Essential Strategic Structural Placement

Error404Error404 Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9353Members
edited March 2003 in Frontiersmen Strategy
<div class="IPBDescription">Phase Gate Placement (+other structures)</div> <u><b>Essential Strategic Structural Placement</b></u>
<i>Phase Gate Location (+other structures)</i>


The phase gate usually determines whether a hive is won or lost by the marines, and therefore its placement is of utmost importance. Most commanders in a hurry to drop a phase gate usually do so without thinking of the consequences of it's location. This guide, I hope will make future commanders think more carefully about where they decide to place the phase gate and other structures of importance to the marines.


<u>Learning from Turret Factories</u>

Since most commanders realize the importance of the turret factory, they make it as hard as possible to attack. They do so, by building the turret factory <i>into</i> the walls in a corner of a room, immediately reducing the amount of surfaces that are vulnerable to attack on the structure. Not only is the turret factory harder to attack, it means that any hostile attacking the structure will be facing the wall and leaving themselves open to attack, and prevents any chance of a place for a hostile to hide.

So why not apply the same method of placement to other structures? <b>If the phase gate were to be built as close as possible into the corner of a room</b>, it would prevent any alien from strafing around the structure to dodge gunfire, also since the alien's back is towards the marine, it would be unwary of approaching soldiers as it was damaging the structure; making it an easier target.

Like the turret factory, it would also be easier to defend, as half the side of the phase gate would already be protected by the site walls, it would mean that turrets would only be required on one side of it.


<u>Other Structures</u>

This method of using the natural cover to make marine structures less vulnerable to attack can be used on most other marine buildings depending on the situation. Apart from the amory and sentries, which are more effective within an open space, all the other marine structures could benefit from this technique.

Not only existing walls can be used, but other structures themselves can be used, placing them within a heirarchy, one can assess which structures should be more revealed than others. This way, alot of resources could be saved in defence, making the job of the marines and yourself much easier.

<i>For example</i>, the observatory is the weakest marine structure, yet at the same time it is one of the most important. It could be placed deep into the corner of a room. Stronger structures that are not often first priority for alien attack could be placed right next to it (as close as possible), like the arms lab, prototype lab, seige, etc. Use your imagination. If aliens want to kill the observatory, then they have to get through the other structures first, or stand on top of the observatory as an open and easy target.

The fewer structures you have in the open, the less havoc a single skulk can cause as there are fewer places to hide and use for shielding. The less places a marine needs to defend.


<u>Summary</u>

Basically, the idea is to reduce the surface area that is open to attack of all your structures. Ideally, this would be done by placing important but weak structures at the centre of this arrangement, and less important structures on the outer rim. The structures would be placed in close contact, if not touching, so that no alien could squeeze between the gaps of them. It would create a compact unit that would be really easy for marines to defend.

I play skulk alot, and from experience, the tighter the arrangement of structures, the harder it is to penetrate. Dodging gunfire requires space, taking away that part of the equation, means less dodging and less biting. I also don't like having my back to the enemy.


<u>The Possibilities</u>

I have brought the main concept to you, now its up to you to come up with all the various possibilities and solutions that this strategy can provide. Even turrets in a corner will last longer than turrets in the open, as there is no room to turret strafe as most skulks do, it means they are harder to take down.

I hope this strategy will increase the durability of your phasegates, as it has for turret factories. <b>As soon as a phase gate is dropped tightly into the corner of a room, putting a turret factory side-by-side to it, increases that phase gate's chances of survival by over 75% already.</b> That Phase Gate will be tightly boxed in, with an exit point for marines, skulks can only attack a small proportion of it, with little space to manouvre from bullets.

You have to use your imagination, the possiblities are endless.


<i>Hope this strategy is useful, it's based on enough experience of playing NS to support it. Your comments are welcome.. </i>


<!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

Comments

  • InexorableInexorable Join Date: 2002-09-28 Member: 1360Members
    Addendum to the Grunts: If your comm decides to follow this advice, take the time to figure out which sides of the PG are open. When you 'port, you end up in the same orientation that you started.

