LA_MERC_eX1|eS' ch1|d
January 31st, 2007, 05:10 PM
The Art of Commanding
So you foolishly applied to be the Commander of your team and your team was unlucky enough to get you. Maybe you wanted extra points, to be able to help yourself out with UAV, Scanning, and Artillary, or because you thought you were the best man for the job. If you listen to me, you will be the hero most of the time and you'll get enough points for a medal too. Atleast if you have a halfway decent team that listens and tries to work together, and hopefully has VOIP enabled. One man can make a diference but many men can lead to victory, teamwork makes your job much much easier.
Here are the basic Commander tools; Scan, Artillary, UAV, Supplies, and Vehical Drop. Each has there benefits and some are more useful than others. Your job is to support and lead the rest of your team. Most pubbers don't think you can lead them so you are purely for their support. You can still win just by playing the role of support but you should mix in some leading as well. Leading takes knowledge of the map and the generic strategy for that map. Plus some people who will actually listen to what you tell them.
The Scan button tells you where every enemy is on the map indicated by a small red dot. Knowing thy enemy is a great advantage both to you, for Artillary, and for your team. One great advantage is to Spot enemies for your team. To Spot an enemy you right click near the enemy and click on Spotted, the second option on the menu. I've found that right clicking directly on the enemy doesn't always spot them for your team on the minimap. So I right click close to, but not on, the enemy I want to Spot. The enemy should be a blinking red dot on your minimap, if it's not on your map it's not on anyone else's either.
Artillary sounds great but is often used with little success by inept Commanders. I've found that the best way to use Artillary is to first use the Scan button to locate the enemy. Typically I Artillary the site with the most enemies. If your team is attacking a Flag that is important you should help them out by dropping Artillary just before they get to the Flag and tell them that Artillary is on the way. For unknown reasons most nublets think that the giant red Artillary mark on their minimaps mean they should get there ASAP. Another thing to keep in mind is from the time you place Artillary to the time that it actually hits the target is about 10 seconds of delay. So you need to account for the time lapse when placing Artillary on moving enemies. If you see 4 or more enemies converging on a Flag place the Artillary on the Flag so about the time they cap the Flag they are getting blown to pieces. It takes some pratice and trial and error but in short order and some forethought you can help your team. Also think about where you are placing Artillary, if a Flag is in doors such as the Warehouse on Karkand it doesn't make sense to use Artillary.
UAV is the most powerful Commander tool in my opinion because it tells everyone on your team not only where the enemy is, but the direction he is facing. This is very important when capping Flags or in fierce battles with many enemies. If there is only 1 or 2 enemies you can Spot them but for more than that you should put up a UAV to help your team the most. If Scan is available I Scan before placing UAV and here's why. If a squad leader calls for UAV because he is capping a Flag and you do a Scan and don't see anyone why waste your UAV where there are no enemies? Give the UAV to the people who need it most. Placement is also important for UAV because there is no good reason to place the UAV so half of it's path is Out of Bounds. With pratice you get a feel for the circumference of the UAV so you can place it better to make the most of it's data. Also take into consideration whether or not you have team mates in position to use the UAV. I haven't found a good reason to use UAV someplace that I don't have infantry, armor, or helicopters to use it. Don't use it for jets because they can't use it to best advantage. UNLESS you have very good pilots, then they may be able to use it. But I would still use it for ground troops and attack helicopters over anyone else.
Supplies, or crates, give troops healing, ammo, and repair damage. It's a more powerful tool then some may think. If an enemy blows up one of your Commander tools you can repair it simply by dropping a Supply crate nearby. Supply crates are also extremely useful for your armor because it will repair them when they take damage. Many times having a supply crate is the difference in winning and losing a in a tank vs. tank battle, and also is life saving when your armor is surrounded by infantry anti-tankers. So keep an eye on your armor and give him some help even if he doesn't call for it.
Vehical Drop is just what it says, you can drop light vehicals for infantry. It helps them move around faster and is pretty good in taking out infantry and helicopters.
A few other things to consider is the time it takes for each of these tools to recharge so you can use them again. UAV is usable about 5 seconds after it runs out of fuel. So you can keep UAV up for most of the round which another reason it's so powerful. Scan takes about 25 seconds so you can use it often, I almost always Scan before placing Artillary and UAV. Artillary, Supply, and Vehical Drop take close to a full minute before you can use them again so you should make a good decision on when and where to use them. Except for Vehical Drop because not many people call for it so I give it to anyone that calls for it imediately.
Another common mistake is the "use it if you have it" theory. Many Commanders place Artillary just because it's available and that's just plain stupid. Since it takes Artillary almost a full minute to recharge you should think before you act. Often times I'll have Artillary available but I don't use it because when I do a Scan to find someplace to use Artillary I don't find any mouth watering targets. I look for a few enemies close together so I can do the most damage or where my team needs it. The main rule for Artillary is, DON'T PLACE ARTILLARY ON THE LONE SNIPER! Unless the Sniper is wreaking major havoc, and 99% don't, use it someplace else. I also don't give a Sniper on my team Supplies when he sits in the same spot watching Flag after Flag get capped all around him. Save Supplies for those that need it and/or those that are helping the team.
