1. Extractor
Assuming all players are mediocre in an equal engagement, medpacks can tip the scale in marine favor. The extractor will make up for the medpacks.
2. Locker room/Generator/Other
As I've mentioned, holding certain locations are highly rewarding but come with high risks. Cafeteria is obviously the lowest rewarding location to prioritize as a base.
Locker Room I would consider standard play. You get 4/9 nodes, plus any additional nodes you can deny aliens(maintenance, stability, east wing). Stability being the most rewarding forward base as Generator and Departures can be ARC'd from here.
Generator is highly rewarding. Assuming all players are equal, it may be unlikely for this to be held. If your team of marines understand how important generator is, so do aliens.
Other(Ball court, courtyard). After watching ENSL competitive games, I'm definitely a fan of placing phasegates in more forward or central locations.
3.Jetpacks
Jetpacks but not for defending. Constantly running between RTs detracts from any offense the can make. If you want that RT to stop going down, take down their RTs/upgrades until aliens are on the defensive and they forget about that RT.
4.Nanogrid/Cargo
Again, measure rewards and risks. Pipeline is the worst base aliens can start in. This brings down the risk in areas I would normally consider high risk.
Nanogrid or cargo is definitely obtainable if aliens start pipe. Take advantage. Either choice will ensure victory. Nano locks them out of resources, cargo locks them out of tech.
However if Aliens started sub-sector, Nano and cargo would be much harder to hold.
5.Establish Base/Save for Arcs?
Damn, this is a tough question. It could go either way. Establishing a base, upgrades, or arcs.
You've listed problems such as single file marines and limited resources. If marines are marching single file, upgrades are probably not the best. ARCs can take out structures easily but can marines defend them. I may go with base but that reinforces an overcommitment to a fruitless frontline. There is more then one entrance into a base and sticking a forward base at an entrance that is not working is not my idea of winning.
6.March into enemy base
Easy. Take out their 2nd base. I'm sure it's been explained enough
7.Kill structures
I like the phasegate idea but it can be risky.
I would not divert a marine back to elevator, you are basically playing safe which yields little reward. Someone else who is behind can establish elevator. The best way to establish elevator is to have that Server Room marine press forward and look for RTs to gun down. This causes aliens to play defensively and allow your marines to build up in the meantime. If only one alien goes to defend you can tip the favor towards your marine with medpacks and an RT to go down soon. Another possibility is that they overreact and send three skulks decreasing the amount of skulks playing offensively.
8.Armory, 2 extractors,
After that i normally go for observatory but only because of standard pub play. It would be nice to go for arms lab or mines next as you see in competitive play.
9.Open space?
Atrium, Cave, and Generator can be shot down by exos from safe distances but i'm not sure about pipeline. Jetpacks work nice too.
10.Mines
Early offensive mines are awesome. Standing near someone else's offensive mine, even more awesome. When I say early offensive I mean taking it in the first couple of minutes to a very forward position.
10. Mines - Firstly I don't EVER research welders quickly, nothing to weld, that's just dumb. Mines stop rushes and let you hold areas much more easily, so when Phase Gates come you can mine them up and they'll be secure.
Marine armor. This is only useful if the marines can handle themselves in combat in the first place though.
Ok I have replaced question 9 with a detail scenario.
9. In ns_mineshaft the game starts you in Operation. Aliens in Sorting. Time is in the middle stage in the round. Aliens has taken cave as a secondary hive and currently building one in deposit. You have repair as a 2nd base. You are currently building a protos. All Upgrades are level 3. Income is 6 res per interval. Aliens have successfully defend your troops from entering deposit. Aliens have not gone offensive on gap. Both central drilling res nodes are yours and you do have a forward base establish in central, however majority of the aliens are continuously attacking the center of the map where most of your troops are defending off. You are slowly losing central, due to aliens number of advance evolutions. By some sort of luck a marine was able to walked into cave without incident and has establish power for you. At this time what would be priority. (you are not allow to ARC deposit from central, lets make it hard)
A. Continue on holding Central Drilling the best of your troops ability until jetpacks and exos are done researching
B. Shift focus on attacking Deposit before they established a 3rd hive
C. Surprise attack on Cave with Beacon and Phase gate.
D. Other.
I haven't read other responses yet, so they won't influence me. Keep in mind that I can count the number of times I've done marine Comm on one hand, and play aliens probably 90% of the time or more, so I'm not sure how useful my answers will be.
1. A. Extractor
It's early game and you need the resource income. Phase gates can wait for when you're ready to establish a base there.
2. B. Locker Room
While Gen would shut down the alien team entirely, Locker would be easier to hold, still prevents a third hive, and basically gives you Cafe.
3. A. Research Jetpacks for fast mobility and response
As long as I can get someone to patrol phase gates, this seems like the best option. Besides, jet packs are useful regardless. If that fails, I'm tempted to say that it's not worth holding. If a skulk is nomming it down after a minute, it's just barely paying for itself and constantly removing a marine from play to rebuild it.
4. B. Cargo
Capturing Cargo, which is a rather marine friendly room (especially once jet packs are up), will cut the aliens off from the entire other half of the map. My secondary objective would then be C-12. Getting those gets us the entire map.
5. E. Other
The wording wasn't entirely clear, so I'm going off the assumption that marines are walking one by one in to their death, so my first course of action would be to beacon and send them in one group. Then, set up a phase gate and armoury (or do this first if I misunderstood).
6. A. Command your team to march into the enemy base.
Since marines don't need a third base, and losing their second hive is crippling for the alien team, send them in and take out that hive. I'd scan the third base afterward to see if the aliens dropped a hive there (quite likely) and rush it. If it were closer to them, I'd send the exos and welders to the established hive instead of the new one (but the rest of the team hits the new one regardless).
7. D. Have the marine hide in server until his services are needed.
I'm probably being overly cautious, and I'd want to take that room, but since it is the start of the game I'd have him wait a bit. The aliens are sure to check out the room if they haven't already, and I'd rather not lose the res for the phase gate right away. It should be fairly easy for him to hide behind the server racks or whatever they are at the north end of the room. I'd give him a phase gate after other marines are available to assist him.
8. All commanders have different starting build sequence. The game gives one extractor and 50 res in the beginning. What 5 buildings and/or tech would you do in order. Explain why your sequence is prefer.
First two buildings, without a doubt, are the nearest extractors. You need to get the res flowing ASAP. I'd also drop an armoury, so I can drop an obs. The obs is needed for early warning on attacks, scanning for marines out on the field, beacon, etc. The fifth would probably be mines, for defending extractors and phase gates once they're up.
9. C. Surprise attack on Cave with Beacon and Phase gate.
Since I'm currently building a proto, we'll have jet packs soon. Jet packs in Cave? GG, aliens, GG.
10. D. Mines
Followed by weapon upgrades and A1 for fades.
---
Wait, am I missing something here? I swear there was something asking what 4 rooms had in common, but I don't see it now.
And now that I got to page 2, I see it was replaced.
Yes it was asking what Atrium, Generator, Cave, and pipeline had in common. I think the question was fine. No choices and makes you think what is the best way to proceed.