    What does this mean? If you step through a gate facing north, and your comm has placed the north side of the terminating gate against a wall, you'll end up facing the wall. This is not a good idea. Take a moment to turn around before gating so that you're facing in the right direction before getting into combat.
  • Error404Error404 Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9353Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Inexorable+Mar 9 2003, 06:48 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Inexorable @ Mar 9 2003, 06:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Addendum to the Grunts: If your comm decides to follow this advice, take the time to figure out which sides of the PG are open. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Good advice, I didn't think about that.
  • THAUTHAU Join Date: 2003-01-21 Member: 12551Members
    Just be wary of roofing when placing phase/infantry portals near walls.

    If the roof is too small - or has sloping (marine spawn - ns_nothing) your marines can get stuck. The center of the phase gate should not be in walls either, as also can get the marines stuck. The outside rims are fine.
  • TerahTerah Join Date: 2002-12-17 Member: 11023Members
    I like the strat, especially the point about shooting skulks in the back.

    But as the above poster said you can't be as aggressive when placing PGs in the corner. I once had a PG which was a stuck-trap because of a miniscule wall mounted light fitting -- it was the size of a matchbox! Pretty hard to spot as commander.
  • Error404Error404 Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9353Members
    edited March 2003
    <!--QuoteBegin--Terah+Mar 10 2003, 10:16 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Terah @ Mar 10 2003, 10:16 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I like the strat, especially the point about shooting skulks in the back.

    But as the above poster said you can't be as aggressive when placing PGs in the corner.  I once had a PG which was a stuck-trap because of a miniscule wall mounted light fitting -- it was the size of a matchbox! Pretty hard to spot as commander. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Agreed, I've played on servers where the Phase gate was so tightly hemmed in by turrets that if you didn't jump onto the turrets and out of the way in time, you would be killed by the next player that phased in. Having said that, that phase gate didn't get a single bit of damage throughout the game!!

    Of course, the commander is the one to make the decisions, and he/she has to decide the compromise between phase gate longevity and ease of movement of troops. I've played in games where the marine team were so good and the alien team so incompetent, that the commander could drop a single phase gate in the middle of the open, and be confident that it was safe.

    To tightly build a phasegate into the corner of a room, and then drop a turret factory right next door to it, is an extreme example to ensure that it doesn't go down too quickly. Like I said, there are many ways to use the existing surroundings to provide cover for the structures, its up to the commanders to be imaginative for how these can be used.
  • taboofirestaboofires Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9853Members
    The phasegate is flat, so it's not like skulks can hide behind it to start with, and combined with the risk of telefrag, it's just safer to leave the PG in the open but with good turret coverage (if any).

    Otherwise, by all means cluster/cover via walls. Just be wary of placing the cluster or things like the armory in places where fades can rocket.
  • MonsieurEvilMonsieurEvil Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Great strategy tips!

    A lot of newer commanders seem to be forgetting about what Error404 brings up here when I've been playing lately. If you want your tech rush to work, don't make it easy for me and my merry band of suicidal skulks to rush your advanced armory and send you back to the stone ages.

    One other aspect that I didn't see in this article was the importance of shadows. Placing your Observatory in a far, protected corner is great. If you have 2 corners to choose from, and one is darker and more shadowed, go with the dark one. Many aliens will never even see it as they rush past to knaw on something else, giving you the few extra seconds you need to beacon or call in PG reinforcemenst to save the day. It seems like common sense when you read it here, but play a few rounds on ns_eclipse and see how many commanders leave stuff out in the light when there are plenty of dark corners to drop structures in...

    Well spoken, Error404.
  • SirusSirus Join Date: 2002-11-13 Member: 8466Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    All passive buildings, AKA, Arms Lab, Proto, or Obs, Always are hidden, theres no exception not too. Eclipse is great, those to corners across from the CC are great for such buildings.
  • KMOKMO Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7617Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Error404:+Mar 10 2003, 06:39 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Error404: @ Mar 10 2003, 06:39 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Agreed, I've played on servers where the Phase gate was so tightly hemmed in by turrets that if you didn't jump onto the turrets and out of the way in time, you would be killed by the next player that phased in. Having said that, that phase gate didn't get a single bit of damage throughout the game!!
    <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yes, I've found tight phase placement to be more of a problem for marines, frankly. Once it's surrounded by a couple of structures, you have less chance of getting out of the phase once it starts being attacked. I've seen a fair few times where it was such an obstacle course to get out of the phase, that a single fade was able to kill any marine phasing in with acid rockets before he managed to climb over the turrets etc surrounding it.

