Legionnaired's How To Win.
Legionnaired
Join Date: 2002-04-30 Member: 552Members, Constellation
Join Date: 2002-04-30 Member: 552Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">Part 1: Ns_nothing.</div> With the advent of 2.0, people are finding it increasingly difficult to win as marines. As such, i've started to write these handly little guides of just how to pwn those pesky xeno's. Lets start off with the layout of nothing, with a few overlays added to explain just what this strat is about.
<img src='http://fftclan.planetns.com/paque/nothing/layout.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
The green overlays on the map are critical marine chokepoints, that severely limit alien movement if taken. If you restrict movement through those green boxes, then there is only the single vent from foreboding antichamber that allows access to the marine main. This takes all the heat off of your base, and allows for rapid expansion. Also, taking the chokepoints means that you have control over all of the nodes with blue circles on them. 4 nodes will allow you to do pretty much whatever the hell you want.
For the purposes of this guide, we will assume you are playing on an 8 v 8 server, though smaller numbers do work with some adaptation, which you should be able to come up with, if you can't, you may want to think twice about being commander.
Assign two-man squads, 1,2, and three. Give squad three a welder, shotguns to the squads if you wish, and sent them out immediately after you have set up an armory/ip at base. Leave one man back to defend, and give him whatever he needs to hold down the fort.
Send squad one to the box marked 1, squad two to the box maked 2, and three to 3. Squad one will stop along the way at the res-node north and west of the marine spawn, to build the node. Do not worry about electrifying it, it will be covered by the chokepoints.
Chokepoint one is important because it discouraged movement through the center of the map, and coupled with two, completely cuts cargo bay off from the rest of the map. Not only does this make it infinitely easyer to take down, once you secure it, you almost never have to worry about it going down ever again.
But, I digress. Lets look at one of the shots from choke point one:
<img src='http://fftclan.planetns.com/paque/nothing/ns_gen_hall.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
The first thing you want your marines to do is not to set up the node, but to set up turrets here! I've placed green overlays over each of the turrets to aid visability. The two turrets at the bottom of the screen cover both the back side of the turret factory, and the hallway where the cameraman is standing. Staggered as they are, this means that anyone attempting to move through the hallway will take a significant ammount of damage. A vanilla skulk WILL die attempting to dodge turret fire and run on through, they actually need leap to navegate through.
<img src='http://fftclan.planetns.com/paque/nothing/ns_gen_turret.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This is the opposite side of the turret factory. With the two turrets placed as so, it covers most of the res node (possibly all, I electrify this node anyway), as well as denying access to the rest of the room. Thus, they cannot traverse through the gen room, nor the hallway below. This locks down a sizeable portion of the map.
Time for squad two's job, the lockdown immediately outside of cargo bay.
<img src='http://fftclan.planetns.com/paque/nothing/choke2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
As you see, the T-fac's range is more than enough to cover both sides of the thin wall. If they have cargo already built, you may consider placing the turret factory on the opposite side of the wall, building staggered turrets above and below it, adn then moving into the vent shaft.
But, looking at the picture, placing turrets at the red overlays will restrict access to cargo completely, except for the vent near the top, which is easily watched, and not big enough for anything larger than a skulk. SHould skulks in between the node and the TF be a problem, one of them may be electrified, or a turret may be placed on the yellow overlay.
Moving on to choke point 3.
<img src='http://fftclan.planetns.com/paque/nothing/ns_choke3.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Sorry for the craptastic image compression, but I wanted to be kind to the 56kers.
Placing the TF as shown, and then turrets on the red overlays will cut off access down three hallways for all of the lower lifeforms, and will make a fade get through with a fair ammount of damage. But then again, you're taking a lot of nodes, so you don't need to worry about fades, do you?
Remember how I said to give squad three a welder? Below the bottommost red overlay is the weld point for that vent into the marine spawn.
In addition, placing turrets on the yellow overlays will cut off hallways to the top left and left hallways.
Congratulations. If your marines don't suck, you've just locked down half the map, and completed phase one, hopefully in a little under 5 minutes. If the aliens are good, they're just now putting up their second hive, have few walls of lame, and are ready to be taken out. Now is the time to determine which hive they have.
For cargo: You now have a forward outpost at choke point two that is about as close to the hive as you can set one up. You can either advance to one of the antechambers, and set up a seige base, or, drop a few shotguns and send your team into the hive. WHatever you decide to do, drop phase gates at all of your outposts, and then send your men back to base to re-arm, re-equip, then have all 6 of your men march on the hive room.