1. A team of two arrived at a empty base. This base is one of the two closest near your starting base. Power is established. Time is early stage of the round. You have 15 res. What building would you drop.
- Phase gate. Extractor if the players are good and can defend it.
2. In NS_Docking, your starting base is Terminal. Aliens starting base is Departure. What base will be crucial and practical in establishing a secondary base?
- Locker rooms at all costs, but the aliens are targeting that too so it will be a tough fight.
3. You have problems maintaining one particular extractor. Every time this extractor is fully built a skulk will come in and destroy it a minute later. It is not a significant run to the extractor from the nearest phase gate. This extractor is well into marine territory. Time is middle stage of the round. You have 3 res income without this specific extractor. What will help detour the alien from destroying it next time.
- You are talking about Skylights. I say that well placed sentries will do it.
4. In NS_Viel the enemy main hive is in Pipeline. The round just started. What area of the map would you emphasized your team on getting first.
- If the players are good and can actually kill, go for cargo - that will deny nanogrid and subsector - win.
5. You command your army to advance into a fully defensive enemy base from an establish marine base. This is the aliens 2nd hive. You noticed that your forces is being picked off one by one at the entrance of the enemy base. On your minimap you see your forces going in a single file line from the marine base to the alien base. You have limited resources where you can only do one of the follow choices. What course of action would you do FIRST to help your team advance.
- Arcs if the base is fortified with alot of sh*t, but grenade launchers if not. Grenade launchers will clean up the skulks and eggs pretty good.
6. You noticed that your 3rd established base is being overrun by majority of the enemy team. You have the option to beaconing to that base. Power is being attacked. Phase gate is down. You have 3-4 Duals exos and 2 jet packers with welders standing by at a forward base near a enemy hive. Rest of your team scattered doing other tasks. What would you command your troops to do.
- Kill the hive now, it will take just ~ 10 seconds for 3-4 exos to take it down and then we can make a new base and go for the next hive.
7. You just started a round in NS_tram. Your starting base is shipping and the enemy base is in Warehouse. A marine happen to run straight to Server Room without incident. Phase gate tech finished researching. The marine is asking for a phase gate. You have not established a secondary base. What would you do?
- Phase gate if it's secure.
8. All commanders have different starting build sequence. The game gives one extractor and 50 res in the beginning. What 5 buildings and/or tech would you do in order. Explain why your sequence is prefer.
- Armory, observatory, phase gate, command station and IP at a new secure place + the other phase gate if have enough resources. I wouldn't go for arms lab unless the players are good and can get me extractors ASAP and can defend them. I'll always go for W1 first then A1 or W2, and then W3, A2,A3. I hate the commanders that go for A2 with W1 - you can't kill sh*t with armor, remember that.
9. In ns_mineshaft the game starts you in Operation. Aliens in Sorting. Time is in the middle stage in the round. Aliens has taken cave as a secondary hive and currently building one in deposit. You have repair as a 2nd base. You are currently building a protos. All Upgrades are level 3. Income is 6 res per interval. Aliens have successfully defend your troops from entering deposit. Aliens have not gone offensive on gap. Both central drilling res nodes are yours and you do have a forward base establish in central, however majority of the aliens are continuously attacking the center of the map where most of your troops are defending off. You are slowly losing central, due to aliens number of advance evolutions. By some sort of luck a marine was able to walked into cave without incident and has establish power for you. At this time what would be priority. (you are not allow to ARC deposit from central, lets make it hard)
Surpise attack, because I've seen it work and it was amazing and funny.
10. Besides phase tech or welders. What first tier tech do you prefer to research first.
1. A team of two arrived at a empty base. This base is one of the two closest near your starting base. Power is established. Time is early stage of the round. You have 15 res. What building would you drop.
A. Extractor
B. Phase Gate
C. Armory
D. Command Center.
E. Other
2. In NS_Docking, your starting base is Terminal. Aliens starting base is Departure. What base will be crucial and practical in establishing a secondary base?
A. Cafeteria
B. Locker Room
C. Generator D. Stability Monitoring
3. You have problems maintaining one particular extractor. Every time this extractor is fully built a skulk will come in and destroy it a minute later. It is not a significant run to the extractor from the nearest phase gate. This extractor is well into marine territory. Time is middle stage of the round. You have 3 res income without this specific extractor. What will help detour the alien from destroying it next time.
A. Research Jetpacks for fast mobility and response...
B. Place a phase gate near the extractor
C. Research Sentries and placing them.
D. Resource node not worth keeping. E. ... and try to shut down the route the aliens take to harass that RT by mounting an attack into alien territory over that route.
4. In NS_Viel the enemy main hive is in Pipeline. The round just started. What area of the map would you emphasized your team on getting first.
A. Sub-Sector B. Cargo C. Nanogrid
D. C-12
E. Other
5. You command your army to advance into a fully defensive enemy base from an establish marine base. This is the aliens 2nd hive. You noticed that your forces is being picked off one by one at the entrance of the enemy base. On your minimap you see your forces going in a single file line from the marine base to the alien base. You have limited resources where you can only do one of the follow choices. What course of action would you do FIRST to help your team advance.
A. Establish a forward base with an armory and phase gate
B. Upgrade armor and weapons
C. Research grenade launchers
D. Save for Arcs
E. Other
6. You noticed that your 3rd established base is being overrun by majority of the enemy team. You have the option to beaconing to that base. Power is being attacked. Phase gate is down. You have 3-4 Duals exos and 2 jet packers with welders standing by at a forward base near a enemy hive. Rest of your team scattered doing other tasks. What would you command your troops to do.
A. Command your team to march into the enemy base.
B. Divert your troops from the forward base to defend and reclaim the 3rd base. C. Beacon your troops. (There should be a PG at that forward base, so they can get back to the Exos fast. 3-4 Exos should hold out this time when they can get into defensive positions.)
D. Other.
7. You just started a round in NS_tram. Your starting base is shipping and the enemy base is in Warehouse. A marine happen to run straight to Server Room without incident. Phase gate tech finished researching. The marine is asking for a phase gate. You have not established a secondary base. What would you do?
A. Place a phase gate in Server room. (No cysts in server yet? He probably will manage to build it up without being bothered.)
B. Divert marine to claiming Elevator Transfer.
C. Divert marine to enemy base to kill off eggs or other important structures.
D. Have the marine hide in server until his services are needed.
E. Other
8. All commanders have different starting build sequence. The game gives one extractor and 50 res in the beginning. What 5 buildings and/or tech would you do in order. Explain why your sequence is prefer.
2 RTs
1 Armory
1 IP
...
