etc.
Multiple bases- as soon as a proper base has been set up, defenses and all, begin having marines scout other prime base areas. once youve found a good spot(s), begin building a forward base that includes an armory, spawn portal, phase gates that connect the primary base to the mini-base, mounds of healthpacks, 3-5 turrets guarding all sides of the mini-base, and mines set up everywhere. it also wouldnt hurt to build another CC to dash to incase your primary base is beyond help.
Grenade rush- equip your marines with grenade launchers and have them attack a hive from all entrances, a relentless grenade attack should deteriate the hive enough for the marines to clean up.
Hive spamming- equip your marines with all the weapons you can, and send them to wait outside a hive. when they arrive, build a mini releif center right outside the hive that includes an armoury, a spawn portal or phase gate the connects fromthe base to the relief center, a turret, and lots of health packs. this way, the marines can constantly spam the hive and come back for a refill as they do it, and incase anyone dies they can spawn right outside the hive or phase gate to the hive.
Walls of defense- my favourite idea, the perfect defense. in every hallway that connects to your base, build turrets right nect to each other so that only enough space is left for a marine to pass by the wall of turrets. build 2-3 layers of these turret walls in every hallway connecting to your base. its kinda hard to explain, so here is a visual aid:
vvv Hallway vvv
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(room for marines to pass by)
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<<< base aliens>>>
(note- i realize that NS isnt out yet so these tactics are untested, I just put them together with my combined knoweldge of RTS games and what i know about the game from playtester stories and interviews with the NS team, etc.)
so, without further ado, here they are:
----------------------------------------------------------
Resource rush- as soon as the match begins, have a team of marines rush to the resource nozzles and have them build resource towers. now, with the steady resource income you can go on to build your base and defenses.
CC defense- as soon as you can, build turrets and have marines lay mines all around the CC. wouldnt want to be attacked while orchestrating an attack, etc.
Multiple bases- as soon as a proper base has been set up, defenses and all, begin having marines scout other prime base areas. once youve found a good spot(s), begin building a forward base that includes an armory, spawn portal, phase gates that connect the primary base to the mini-base, mounds of healthpacks, 3-5 turrets guarding all sides of the mini-base, and mines set up everywhere. it also wouldnt hurt to build another CC to dash to incase your primary base is beyond help.
Grenade rush- equip your marines with grenade launchers and have them attack a hive from all entrances, a relentless grenade attack should deteriate the hive enough for the marines to clean up.
Hive spamming- equip your marines with all the weapons you can, and send them to wait outside a hive. when they arrive, build a mini releif center right outside the hive that includes an armoury, a spawn portal or phase gate the connects fromthe base to the relief center, a turret, and lots of health packs. this way, the marines can constantly spam the hive and come back for a refill as they do it, and incase anyone dies they can spawn right outside the hive or phase gate to the hive.
Walls of defense- my favourite idea, the perfect defense. in every hallway that connects to your base, build turrets right nect to each other so that only enough space is left for a marine to pass by the wall of turrets. build 2-3 layers of these turret walls in every hallway connecting to your base. its kinda hard to explain, so here is a visual aid:
vvv Hallway vvv
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(room for marines to pass by)
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<<< base aliens>>>
Comments
If the gernade launcher is expensive, and if you have 5-6 marines that will be taking place in this attack, then you could easily put yourself into debt. If the attack fails, and you are counter attacked. You could not have enough resoruces to defend properly and die.
Hive spamming does not seem like a good idea. If you were to do this you would need enough turrents (maybe 3-4) that are in well positioned spots. You would also need a guy on defense to maintain the turrents. This seems like a mighty large investment of resources and you have to remember that the aliens spawn there as well. The area would probably be defended so you would probably have to try a very times before success. Dont forget, as you are sending your marines in this one area your 1) other bases 2) cc and 3) resource nodes are nice and open for a counter attack. Not to mention, if they have all 3 hives kiss this plan goodbye becuase a few Xenocides and there goes your expensive base.
Walls of defense - As long as they dont have three hives, this would be really good. I would suggest putting more space inbetween them, however, for that ol mighty xenocide would wreak havoc here, once again. Not to mention the level 5's! This could hold a key hallway for a while, though, just make sure it is a key hallway becuase the investment would be large. (4 - 5 turrents in just one area)
Overall I think the best startegy would be to do a little of everything. Maybe send out a crew of 3 marines to take a resource node, then have another crew make cc defenses. A little bit of everything might be the way to victory - mabye a PT can give us more answers.
Steve- as i said i dont know yet the the prices etc. for all the buildings and weapons, as for hive spamming i said could include. i certainly dont think that i would have TIME to build everything mentioned. and the single turret is only there to protect the armoury etc., not for the attack itself. also, i think the relief center once finished kicking the crap out of the hive could be easily converted to a forward mini-base, and hence depriving the aliens any real chance to regain that hive spot.
and when i said strategies, i meant as basic tactics to be used together to form one big strategy for the match, eg. a forward minibase being built after i put walls of defense in the area, then sending marines from there to a nearby hive eliminating the need for a relief center.