    I'd agree that corner placement is a good idea, but please don't hem the phase in with anything else - leave plenty of room for a rapid exit.
  • ImmacolataImmacolata Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2140Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    If you crouch when using a PG you arrive crouched. Perfect way to make a phasegate into a low ceiling garea. All marines must be aware so they dont get stuck. Used this with excellency in refinery hive one game.
  • Black_Ops_Lerk_MasterBlack_Ops_Lerk_Master Join Date: 2003-03-11 Member: 14363Banned
    when placing a tf next to a wall, you tend to lose a fair bit of coverage and have to double up, which costs more than building another turret (only by a bit tho...) so building in the middle can stop you HAVING to double up to properly defend an area

    I dunno, tough call really <!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • Sifo25Sifo25 Join Date: 2003-01-28 Member: 12890Members
    Hmmm. When people are mentioning getting stuck on PGs from turrets, the 'obstacle course' effect as it was put... how close are they? I always try and build turrets to cover the PG (and other stuff) about 5 to 6 feet away from the object. Is that too far?

    Sifo
  • taboofirestaboofires Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9853Members
    Actually, the further the turrets are away from buildings and map obstructions, the wider their field of fire and the smaller their blindspots. Balance this with turrets' issues with hitting things at range, and you'll have a good distance.
  • BlackoutBlackout Join Date: 2002-11-17 Member: 9004Members
    edited March 2003
    I think putting the benfits of a corner TF are outweighed by the risks. You can't choose how the TF is rotated when it drops, so sometimes a small nook will be left without turret coverage. Even when there is apparently no such spot, this problem can still come back to haunt you if the skulks are probing your defenses well. As for putting phase gates in corners, I much prefer finding a long hallway, then putting the gate just around the corner. This means the aliens will have to come down the hallway to reach the gate, and gives marines a good stretch to chase a retreating fade down.
  • THAUTHAU Join Date: 2003-01-21 Member: 12551Members
    IF placed well - you generally won't have a problem with a slightly unprotected 'third' side of a turret factory. And a good comm can call in reinforcements quick enough if there is a slight overhange. Corner TF are the hardest to get into, most often impossible.

    Phase is generally best out from the turret factory (that is in the corner) with 2 turrets each side of the phase covering each other. More turrets can be applied later - but 2 is enough early on.

    Being primarily a skulker (I have skipped fading for the past 2 months - even in clan wars) I know that this placement hampers me the most - I resort to taking out turrets in the case that a commander is smart enough to do this against me.


    Another thing to note is using the top balcony on ns_nothing to hide your observatory. It will skip all but expert skulks attention.
  • Sifo25Sifo25 Join Date: 2003-01-28 Member: 12890Members
    Good tips and points Thau. For anyone really questioning this, I'd suggest spending a few hours on a server testing placements. Its both educational and good for a laugh, when you start to shout orders, and realize you are alone on the server.

    <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

    Sifo
  • Error404Error404 Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9353Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Sifo25+Mar 12 2003, 09:27 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Sifo25 @ Mar 12 2003, 09:27 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Good tips and points Thau. For anyone really questioning this, I'd suggest spending a few hours on a server testing placements.Sifo <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Thats not a bad idea you know.
  • Heavy_DHeavy_D Join Date: 2002-12-14 Member: 10816Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Blackout+Mar 11 2003, 06:41 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Blackout @ Mar 11 2003, 06:41 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I think putting the benfits of a corner TF are outweighed by the risks. You can't choose how the TF is rotated when it drops, so sometimes a small nook will be left without turret coverage. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I'm fairly certain that the rotation of the TF is only a cosmetic change, and that the actual clipping box is always square to the world. As long as the corner you push it up against is also aligned to the horizontal/vertical of the comm screen/world, then there should never be a gap.

    I don't know whether the hitbox for attacks is related to the rotation of the model or just corresponds to the clipping hull of the TF, but the way that marine RT's are would suggest the latter to me. Anybody with proper knowledge of the HL engine wanna clarify/poke holes in this?(I'm used to the quake 1 engine...)
  • twilitebluetwiliteblue bug stalker Join Date: 2003-02-04 Member: 13116Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    I always spread out my "active" buildings.
    I try to surround CC with IPs, placed at least 2 skulk seconds away from CC, since newly spawned marines are easy skulk food.
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