1 Obs
On a server with less players, the IP can wait in favor of another RT or Phase Tech
The first 4 buildings are dropped at the same time
9. In ns_mineshaft the game starts you in Operation. Aliens in Sorting. Time is in the middle stage in the round. Aliens has taken cave as a secondary hive and currently building one in deposit. You have repair as a 2nd base. You are currently building a protos. All Upgrades are level 3. Income is 6 res per interval. Aliens have successfully defend your troops from entering deposit. Aliens have not gone offensive on gap. Both central drilling res nodes are yours and you do have a forward base establish in central, however majority of the aliens are continuously attacking the center of the map where most of your troops are defending off. You are slowly losing central, due to aliens number of advance evolutions. By some sort of luck a marine was able to walked into cave without incident and has establish power for you. At this time what would be priority. (you are not allow to ARC deposit from central, lets make it hard)
A. Continue on holding Central Drilling the best of your troops ability until jetpacks and exos are done researching
B. Shift focus on attacking Deposit before they established a 3rd hive C. Surprise attack on Cave with Beacon and Phase gate. (You simply has to use such gifts. Maybe I would do it without beacon. There would be enoug people left in central to hold it, and the aliens would be drawing back to cave. Allowing more central guys to phase to cave.)
D. Other.
10. Besides phase tech or welders. What first tier tech do you prefer to research first.
8. All commanders have different starting build sequence. The game gives one extractor and 50 res in the beginning. What 5 buildings and/or tech would you do in order. Explain why your sequence is prefer.
- Armory, observatory, phase gate, command station and IP at a new secure place + the other phase gate if have enough resources. I wouldn't go for arms lab unless the players are good and can get me extractors ASAP and can defend them. I'll always go for W1 first then A1 or W2, and then W3, A2,A3. I hate the commanders that go for A2 with W1 - you can't kill sh*t with armor, remember that.
Interesting build sequence. You my have to explain why you would go command station and IP at a new secure place early in the game. With one extractor income, i can imagine it would be a slow start.
6. You noticed that your 3rd established base is being overrun by majority of the enemy team. You have the option to beaconing to that base. Power is being attacked. Phase gate is down. You have 3-4 Duals exos and 2 jet packers with welders standing by at a forward base near a enemy hive. Rest of your team scattered doing other tasks. What would you command your troops to do.
A. Command your team to march into the enemy base.
B. Divert your troops from the forward base to defend and reclaim the 3rd base. C. Beacon your troops. (There should be a PG at that forward base, so they can get back to the Exos fast. 3-4 Exos should hold out this time when they can get into defensive positions.)
D. Other.
Remember that the teams are 10 vs 10. If you beacon you are lucky to have 6-7 semi jetpack equip marines instantly teleport to that base with no phasegate. With your team with exos you can assume the worst case scenario that aliens will have fades or onos attacking the base. Chances are slim in defending off a base with no phasegate up unless you were willing to beacon constantly until the room was clear or if the obs goes down. I can see the aliens being detoured by hearing that sounds of a beacon, but it wouldn't be enough to stop their pursuit on getting a 3rd hive.
What is significant of a 3rd base for marines at this point? Dual Exos and jetpacks are researched. There is a 2nd base still functioning for marines, so proto equips will still be available for purchase.
This scenario is near the endgame. With a full assault of the enemy team on your base it has become a race on who can destroy bases faster. In this scenario marines have the upper hand on number of bases. Plus their ability to build things faster. So if the off chance that aliens were to start hitting on your last base you can drop a command chair at a recently clear area you destroy.
1. Extractor. Although it depends on my early tech opener - (Phase tech or Weapons/Armor tech) But in most cases, Extractor.
2. Locker room. I'm not very experianced on docking, but for what its worth, it locks down aliens third hive, cause no alien commander is stupid enough to drop caf as a third hive, deep in marine controlled area)
3. Mines is my option + a dedicated marine. I wouldn't go ahead and pick jetpacks because I need to defend a RT against a skull - If my marines are that bad, then we've lost regardless.
4. Early Cargo rush. (If I'm able to lock down the area with a PG, fine - but the idea is to box the aliens in to pipeline, because everyone knows how horrible it is to start in pipe! - It prevents a early hive drop, and if it has been dropped, marines have a big chance of ganking it while one or two marines hit c-12 at the same time. Also the RT in cargo is out of the question for the alien commander at this stage. In the meantime, I have one capping marine behind the fighting lines, skylights / overlook / sub, capping RT's for me)
5. Depends on the map, although I'd either go for PG/Armory or Arcs. On some maps, certain hives are just too freakin hard to arc, for example cargo - I haven't found any good area to arc from without exposing the arcs to easy bilebombing. But if its tram for example, I'd order my marines in to north tunnels and tell them to play defensively, protecting the arcs while I blow the shit out of warehouse.
6. Depends on the situation (There aren't any easy answers for this one) Although for example: I'd order my team in to the enemy hive and make a so called base trade if the aliens have their upgrades in that hive, I'm almost always favoured to taking out the aliens second or first hive because it locks down certain abilities for awhile.
7. Thats a tricky question, Although I'm never in to the whole "solo rambo" missions, never have and probably never will be. I Would probably have ordered the marine to attack the platform RT, because I feel that the server room area is an' over extended base in this scenario and a typical public mistake is to flush marines through the pg and have them attack the aliens "barn door" untill either side ends up losing. I'd rather have a PG in hub, and get arcs to blow the crap out of warhouse.
8. Depends on the map and where the aliens first hive ends up beeing.
9. Yet again it comes down to how the game has been fairing and what my marines have been doing up untill that point. But I'm all for blitz attacking a hive if the aliens aren't expecting it. Especially if there aren't any crags around the hive, so lets face it... its all public play here and the hive will be killed very quickly. So the idea is to blitz it down with 8 marines, while keeping 2 in central, once the hive is down (Counting that marines have weapons 3) I would order two marines to stay and clean up, while the rest fall back to their previous positions.
By Medic Grant
(Ver1.2)(Open for more suggestions or scenarios)
Thanks to Locklear, Ghosthree3
Answer all questions or scenarios to the best of your ability. Treat all scenarios as if the teams were 10 VS 10. All players are mediocre in skill level. There is no right or wrong answer. For scenarios please explain why you chose your answer. This quiz is for research and insite. Be open minded to others opinions. Do not pimp slap someone because you don't agree with his strategy. Please excuse any typos or spelling errors.
1. A team of two arrived at a empty base. This base is one of the two closest near your starting base. Power is established. Time is early stage of the round. You have 15 res. What building would you drop.
A. Extractor
B. Phase Gate
C. Armory
D. Command Center.
E. Other
B
Assuming we actually have a PG in main base, I would drop a PG there. The reason being that pub nubs don't know how important a second base is, and an active PG is a wonderful, mysterious glimmery portal to a world full of excitement and candy. Dropping anything else would mean a near instant loss of said structure and those 2 marines.
2. In NS_Docking, your starting base is Terminal. Aliens starting base is Departure. What base will be crucial and practical in establishing a secondary base?
A. Cafeteria
B. Locker Room
C. Generator
D. None of the above
B
Generator is ideal, of course, but Locker Rooms is further away from Departures and thus easier for marines to defend. Locker Rooms offers quick access to Maintenance and Courtyard, which helps to cut aliens off from Bar and Cafeteria. Locker Rooms is also easier to defend because it is well lit, doesn't have high ceilings.