I also, dont know the prices of things however I assume that your suggestions will be costly. You are quite right, if you got the hive spamming base up, when they only have 1-2 hives then you could probably destory that hive and have a really nice foward base. The problem is 1) time 2) resources and 3) man power.
However, you must also take into account the other team as well as the skill level of your team.
These marines are human. Humans make mistakes and, humans have their own free will.
Also, building that many things takes time, time which the other team will be moving into ambush spots. While also building up their defences with the occasional attack.
Dont get me wrong, its a valid tactic and I think it could work. However, you'd need it to be pulled off almost 100% correctly for it to work ...
2 marines (need at least two to increase chances of getting there) approach the hive from one entrance, fire in enough munitions to get the attention of the aliens, run out getting them to follow. Soon after, the main marine fire team rushes in from another entrance and lays waste to the area. This would only work in a large game and only if most aliens are in that hive, otherwise it is better to just run in.
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(Run here...) <!--emo&:siege:--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/siege.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':siege:'><!--endemo-->
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this way, the turrents have full accress to anything coming inbetween them, aswell as nice coverage down the halls, but just my 2 cents
-PD
1. The key to winning is to keep the aliens from getting 3 hives, if they do, your in big trouble. Therefore, sitting in one place too long is like laying a welcome mat out at your doorstep for level 5s. Even if you take 10 minutes to build a million turrets in your base, that means nothign to an alien team who spent those 10 minutes all evolving into levle 5s with full upgrades. . .
2. If you do not move out and secure new resource nodes, the alien team will. If you don't secure new nodes, you WILL run out of resources fast, and a team without resources is a team which is outclassed and outgunned.
3. Defense is important, and the best defense is turrets. In open areas and bases, turrets are best placed on raised groudn and spread out. In hallways, turrets do best placed side by side. and with one turret behind the two. Mines are useful, but the tripmine's lasers are clearly visible and it takes a lot or a few well placed mines to keep out the small aliens like lvl 1s and lvl 3s.
4. If you dont hit them hard and fast, they will infest and strngthen. If you don't equip your marines well, they will lose. It is important to know when to stop building infrastructure and researching and when to move out and secure key areas of the map.
To sum it all up. Camping the base is a recipe for disaster. Move out, but be smart about it. Keep your men well equipped, and they will serve you well. Know what upgrades and general tactics you are going for when you start, so there is no waiting around deciding. And lastly, don't listen to every whim of your men. You know best how to take out those hives, and that is what you must do. Never forget that you only need to wipe out the infestation to win. If you can make your team potent enough early on to do so, Carpe Diem!
The word is TURRETS! No N! >_< Not 'Turrents' or 'turrents' or 'turents', T-U-Double R-E-No N-T-S
Kill the aliens!
upgrades for marines = win
Open E:\Downloads\Important_crap\NS.txt
Cntl V <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td><b>Quote</b> </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"><!--QuoteEBegin--><b>SHOTTIES FOR EVERYONE!</b><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
...
Don't Die!
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<!--emo&:siege:--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/siege.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':siege:'><!--endemo--> turret:
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now that is better:P
Build a turret over the door where aliens enter from. Marines are stationed where the alien should be heading. When the commander sees the alien go for the turret, the marines are told to round the corner and destroy the alien. This could work with less participation by players by putting one turret at the end of the hall and two or more placed above the entrance. That way, the alien runs for the turret but is ambushed from behind.
It may make it hard to click on the building to upgrade (which is why I choose buildings which dotn upgrade), but I try to make my turrets as annoyingly placed as possible for those silly bobs. Of course, you could always put a turret on top of a turret. Or a turret on top of a turret on top of a turret, but than you kind of risk a bob Xenociding all three in one go. The best advice is to keep em spread in open areas. They are useful for chokign off in corridors however.
Me illustates the super turret.
FROM A SIDE VIEW:
I <!--emo&:turret:--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/turret.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':turret:'><!--endemo-->
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Bob with xenocide or bilebomb will kill them all at once.
Better off spread out:
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<!--EDIT|humbaba|Aug. 01 2002,15:15-->
A solitary marine is placed somewhere in a long hallway, a hallway which the commander KNOWS there is a Level 5 at the end of. This marine places multiple (5?) mines in a row, and stands in front of them such that they are invisible to the Lvl5.
The marine will be equipped with a LMG or pistol. (Something terrible againt a tiny). The lvl5 will obviously run straight at the marine, to kill him with the "charge" attack. Succeed he does, but unfortunately he charges straight onto the mines. <!--emo&:D--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'><!--endemo-->
Got the idea from "Unknown Enemy" chapter 8 or something, when they kill a Tiny with mines.