Fortify as you would any hive, with at least three turrets. Consider electrifying the res node as well.
For powersilo: Send group one into cargo, fortify it with turrets and a phase gate. Don't forget to cap the res node, then send them back to base. You just locked down your half of the map, now it's time to cut the map into quarters. Take squads one and two, and send them to the right-most orange box, and set up a phase gate, TF, and turrets. If there is an alien res node there, set up the turrets first, and let the turrets assist with taking it down. Skulks will show up expecting a lone marine, and will find a firebase, complete with link to the main, and will die. Taking this room will, with the exception of one vent, cut powersilo off from viaduct completely. Group three, while this is all happening, heads to the great viaduct, and sets up shop. If they encounter a WOL, double back to CP3, head north, and to the hallway just to the left of powersilo, which is also only a stone's throw from the new firebase you just set up. Start a seige base here, and reinforce with groups one and two when ready. Take the hive down under cover of the seiges.
For viaduct: At this point, you have the game won. Have group one fortify Cargo, group three fortify powersilo, and group three fortify the chokepoint described in the above paragraph, in the manner as the above paragraph. The aliens are now down to two res nodes, and you have three options.
1) Bring all of your marines into the red overlay on the layout, set up a seige base, and kill the hive.
2) Using group three as a diversion at the hive, take groups one and two and fortify the other orange overlay-ed room. This will bring the aliens down to one res node, and also take away, save for one vent, the only means of escapre from viaduct.
3) Recall all marines, get a HA train, and march on the hive.
Take your pick here. Assuming that the aliens somehow got a second hive up, it will probably be viaduct-powersilo. In which case, take group two to build the right orange room, and then groups one and three to move to the yellow overlay, and set up a seige base. In the long hallway, they won't stand a chance.
Good luck with your commage, and let me know how it works out for you.
EDIT: Much thanks to FFT clan and planetns for the image hosting.
<img src='http://fftclan.planetns.com/paque/nothing/layout.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
The green overlays on the map are critical marine chokepoints, that severely limit alien movement if taken. If you restrict movement through those green boxes, then there is only the single vent from foreboding antichamber that allows access to the marine main. This takes all the heat off of your base, and allows for rapid expansion. Also, taking the chokepoints means that you have control over all of the nodes with blue circles on them. 4 nodes will allow you to do pretty much whatever the hell you want.
For the purposes of this guide, we will assume you are playing on an 8 v 8 server, though smaller numbers do work with some adaptation, which you should be able to come up with, if you can't, you may want to think twice about being commander.
Assign two-man squads, 1,2, and three. Give squad three a welder, shotguns to the squads if you wish, and sent them out immediately after you have set up an armory/ip at base. Leave one man back to defend, and give him whatever he needs to hold down the fort.
Send squad one to the box marked 1, squad two to the box maked 2, and three to 3. Squad one will stop along the way at the res-node north and west of the marine spawn, to build the node. Do not worry about electrifying it, it will be covered by the chokepoints.
Chokepoint one is important because it discouraged movement through the center of the map, and coupled with two, completely cuts cargo bay off from the rest of the map. Not only does this make it infinitely easyer to take down, once you secure it, you almost never have to worry about it going down ever again.
But, I digress. Lets look at one of the shots from choke point one:
<img src='http://fftclan.planetns.com/paque/nothing/ns_gen_hall.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
The first thing you want your marines to do is not to set up the node, but to set up turrets here! I've placed green overlays over each of the turrets to aid visability. The two turrets at the bottom of the screen cover both the back side of the turret factory, and the hallway where the cameraman is standing. Staggered as they are, this means that anyone attempting to move through the hallway will take a significant ammount of damage. A vanilla skulk WILL die attempting to dodge turret fire and run on through, they actually need leap to navegate through.
<img src='http://fftclan.planetns.com/paque/nothing/ns_gen_turret.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
This is the opposite side of the turret factory. With the two turrets placed as so, it covers most of the res node (possibly all, I electrify this node anyway), as well as denying access to the rest of the room. Thus, they cannot traverse through the gen room, nor the hallway below. This locks down a sizeable portion of the map.
Time for squad two's job, the lockdown immediately outside of cargo bay.