3. You have problems maintaining one particular extractor. Every time this extractor is fully built a skulk will come in and destroy it a minute later. It is not a significant run to the extractor from the nearest phase gate. This extractor is well into marine territory. Time is middle stage of the round. You have 3 res income without this specific extractor. What will help detour the alien from destroying it next time.
A. Research Jetpacks for fast mobility and response
B. Place a phase gate near the extractor
C. Research Sentries and placing them.
D. Resource node not worth keeping.
E. Other
A
Aside from JPs being useful in other roles (saving an extractor should never BE the only reason to research JPs), a JP marine can quickly respond to a threat to that extractor. There is no excuse for not capping this extractor 'well into marine territory'.
4. In NS_Viel the enemy main hive is in Pipeline. The round just started. What area of the map would you emphasized your team on getting first.
A. Sub-Sector
B. Cargo
C. Nanogrid
D. C-12
E. Other
B
Taking cargo cuts aliens off from their natural second hive. If they dare to drop Sub-Sector, it's a hell of a long run for skulks spawning in Pipe to defend it, and putting a shift up there (or in nano) means spending 5 res per 2 eggs just to spawn your skulks closer. Taking into account the skill level of your marines, Cargo is pretty easy to defend as long as you have an armory there, mines, and that wide open space behind the boxes to shoot skulks from a distance.
5. You command your army to advance into a fully defensive enemy base from an establish marine base. This is the aliens 2nd hive. You noticed that your forces is being picked off one by one at the entrance of the enemy base. On your minimap you see your forces going in a single file line from the marine base to the alien base. You have limited resources where you can only do one of the follow choices. What course of action would you do FIRST to help your team advance.
A. Establish a forward base with an armory and phase gate
B. Upgrade armor and weapons
C. Research grenade launchers
D. Save for Arcs
E. Other
A
This brings your marines closer to the action right after they respawn, then they can sprint up to the hive and start harassing it while you turn your attention to other things.
6. You noticed that your 3rd established base is being overrun by majority of the enemy team. You have the option to beaconing to that base. Power is being attacked. Phase gate is down. You have 3-4 Duals exos and 2 jet packers with welders standing by at a forward base near a enemy hive. Rest of your team scattered doing other tasks. What would you command your troops to do.
A. Command your team to march into the enemy base.
B. Divert your troops from the forward base to defend and reclaim the 3rd base.
C. Beacon your troops.
D. Other.
A
Don't need a 3rd base for marine tech. If the aliens want a base trade so badly, then that's fine. If aliens can attack where marines are not, marines can do the same - only better since aliens cannot beacon. I wouldn't even recycle stuff in that base, let the aliens be distracted in attacking that 15 res comm chair or whatever while the exos/jps crush their hive.
7. You just started a round in NS_tram. Your starting base is shipping and the enemy base is in Warehouse. A marine happen to run straight to Server Room without incident. Phase gate tech finished researching. The marine is asking for a phase gate. You have not established a secondary base. What would you do?
A. Place a phase gate in Server room.
B. Divert marine to claiming Elevator Transfer.
C. Divert marine to enemy base to kill off eggs or other important structures.
D. Have the marine hide in server until his services are needed.
E. Other
A
Take a risk! If that PG goes up and marines can hold Server Room, the aliens would be forced to try expanding to Repair Room. I would even establish my second base at Server Room (Comm Station, IPs, Armory, Obs, etc) early in the game to put that immense pressure on the aliens right from the get go. This also gives you Platform RT and Mezzanine.
8. All commanders have different starting build sequence. The game gives one extractor and 50 res in the beginning. What 5 buildings and/or tech would you do in order. Explain why your sequence is prefer.
BUILDINGS
1) 2 Extractors (left and right side...depending on the map)
2) Armory at second base with orders to HOLD that base
3) 1 Extractor at second base
4) Armory at third base (if marines got in somehow) with orders to HOLD that base
9. In ns_mineshaft the game starts you in Operation. Aliens in Sorting. Time is in the middle stage in the round. Aliens has taken cave as a secondary hive and currently building one in deposit. You have repair as a 2nd base. You are currently building a protos. All Upgrades are level 3. Income is 6 res per interval. Aliens have successfully defend your troops from entering deposit. Aliens have not gone offensive on gap. Both central drilling res nodes are yours and you do have a forward base establish in central, however majority of the aliens are continuously attacking the center of the map where most of your troops are defending off. You are slowly losing central, due to aliens number of advance evolutions. By some sort of luck a marine was able to walked into cave without incident and has establish power for you. At this time what would be priority. (you are not allow to ARC deposit from central, lets make it hard)
A. Continue on holding Central Drilling the best of your troops ability until jetpacks and exos are done researching
B. Shift focus on attacking Deposit before they established a 3rd hive
C. Surprise attack on Cave with Beacon and Phase gate.
D. Other.
[/quote]
0_o C
PG in the back of the hive or close by the res node, beacon rush. Take over Cave/Cavern res nodes as a replacement for Central if the aliens take Central. Push up from Cave, establish some kind of forward base at North Point, hit Sorting.
10. Besides phase tech or welders. What first tier tech do you prefer to research first.
I can see the advantages in phase gating maintenance or ball court first early game. However I see more vulnerability for locker room to be attacked from court yard. If you have locker room established then can't you move forward to ballcourt and maintenance. It's only right next door. I agree that PG locker room makes the game longer, but it gives me instant response to the room. I also won plenty of rounds by establishing locker room and keeping maintenance away from aliens.
The thing is, if you hold ball court with a pg, all locker room is to you is an RT.
The aliens can't exactly place a hive in Locker Room while you hold ball court. If they do it should be easy for you to roll into the hive and shoot it down. You deny the hive drop, if the gate is in ball court or locker room, but in ball court / maintenance you can more easily pressure and guard RTs.
I'd rather have a gate that is right next to, 2 RTs and a Hive than one that just covers one rt and a hive.
Ok I see. So with this plan in strategy, you would uses cafe as a means for a 2nd chair later in the game. You stretch your territory first to maintenance and locker with a PG in ballcourt. Then one in cafe to cover it and bar.
Would you later establish locker room for it to be beacon ready? Do you have problems with aliens secretly cysting over through courtyard or central access?
Actually I wouldn't bother with the gate in Cafe. You don't need to worry about Cafe because it is well behind front lines if you get a gate in ball court. A second gate would go in Stability Monitoring, if anywhere.
Once you set up a gate in ball court, I would start attacking gen with most of my marines, and send a few to try and snipe res nodes. You can actually shoot gen from the bottom floor on the maintenance side of gen. which can work well in a 10v10. (not so well in a 6v6)
6. You noticed that your 3rd established base is being overrun by majority of the enemy team. You have the option to beaconing to that base. Power is being attacked. Phase gate is down. You have 3-4 Duals exos and 2 jet packers with welders standing by at a forward base near a enemy hive. Rest of your team scattered doing other tasks. What would you command your troops to do.
A. Command your team to march into the enemy base.
B. Divert your troops from the forward base to defend and reclaim the 3rd base. C. Beacon your troops. (There should be a PG at that forward base, so they can get back to the Exos fast. 3-4 Exos should hold out this time when they can get into defensive positions.)
