Hypothetical Question
Insidious
Join Date: 2002-11-21 Member: 9553Members
Join Date: 2002-11-21 Member: 9553Members
Saying marines need more teamwork is just another way of saying each individual marine is weaker than each individual alien - but do they really benefit MORE from teamwork than aliens, or do they just lose faster if they don't work together? What are the marines to do against an alien team that works together just as much (protecting their gorges, attacking in organized groups with mixed alien types, and reporting everything they see)?
This isn't a complain about balance, so leave your complaints about complaints at the door. I'm just asking what you see as the benefits of marines working together (and maybe more specifically, what the marines can do as a team that aliens can't?), or is it simply that teamwork is forced on them because there's a commander who can cut you off from equipment, and that aliens will shred a lone marine? Do you see it as positive or negative reinforcement that's keeping marines together (that is, in those situations when they are, I know I've seen entire teams of loners)?
This isn't a complain about balance, so leave your complaints about complaints at the door. I'm just asking what you see as the benefits of marines working together (and maybe more specifically, what the marines can do as a team that aliens can't?), or is it simply that teamwork is forced on them because there's a commander who can cut you off from equipment, and that aliens will shred a lone marine? Do you see it as positive or negative reinforcement that's keeping marines together (that is, in those situations when they are, I know I've seen entire teams of loners)?
Comments
the marines have one person in charge of the checkbook... the aliens have to share those resources
an extra gorge, an early lerk and it's a major setback to the aliens gaining that second hive
-d$
However if the same 2 players meet in an elevator it will most likely be Skulk beats Marine
As for teamwork. It helps for the marines to hunt in packs because they can cover eachothers backs, it doesn't matter if it's while building or just walking down the street. You tend to live longer if you have other people scanning their guns where your not scanning.
It's a similar story for the aliens, the more aliens you have travelling with you, the more targets the marines have to track, which normally means more kills for the aliens.
the skulks get positivly slaughtered. You simply have to have marines on your team that
can aim, and no not everybody can
Lone marine vs lone skulk = meatpop. 5 marines vs 5 skulks = skulk barbecue. (Assuming equal skill.)
Marines also have to rely on their commander since they have no hivesight.
- Ranged weaponry: Ahnteis already summed that one up: Ranged weaponry is more effective in groups than melee weaponry would be. Just think about how easy it is to cover each other, and that, should you get ambushed, only one guy will fall while the rest can attack immediately.
- Turrets: Although currently not as beloved as some weeks ago, turrets are still one of the marines strongest factors. If a competent team that's fast with the building / covering and a strategically experienced commander are present, The marine defense can be widely automated, thus allowing bigger parts of the team to attack. This gives them a big advantage over the aliens that'll have to do both manually at all times.
- The Welder: Although some may argue that a Fade / Gorge combo can be as effective as a HA / Welder team, the welder works faster and is more versatile in that the repairing of marine buildings is a bigger and more usual task than healing alien chambers. This tool can give a coordinated marine team an invaluable advantage.
- Hightech: I think we can all agree that the really hightech stuff (GLs, JPs, to some extent also Sieges) can only be achieved and maintained by a good team.
Now, I'll get flamed for this, but this gives a teamplaying marine team an advantage because the effort / use ratio of marine hightech is better than that of alien 'hightech'. Compare for example a HMG and a bunch of medkits to the costs of a Fade. This equipment will however also only be really useful if the marines stick together (think GL / HMG combo).
Those are the aspects at the top of my mind, I'm sure there are more.
5 Marines VS 5 Skulks with equal skill. Who would win? If the closing distance is long than the marines win. If the closing distance is very close then the results are mixed and the skulks can even win without a single loss to them. This is the rule for skulks. Skulks cannot try to engage with a large closing distance.
This leads to my real point on this subject. Marines should not bunch up so that you act as a shield for a chomping skulk. Put some space between you and your friend like you should space out your structures. A clumped building formation also acts as a shield for skulks. A good skulk would know to take advantage of this fact.
One's much more exciting. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->