<img src='http://fftclan.planetns.com/paque/nothing/choke2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
As you see, the T-fac's range is more than enough to cover both sides of the thin wall. If they have cargo already built, you may consider placing the turret factory on the opposite side of the wall, building staggered turrets above and below it, adn then moving into the vent shaft.
But, looking at the picture, placing turrets at the red overlays will restrict access to cargo completely, except for the vent near the top, which is easily watched, and not big enough for anything larger than a skulk. SHould skulks in between the node and the TF be a problem, one of them may be electrified, or a turret may be placed on the yellow overlay.
Moving on to choke point 3.
<img src='http://fftclan.planetns.com/paque/nothing/ns_choke3.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
Sorry for the craptastic image compression, but I wanted to be kind to the 56kers.
Placing the TF as shown, and then turrets on the red overlays will cut off access down three hallways for all of the lower lifeforms, and will make a fade get through with a fair ammount of damage. But then again, you're taking a lot of nodes, so you don't need to worry about fades, do you?
Remember how I said to give squad three a welder? Below the bottommost red overlay is the weld point for that vent into the marine spawn.
In addition, placing turrets on the yellow overlays will cut off hallways to the top left and left hallways.
Congratulations. If your marines don't suck, you've just locked down half the map, and completed phase one, hopefully in a little under 5 minutes. If the aliens are good, they're just now putting up their second hive, have few walls of lame, and are ready to be taken out. Now is the time to determine which hive they have.
For cargo: You now have a forward outpost at choke point two that is about as close to the hive as you can set one up. You can either advance to one of the antechambers, and set up a seige base, or, drop a few shotguns and send your team into the hive. WHatever you decide to do, drop phase gates at all of your outposts, and then send your men back to base to re-arm, re-equip, then have all 6 of your men march on the hive room.
Fortify as you would any hive, with at least three turrets. Consider electrifying the res node as well.
For powersilo: Send group one into cargo, fortify it with turrets and a phase gate. Don't forget to cap the res node, then send them back to base. You just locked down your half of the map, now it's time to cut the map into quarters. Take squads one and two, and send them to the right-most orange box, and set up a phase gate, TF, and turrets. If there is an alien res node there, set up the turrets first, and let the turrets assist with taking it down. Skulks will show up expecting a lone marine, and will find a firebase, complete with link to the main, and will die. Taking this room will, with the exception of one vent, cut powersilo off from viaduct completely. Group three, while this is all happening, heads to the great viaduct, and sets up shop. If they encounter a WOL, double back to CP3, head north, and to the hallway just to the left of powersilo, which is also only a stone's throw from the new firebase you just set up. Start a seige base here, and reinforce with groups one and two when ready. Take the hive down under cover of the seiges.
For viaduct: At this point, you have the game won. Have group one fortify Cargo, group three fortify powersilo, and group three fortify the chokepoint described in the above paragraph, in the manner as the above paragraph. The aliens are now down to two res nodes, and you have three options.
1) Bring all of your marines into the red overlay on the layout, set up a seige base, and kill the hive.
2) Using group three as a diversion at the hive, take groups one and two and fortify the other orange overlay-ed room. This will bring the aliens down to one res node, and also take away, save for one vent, the only means of escapre from viaduct.
3) Recall all marines, get a HA train, and march on the hive.
Take your pick here. Assuming that the aliens somehow got a second hive up, it will probably be viaduct-powersilo. In which case, take group two to build the right orange room, and then groups one and three to move to the yellow overlay, and set up a seige base. In the long hallway, they won't stand a chance.
Good luck with your commage, and let me know how it works out for you.
EDIT: Much thanks to FFT clan and planetns for the image hosting.
Comments
But yes, it's extremely expensive, and I doubt that all three outposts will go up without a hitch against a competent alien team. Should be interesting for pub play though, I don't see enough map control strats like this go down, it'll be a fun change of pace.
<!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Legionnaired took the Chair and used this strategy. Unfortunately, during the first round, pretty much the whole team decided to go Rambo, and our main base was taken down.
But second round, everyone got their act together and everyone followed Legionnaired's orders. We took Generator and Cargo Foyer quickly, and began fortifying the positions. We ran into a bit of opposition as a Lerk did its best to spore us out of Generator, but we managed to push him back each time. While I was helping set up Gen and Cargo, other squads were securing Power Silo, thus we had a very nice two-hive lockdown. When we got to the rightmost orange square (phase two), we had the RT, TFac, and some Turrets set up when a Fade came in to assault us. He was easily dealt with as pretty much the whole team in the area (about 4 or 5 guys) had shotguns. We then proceeded to the red "Phase Pwn", where we set up seige and took out Viaduct for the victory.