D. Other.
Remember that the teams are 10 vs 10. If you beacon you are lucky to have 6-7 semi jetpack equip marines instantly teleport to that base with no phasegate. With your team with exos you can assume the worst case scenario that aliens will have fades or onos attacking the base. Chances are slim in defending off a base with no phasegate up unless you were willing to beacon constantly until the room was clear or if the obs goes down. I can see the aliens being detoured by hearing that sounds of a beacon, but it wouldn't be enough to stop their pursuit on getting a 3rd hive.
What is significant of a 3rd base for marines at this point? Dual Exos and jetpacks are researched. There is a 2nd base still functioning for marines, so proto equips will still be available for purchase.
This scenario is near the endgame. With a full assault of the enemy team on your base it has become a race on who can destroy bases faster. In this scenario marines have the upper hand on number of bases. Plus their ability to build things faster. So if the off chance that aliens were to start hitting on your last base you can drop a command chair at a recently clear area you destroy.
You are right. And it wasn't easy to answer this question. In most cases your solution will sure fit. But I'm very confident, that 4 Exos in defensive positions can survive until the other base is secured and a new pg built. Exos excel while defending. But yes, it is dangerous to go this way and the base is not really needed.
I only have seen so many games, where marines with exos were to offensive and lost because of this. Also there is a good chance in killing higher life forms while defending that base. It's at least easier than trying to kill them on their turf.
You are right. And it wasn't easy to answer this question. In most cases your solution will sure fit. But I'm very confident, that 4 Exos in defensive positions can survive until the other base is secured and a new pg built. Exos excel while defending. But yes, it is dangerous to go this way and the base is not really needed.
I only have seen so many games, where marines with exos were to offensive and lost because of this. Also there is a good chance in killing higher life forms while defending that base. It's at least easier than trying to kill them on their turf.
Thanks for input. Yeah these questions are subjective. There is no right or wrong. Its depends on the magnitude of the risk. Probability of success. Now I will know reasoning behind this choices. I find that important. People inherently blame commanders for a piss poor job when really the front-lines men don't know the full situations. (That excluding troll and noob comms)
So I happen to play a pub game today where our marine commander placed a Extractor, Command chair and IP (in that order) first in our newly claim secondary base early stage of the game. I'm having trouble grasping the reasoning why that would be his choice of build. Extractor is ok, but you dedicate 25 res when doing the other 2. If anything phase gate, maybe armory and move on. No reason for a 2nd chair, unless you want early proto.
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1. A – Extractor: PG is too defensive (need PGs closer to hives), Armory would just die, CS is just unnecessary early
2. B - Locker Room: Denies alien natural 3rd hive location and is easier to capture than Generator. Cafeteria is too defensive
3. D – Resource node is not worth keeping: You’re likely facing fades (which is why its hard to keep the node up), more important to put your res into upgrades and killing higher lifeforms
4. D – C-12: Hit C-12, kill the harvester, then try to take out the one in pipeline. If aliens fastdropped 2nd hive in cargo they’ll be reslocked.
5. E – Other: Attack somewhere else. Aliens are unlikely to have good defenses at all their hives/RTs
6. A – Command your team to march into the enemy base: A 3rd base with no important structures (e.g. arms lab, proto, advanced armory) is expendable. Base trading to take down a hive is worth it.
7. C – Divert marine to enemy base to kill off eggs or other important structures: Server is a crap location that you should only put significant resources into only if you start there
8. Typically, armory, RT, obs, RT, then save for either PGs or mines (other adjustments include a 2nd IP or fast SG research)
9. C – Surprise attack on Cave with Beacon and Phase gate: I’d prefer the PG be in cavern or crusher and I wouldn’t beacon, but defending central for too long is almost a guarantee of being overwhelmed by fades and onos
10. D – Mines: Skulks can’t resist good ol’ fashioned TSF ground cookies
So I happen to play a pub game today where our marine commander placed a Extractor, Command chair and IP (in that order) first in our newly claim secondary base early stage of the game. I'm having trouble grasping the reasoning why that would be his choice of build. Extractor is ok, but you dedicate 25 res when doing the other 2. If anything phase gate, maybe armory and move on. No reason for a 2nd chair, unless you want early proto.
I have seen that too. I think the decision was to pay 10 res more (or earlier, because you will pay the cost of a second CC later anyway), but get more marines guarding in that location, because they respawn right in that base. When going Advanced Armory instead of Phase Tech first, it may even work with early jet packs. I think I will try this tactic.
Comments
Assuming all players are mediocre in an equal engagement, medpacks can tip the scale in marine favor. The extractor will make up for the medpacks.
2. Locker room/Generator/Other
As I've mentioned, holding certain locations are highly rewarding but come with high risks. Cafeteria is obviously the lowest rewarding location to prioritize as a base.
Locker Room I would consider standard play. You get 4/9 nodes, plus any additional nodes you can deny aliens(maintenance, stability, east wing). Stability being the most rewarding forward base as Generator and Departures can be ARC'd from here.
Generator is highly rewarding. Assuming all players are equal, it may be unlikely for this to be held. If your team of marines understand how important generator is, so do aliens.
Other(Ball court, courtyard). After watching ENSL competitive games, I'm definitely a fan of placing phasegates in more forward or central locations.
3.Jetpacks
Jetpacks but not for defending. Constantly running between RTs detracts from any offense the can make. If you want that RT to stop going down, take down their RTs/upgrades until aliens are on the defensive and they forget about that RT.
4.Nanogrid/Cargo
Again, measure rewards and risks. Pipeline is the worst base aliens can start in. This brings down the risk in areas I would normally consider high risk.
Nanogrid or cargo is definitely obtainable if aliens start pipe. Take advantage. Either choice will ensure victory. Nano locks them out of resources, cargo locks them out of tech.
However if Aliens started sub-sector, Nano and cargo would be much harder to hold.
5.Establish Base/Save for Arcs?
Damn, this is a tough question. It could go either way. Establishing a base, upgrades, or arcs.
You've listed problems such as single file marines and limited resources. If marines are marching single file, upgrades are probably not the best. ARCs can take out structures easily but can marines defend them. I may go with base but that reinforces an overcommitment to a fruitless frontline. There is more then one entrance into a base and sticking a forward base at an entrance that is not working is not my idea of winning.
6.March into enemy base
Easy. Take out their 2nd base. I'm sure it's been explained enough
7.Kill structures
I like the phasegate idea but it can be risky.
I would not divert a marine back to elevator, you are basically playing safe which yields little reward. Someone else who is behind can establish elevator. The best way to establish elevator is to have that Server Room marine press forward and look for RTs to gun down. This causes aliens to play defensively and allow your marines to build up in the meantime. If only one alien goes to defend you can tip the favor towards your marine with medpacks and an RT to go down soon. Another possibility is that they overreact and send three skulks decreasing the amount of skulks playing offensively.
8.Armory, 2 extractors,
After that i normally go for observatory but only because of standard pub play. It would be nice to go for arms lab or mines next as you see in competitive play.
9.Open space?
Atrium, Cave, and Generator can be shot down by exos from safe distances but i'm not sure about pipeline. Jetpacks work nice too.
10.Mines
Early offensive mines are awesome. Standing near someone else's offensive mine, even more awesome. When I say early offensive I mean taking it in the first couple of minutes to a very forward position.
Marine armor. This is only useful if the marines can handle themselves in combat in the first place though.
Yeah I may take pipeworks out of that one. I probably need to reword that questions all together. It was really halfass.
9. In ns_mineshaft the game starts you in Operation. Aliens in Sorting. Time is in the middle stage in the round. Aliens has taken cave as a secondary hive and currently building one in deposit. You have repair as a 2nd base. You are currently building a protos. All Upgrades are level 3. Income is 6 res per interval. Aliens have successfully defend your troops from entering deposit. Aliens have not gone offensive on gap. Both central drilling res nodes are yours and you do have a forward base establish in central, however majority of the aliens are continuously attacking the center of the map where most of your troops are defending off. You are slowly losing central, due to aliens number of advance evolutions. By some sort of luck a marine was able to walked into cave without incident and has establish power for you. At this time what would be priority. (you are not allow to ARC deposit from central,
A. Continue on holding Central Drilling the best of your troops ability until jetpacks and exos are done researching
B. Shift focus on attacking Deposit before they established a 3rd hive
C. Surprise attack on Cave with Beacon and Phase gate.
D. Other.
None of the above
Other
Other
Other
Other
Other
Other
Other
None of the above
Commanding 101, don't give your plays away. You all failed.
1. A. Extractor
It's early game and you need the resource income. Phase gates can wait for when you're ready to establish a base there.
2. B. Locker Room
While Gen would shut down the alien team entirely, Locker would be easier to hold, still prevents a third hive, and basically gives you Cafe.
3. A. Research Jetpacks for fast mobility and response
As long as I can get someone to patrol phase gates, this seems like the best option. Besides, jet packs are useful regardless. If that fails, I'm tempted to say that it's not worth holding. If a skulk is nomming it down after a minute, it's just barely paying for itself and constantly removing a marine from play to rebuild it.
4. B. Cargo
Capturing Cargo, which is a rather marine friendly room (especially once jet packs are up), will cut the aliens off from the entire other half of the map. My secondary objective would then be C-12. Getting those gets us the entire map.
5. E. Other
The wording wasn't entirely clear, so I'm going off the assumption that marines are walking one by one in to their death, so my first course of action would be to beacon and send them in one group. Then, set up a phase gate and armoury (or do this first if I misunderstood).
6. A. Command your team to march into the enemy base.
Since marines don't need a third base, and losing their second hive is crippling for the alien team, send them in and take out that hive. I'd scan the third base afterward to see if the aliens dropped a hive there (quite likely) and rush it. If it were closer to them, I'd send the exos and welders to the established hive instead of the new one (but the rest of the team hits the new one regardless).
7. D. Have the marine hide in server until his services are needed.
I'm probably being overly cautious, and I'd want to take that room, but since it is the start of the game I'd have him wait a bit. The aliens are sure to check out the room if they haven't already, and I'd rather not lose the res for the phase gate right away. It should be fairly easy for him to hide behind the server racks or whatever they are at the north end of the room. I'd give him a phase gate after other marines are available to assist him.
8. All commanders have different starting build sequence. The game gives one extractor and 50 res in the beginning. What 5 buildings and/or tech would you do in order. Explain why your sequence is prefer.
First two buildings, without a doubt, are the nearest extractors. You need to get the res flowing ASAP. I'd also drop an armoury, so I can drop an obs. The obs is needed for early warning on attacks, scanning for marines out on the field, beacon, etc. The fifth would probably be mines, for defending extractors and phase gates once they're up.
9. C. Surprise attack on Cave with Beacon and Phase gate.
Since I'm currently building a proto, we'll have jet packs soon. Jet packs in Cave? GG, aliens, GG.
10. D. Mines
Followed by weapon upgrades and A1 for fades.
---
Wait, am I missing something here? I swear there was something asking what 4 rooms had in common, but I don't see it now.
And now that I got to page 2, I see it was replaced.
For instance,
Time: 8 minutes (expect fades soon)
Map: Docking
Marine Bases: Cafeteria, Terminal
Nodes: 3 (Terminal, Cafe, Bar)
Tech: w2, a1, mines, welders, shotguns
Alien Bases: Generator, Departures
Alien Nodes: 4 (Generator, Departures, Stability, Maintenance)
Alien tech: Shift, Crag
Contested Bases: Locker Room
Contested Nodes: 2 (Eastwing, Locker)
What is your focus?
What tech are you getting next?
- Phase gate. Extractor if the players are good and can defend it.
2. In NS_Docking, your starting base is Terminal. Aliens starting base is Departure. What base will be crucial and practical in establishing a secondary base?
- Locker rooms at all costs, but the aliens are targeting that too so it will be a tough fight.
3. You have problems maintaining one particular extractor. Every time this extractor is fully built a skulk will come in and destroy it a minute later. It is not a significant run to the extractor from the nearest phase gate. This extractor is well into marine territory. Time is middle stage of the round. You have 3 res income without this specific extractor. What will help detour the alien from destroying it next time.
- You are talking about Skylights. I say that well placed sentries will do it.
4. In NS_Viel the enemy main hive is in Pipeline. The round just started. What area of the map would you emphasized your team on getting first.
- If the players are good and can actually kill, go for cargo - that will deny nanogrid and subsector - win.
5. You command your army to advance into a fully defensive enemy base from an establish marine base. This is the aliens 2nd hive. You noticed that your forces is being picked off one by one at the entrance of the enemy base. On your minimap you see your forces going in a single file line from the marine base to the alien base. You have limited resources where you can only do one of the follow choices. What course of action would you do FIRST to help your team advance.
- Arcs if the base is fortified with alot of sh*t, but grenade launchers if not. Grenade launchers will clean up the skulks and eggs pretty good.
6. You noticed that your 3rd established base is being overrun by majority of the enemy team. You have the option to beaconing to that base. Power is being attacked. Phase gate is down. You have 3-4 Duals exos and 2 jet packers with welders standing by at a forward base near a enemy hive. Rest of your team scattered doing other tasks. What would you command your troops to do.
- Kill the hive now, it will take just ~ 10 seconds for 3-4 exos to take it down and then we can make a new base and go for the next hive.
7. You just started a round in NS_tram. Your starting base is shipping and the enemy base is in Warehouse. A marine happen to run straight to Server Room without incident. Phase gate tech finished researching. The marine is asking for a phase gate. You have not established a secondary base. What would you do?
- Phase gate if it's secure.
8. All commanders have different starting build sequence. The game gives one extractor and 50 res in the beginning. What 5 buildings and/or tech would you do in order. Explain why your sequence is prefer.
- Armory, observatory, phase gate, command station and IP at a new secure place + the other phase gate if have enough resources. I wouldn't go for arms lab unless the players are good and can get me extractors ASAP and can defend them. I'll always go for W1 first then A1 or W2, and then W3, A2,A3. I hate the commanders that go for A2 with W1 - you can't kill sh*t with armor, remember that.