I was very pleased to have a good strategy and be victorius, a very nice change of pace from the constant turret farm "strategies" that are out there. And I would gladly have Legionnaired as a comm any day. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Hopefully you'll actually be able to get around to making more, but it's gonna be tough. I had plans to do this stuff back in 1.0x, but only got around to doing ns_caged. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> I wish you the best of luck!
Otherwise, very nice strat. I would like to see it put into use one day.
Well, perhaps I should have made this more clear, but the RT is always the first thing to go up. Then, the marines, should there be a shortage of res, sit at the chokepoint and lock it down until static defenses can be erected.
The green chokepoints are also prioritized in order of importance. CP 1 is important because it cuts a major artery, and is close to two nodes. CP2's proximity to Cargo means that it is the next most vital point on the map, and CP3 is simply there to complete the lockdown on the bottom half of the map.
However, assuming that the marines make a bee-line to the sites, it really isn't a strech to come up with that res. Starting with 100, I usually deploy an IP and an armory, then send the squads out. Subtract three RTs, and you are left with about 25 res. However, you now have four res nodes right off the bat, and in just one minute, you will have 60 more res, totalling 85. I usually place CP1 and 2's TF, and then two turrets on each one, and, assuming I have the res, a TF at CP 3. The next minute is then taken up building turrets as resources permit, then Phase Two of the strategy take place.
It's all perfectly viable, assuming you don't waste res on shotguns that go down the drain. ( In the game I played with Grimm, I dropped him a shotgun right off the bat, but due to the lack of good marines, I neglected CP3 and instead sent a rambo into powersilo to build a base. The extra time taken from that move meant that the resource model was not disrupted. If I recall correctly, Grimm pwned with the shotgun <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> )
The Greeks pulled it off so much better than I can.
Everything other than the aggression level is pretty solid, tho.
If they dont have cargo hive you can compleatly leave out the firebase that you built in cargo, as there is no need for it, just elect the rts or better yet have a rine with mines go into the vent there. Assuming that they do eventualy have via as first or 2nd hive. Always remeber red room. Its a siegable point to via and is near imposible to clear once you get turrets in there. Even at 3 hives, as onos cant get in there the only option is acid spray that can be wielded (bile bomb doesnt work as the shaftes are too long to shoot up) and if you do go in red room put turrets on the upper leadge do to the jper you already had to get there should be able to build em. Also jps are very good against via hive as it is soo open and wide, also the leadge makes a great staging point when jpers are low on fuel/health/ammo.
If they have power silo things get a bit harder. There is no really cool siege point for ps, the one advantage though is all the siege points are along long hallways making it easy to take out skulks. If your really in a pinch and the whole other team is gorges/onos (or you really want to be sneaky) you can try building siege in the rafters of powersilo, but if someone spots you your prob toast.
The hardest hive to kill is probably cargo. It has no good siege points and jpers just suck do to the realatively low celings and tight space. Best to go for heavy armor here and try to kill it as the last hive. There is a little spot were a rt was in 1.04 but is now empty near cargo that is a nice siege spot as aliens tend to miss it. Assuming they have cargo you can prob remove the firebase on the powersilo side of the map at the start as it wont be used much. But the firebase next to cargo will be very very hard to set up. Might be better to just take one of spots near via instead to limit there movement.
but i used to build up a tf at the rt at cargo hive and not at "room with things" ... so u can avoid alien getting into hive and killing ur rt there. Additionally i use to drop mines in the vent powersilo - rine base near "quad lift".
This strategy only works if MainHive(Cargo) = false
Cargo can be turretified *g*,or u drop an armory under the wall near the vent,as a sort od stepstone, and then use the armory to drop mines.
btw this is mainly done by relocating to Gen room at the start (ur second chokepoint).This way u can siege the two via rts,and control the gen room ledges (a gorge or lerk would be some trouble up there).
If the comm keeps all lifts up,the marines have enough warning time to win most o the time.
And cargo is easily siegable from the via to cargo vent,one jp marine with hmg and medpacks,a electrified tf and a siege are enough for the job (turrets dont fit into the small vent "room").
Please don't revive old threads...