9. In ns_mineshaft the game starts you in Operation. Aliens in Sorting. Time is in the middle stage in the round. Aliens has taken cave as a secondary hive and currently building one in deposit. You have repair as a 2nd base. You are currently building a protos. All Upgrades are level 3. Income is 6 res per interval. Aliens have successfully defend your troops from entering deposit. Aliens have not gone offensive on gap. Both central drilling res nodes are yours and you do have a forward base establish in central, however majority of the aliens are continuously attacking the center of the map where most of your troops are defending off. You are slowly losing central, due to aliens number of advance evolutions. By some sort of luck a marine was able to walked into cave without incident and has establish power for you. At this time what would be priority. (you are not allow to ARC deposit from central, lets make it hard)
Surpise attack, because I've seen it work and it was amazing and funny.
10. Besides phase tech or welders. What first tier tech do you prefer to research first.
Weapon 1.
A. Extractor
B. Phase Gate
C. Armory
D. Command Center.
E. Other
2. In NS_Docking, your starting base is Terminal. Aliens starting base is Departure. What base will be crucial and practical in establishing a secondary base?
A. Cafeteria
B. Locker Room
C. Generator
D. Stability Monitoring
3. You have problems maintaining one particular extractor. Every time this extractor is fully built a skulk will come in and destroy it a minute later. It is not a significant run to the extractor from the nearest phase gate. This extractor is well into marine territory. Time is middle stage of the round. You have 3 res income without this specific extractor. What will help detour the alien from destroying it next time.
A. Research Jetpacks for fast mobility and response...
B. Place a phase gate near the extractor
C. Research Sentries and placing them.
D. Resource node not worth keeping.
E. ... and try to shut down the route the aliens take to harass that RT by mounting an attack into alien territory over that route.
4. In NS_Viel the enemy main hive is in Pipeline. The round just started. What area of the map would you emphasized your team on getting first.
A. Sub-Sector
B. Cargo
C. Nanogrid
D. C-12
E. Other
5. You command your army to advance into a fully defensive enemy base from an establish marine base. This is the aliens 2nd hive. You noticed that your forces is being picked off one by one at the entrance of the enemy base. On your minimap you see your forces going in a single file line from the marine base to the alien base. You have limited resources where you can only do one of the follow choices. What course of action would you do FIRST to help your team advance.
A. Establish a forward base with an armory and phase gate
B. Upgrade armor and weapons
C. Research grenade launchers
D. Save for Arcs
E. Other
6. You noticed that your 3rd established base is being overrun by majority of the enemy team. You have the option to beaconing to that base. Power is being attacked. Phase gate is down. You have 3-4 Duals exos and 2 jet packers with welders standing by at a forward base near a enemy hive. Rest of your team scattered doing other tasks. What would you command your troops to do.
A. Command your team to march into the enemy base.
B. Divert your troops from the forward base to defend and reclaim the 3rd base.
C. Beacon your troops. (There should be a PG at that forward base, so they can get back to the Exos fast. 3-4 Exos should hold out this time when they can get into defensive positions.)
D. Other.
7. You just started a round in NS_tram. Your starting base is shipping and the enemy base is in Warehouse. A marine happen to run straight to Server Room without incident. Phase gate tech finished researching. The marine is asking for a phase gate. You have not established a secondary base. What would you do?
A. Place a phase gate in Server room. (No cysts in server yet? He probably will manage to build it up without being bothered.)
B. Divert marine to claiming Elevator Transfer.
C. Divert marine to enemy base to kill off eggs or other important structures.
D. Have the marine hide in server until his services are needed.
E. Other
8. All commanders have different starting build sequence. The game gives one extractor and 50 res in the beginning. What 5 buildings and/or tech would you do in order. Explain why your sequence is prefer.
2 RTs
1 Armory
1 IP
...
1 Obs
On a server with less players, the IP can wait in favor of another RT or Phase Tech
The first 4 buildings are dropped at the same time
9. In ns_mineshaft the game starts you in Operation. Aliens in Sorting. Time is in the middle stage in the round. Aliens has taken cave as a secondary hive and currently building one in deposit. You have repair as a 2nd base. You are currently building a protos. All Upgrades are level 3. Income is 6 res per interval. Aliens have successfully defend your troops from entering deposit. Aliens have not gone offensive on gap. Both central drilling res nodes are yours and you do have a forward base establish in central, however majority of the aliens are continuously attacking the center of the map where most of your troops are defending off. You are slowly losing central, due to aliens number of advance evolutions. By some sort of luck a marine was able to walked into cave without incident and has establish power for you. At this time what would be priority. (you are not allow to ARC deposit from central,
A. Continue on holding Central Drilling the best of your troops ability until jetpacks and exos are done researching
B. Shift focus on attacking Deposit before they established a 3rd hive
C. Surprise attack on Cave with Beacon and Phase gate. (You simply has to use such gifts. Maybe I would do it without beacon. There would be enoug people left in central to hold it, and the aliens would be drawing back to cave. Allowing more central guys to phase to cave.)
D. Other.
10. Besides phase tech or welders. What first tier tech do you prefer to research first.
A. Armor
B. Weapon
C. Shotgun
D. Mines
Interesting build sequence. You my have to explain why you would go command station and IP at a new secure place early in the game. With one extractor income, i can imagine it would be a slow start.
Remember that the teams are 10 vs 10. If you beacon you are lucky to have 6-7 semi jetpack equip marines instantly teleport to that base with no phasegate. With your team with exos you can assume the worst case scenario that aliens will have fades or onos attacking the base. Chances are slim in defending off a base with no phasegate up unless you were willing to beacon constantly until the room was clear or if the obs goes down. I can see the aliens being detoured by hearing that sounds of a beacon, but it wouldn't be enough to stop their pursuit on getting a 3rd hive.
What is significant of a 3rd base for marines at this point? Dual Exos and jetpacks are researched. There is a 2nd base still functioning for marines, so proto equips will still be available for purchase.
This scenario is near the endgame. With a full assault of the enemy team on your base it has become a race on who can destroy bases faster. In this scenario marines have the upper hand on number of bases. Plus their ability to build things faster. So if the off chance that aliens were to start hitting on your last base you can drop a command chair at a recently clear area you destroy.
OK then, but i'm still a little curious. What point of the game would you place a command station at a second location.
2. Locker room. I'm not very experianced on docking, but for what its worth, it locks down aliens third hive, cause no alien commander is stupid enough to drop caf as a third hive, deep in marine controlled area)
3. Mines is my option + a dedicated marine. I wouldn't go ahead and pick jetpacks because I need to defend a RT against a skull - If my marines are that bad, then we've lost regardless.
4. Early Cargo rush. (If I'm able to lock down the area with a PG, fine - but the idea is to box the aliens in to pipeline, because everyone knows how horrible it is to start in pipe! - It prevents a early hive drop, and if it has been dropped, marines have a big chance of ganking it while one or two marines hit c-12 at the same time. Also the RT in cargo is out of the question for the alien commander at this stage. In the meantime, I have one capping marine behind the fighting lines, skylights / overlook / sub, capping RT's for me)
5. Depends on the map, although I'd either go for PG/Armory or Arcs. On some maps, certain hives are just too freakin hard to arc, for example cargo - I haven't found any good area to arc from without exposing the arcs to easy bilebombing. But if its tram for example, I'd order my marines in to north tunnels and tell them to play defensively, protecting the arcs while I blow the shit out of warehouse.
6. Depends on the situation (There aren't any easy answers for this one) Although for example: I'd order my team in to the enemy hive and make a so called base trade if the aliens have their upgrades in that hive, I'm almost always favoured to taking out the aliens second or first hive because it locks down certain abilities for awhile.
7. Thats a tricky question, Although I'm never in to the whole "solo rambo" missions, never have and probably never will be. I Would probably have ordered the marine to attack the platform RT, because I feel that the server room area is an' over extended base in this scenario and a typical public mistake is to flush marines through the pg and have them attack the aliens "barn door" untill either side ends up losing. I'd rather have a PG in hub, and get arcs to blow the crap out of warhouse.
8. Depends on the map and where the aliens first hive ends up beeing.
9. Yet again it comes down to how the game has been fairing and what my marines have been doing up untill that point. But I'm all for blitz attacking a hive if the aliens aren't expecting it. Especially if there aren't any crags around the hive, so lets face it... its all public play here and the hive will be killed very quickly. So the idea is to blitz it down with 8 marines, while keeping 2 in central, once the hive is down (Counting that marines have weapons 3) I would order two marines to stay and clean up, while the rest fall back to their previous positions.
10. Mines!
B
Assuming we actually have a PG in main base, I would drop a PG there. The reason being that pub nubs don't know how important a second base is, and an active PG is a wonderful, mysterious glimmery portal to a world full of excitement and candy. Dropping anything else would mean a near instant loss of said structure and those 2 marines.
B
Generator is ideal, of course, but Locker Rooms is further away from Departures and thus easier for marines to defend. Locker Rooms offers quick access to Maintenance and Courtyard, which helps to cut aliens off from Bar and Cafeteria. Locker Rooms is also easier to defend because it is well lit, doesn't have high ceilings.
A
Aside from JPs being useful in other roles (saving an extractor should never BE the only reason to research JPs), a JP marine can quickly respond to a threat to that extractor. There is no excuse for not capping this extractor 'well into marine territory'.
B
Taking cargo cuts aliens off from their natural second hive. If they dare to drop Sub-Sector, it's a hell of a long run for skulks spawning in Pipe to defend it, and putting a shift up there (or in nano) means spending 5 res per 2 eggs just to spawn your skulks closer. Taking into account the skill level of your marines, Cargo is pretty easy to defend as long as you have an armory there, mines, and that wide open space behind the boxes to shoot skulks from a distance.
A
This brings your marines closer to the action right after they respawn, then they can sprint up to the hive and start harassing it while you turn your attention to other things.
A
Don't need a 3rd base for marine tech. If the aliens want a base trade so badly, then that's fine. If aliens can attack where marines are not, marines can do the same - only better since aliens cannot beacon. I wouldn't even recycle stuff in that base, let the aliens be distracted in attacking that 15 res comm chair or whatever while the exos/jps crush their hive.
A
Take a risk! If that PG goes up and marines can hold Server Room, the aliens would be forced to try expanding to Repair Room. I would even establish my second base at Server Room (Comm Station, IPs, Armory, Obs, etc) early in the game to put that immense pressure on the aliens right from the get go. This also gives you Platform RT and Mezzanine.
BUILDINGS
1) 2 Extractors (left and right side...depending on the map)
2) Armory at second base with orders to HOLD that base
3) 1 Extractor at second base
4) Armory at third base (if marines got in somehow) with orders to HOLD that base
TECH
1) Mines
2) Phase Tech
3) A1
4) W1
5) Shotguns
A. Continue on holding Central Drilling the best of your troops ability until jetpacks and exos are done researching
B. Shift focus on attacking Deposit before they established a 3rd hive
C. Surprise attack on Cave with Beacon and Phase gate.
D. Other.
[/quote]
0_o C
PG in the back of the hive or close by the res node, beacon rush. Take over Cave/Cavern res nodes as a replacement for Central if the aliens take Central. Push up from Cave, establish some kind of forward base at North Point, hit Sorting.
D
Mein Lieben
Mines of Moria
Mineminemineminemine
You are right. And it wasn't easy to answer this question. In most cases your solution will sure fit. But I'm very confident, that 4 Exos in defensive positions can survive until the other base is secured and a new pg built. Exos excel while defending. But yes, it is dangerous to go this way and the base is not really needed.
I only have seen so many games, where marines with exos were to offensive and lost because of this. Also there is a good chance in killing higher life forms while defending that base. It's at least easier than trying to kill them on their turf.
Thanks for input. Yeah these questions are subjective. There is no right or wrong. Its depends on the magnitude of the risk. Probability of success. Now I will know reasoning behind this choices. I find that important. People inherently blame commanders for a piss poor job when really the front-lines men don't know the full situations. (That excluding troll and noob comms)
So I happen to play a pub game today where our marine commander placed a Extractor, Command chair and IP (in that order) first in our newly claim secondary base early stage of the game. I'm having trouble grasping the reasoning why that would be his choice of build. Extractor is ok, but you dedicate 25 res when doing the other 2. If anything phase gate, maybe armory and move on. No reason for a 2nd chair, unless you want early proto.
2. B - Locker Room: Denies alien natural 3rd hive location and is easier to capture than Generator. Cafeteria is too defensive
3. D – Resource node is not worth keeping: You’re likely facing fades (which is why its hard to keep the node up), more important to put your res into upgrades and killing higher lifeforms
4. D – C-12: Hit C-12, kill the harvester, then try to take out the one in pipeline. If aliens fastdropped 2nd hive in cargo they’ll be reslocked.
5. E – Other: Attack somewhere else. Aliens are unlikely to have good defenses at all their hives/RTs
6. A – Command your team to march into the enemy base: A 3rd base with no important structures (e.g. arms lab, proto, advanced armory) is expendable. Base trading to take down a hive is worth it.
7. C – Divert marine to enemy base to kill off eggs or other important structures: Server is a crap location that you should only put significant resources into only if you start there
8. Typically, armory, RT, obs, RT, then save for either PGs or mines (other adjustments include a 2nd IP or fast SG research)
9. C – Surprise attack on Cave with Beacon and Phase gate: I’d prefer the PG be in cavern or crusher and I wouldn’t beacon, but defending central for too long is almost a guarantee of being overwhelmed by fades and onos
10. D – Mines: Skulks can’t resist good ol’ fashioned TSF ground cookies
I have seen that too. I think the decision was to pay 10 res more (or earlier, because you will pay the cost of a second CC later anyway), but get more marines guarding in that location, because they respawn right in that base. When going Advanced Armory instead of Phase Tech first, it may even work with early jet packs. I think I will try this tactic.