Since I have VOIP enabled I use VOIP for almost all of my interaction with my team since it's faster and more specific than using in-game commands or typing. Just remember that only the Squad Leaders hear what your saying.
One feature that isn't often used is the ZOOM button. To use this feature you have to right click on the spot you want to look at then click ZOOM which is the first choice on the menu. This allows you a birds eye view of the battlefield where you can see people, armor, even claymores. I've saved a few lives by zooming in and letting my squads know about claymores on flags. Zoom also allows you to find and point out enemies that are in hard to find spots for infantry like bushes, rooftops, and the like. Zoom is a great way to accurately place Artillary and especailly Supplies. In the Supply section I told you that you can fix destroyed Commander tools with a Supply crate. To do this simply zoom in on your destroyed tool and click on the object you want to fix. Remember that Supply crates drift a little and over time you'll get a feel for how far it will drift for accurate placement.
Something I've left out so far is the Fighting Commander, this is when you are the Commander but still do some fighting to help your team. I wouldn't suggest trying this until your comfortable with all the Commander duties and think you can manage the battlefield. This technique is both difficult and demanding and your time management skills need to be applied. I've told you how long it takes for the different Commander tools to recharge and that is vital knowledge for the Fighting Commander. You need to move, find an out of the way spot, go to Commander mode, perform your Commander duties, then go about your fighting again. So timing your moves is a nessasary function, place Artillary, UAV, and Supplies quickly so you can get back to fighting. VOIP is a great tool for the Fighting Commander because he can talk to his Squads while he is fighting and not have to spend all of his time in Commander mode. So you are aware, the Fighting Commander is a bannable offense on nearly all servers. This is because most people who are Commanding and fighting are doing it for extra points or because they want the UAV on them at all times. Don't be that asshole. If no one on your team is doing anything then you can help yourself out all you want. But if you have some squads getting the job done and your working solo just use Scan to check your position while capping flags. Flying a jet and being the Commander is almost a garuanteed ban on every server, it can be done but it's extremely hard. Now being in the gunner's chair of the attack helicopter or in the laser guided missle seat of a bomber are good ways to enhance your Fighting Commander prowess. Being able to talk to the pilot is essential is those situations. Simply tell your pilot your going into Commander mode and when you get out of Commander mode so he isn't trying to line you up when your doing Commander duties. I'm hoping either Andy or Toby will shed some more light on the subject of the Fighting Commander as they are better than me and most others at Fighting Commanding.
There's plenty of small things I've left out that you will pick up over time. But what I have given you is the whole picture with some insights that veteran Commanders utilize. Hopefully you can understand and remember enough of this to try being a Commander and not hear me or someone other sailor yelling and cussing you. Practice makes you better gentleman so if you don't try it you won't reap the rewards of service to your team. Good luck and Godspeed.
First Lieutenant LA_MERC_eX1|es_ch1|d
So you foolishly applied to be the Commander of your team and your team was unlucky enough to get you. Maybe you wanted extra points, to be able to help yourself out with UAV, Scanning, and Artillary, or because you thought you were the best man for the job. If you listen to me, you will be the hero most of the time and you'll get enough points for a medal too. Atleast if you have a halfway decent team that listens and tries to work together, and hopefully has VOIP enabled. One man can make a diference but many men can lead to victory, teamwork makes your job much much easier.
Here are the basic Commander tools; Scan, Artillary, UAV, Supplies, and Vehical Drop. Each has there benefits and some are more useful than others. Your job is to support and lead the rest of your team. Most pubbers don't think you can lead them so you are purely for their support. You can still win just by playing the role of support but you should mix in some leading as well. Leading takes knowledge of the map and the generic strategy for that map. Plus some people who will actually listen to what you tell them.
The Scan button tells you where every enemy is on the map indicated by a small red dot. Knowing thy enemy is a great advantage both to you, for Artillary, and for your team. One great advantage is to Spot enemies for your team. To Spot an enemy you right click near the enemy and click on Spotted, the second option on the menu. I've found that right clicking directly on the enemy doesn't always spot them for your team on the minimap. So I right click close to, but not on, the enemy I want to Spot. The enemy should be a blinking red dot on your minimap, if it's not on your map it's not on anyone else's either.
Artillary sounds great but is often used with little success by inept Commanders. I've found that the best way to use Artillary is to first use the Scan button to locate the enemy. Typically I Artillary the site with the most enemies. If your team is attacking a Flag that is important you should help them out by dropping Artillary just before they get to the Flag and tell them that Artillary is on the way. For unknown reasons most nublets think that the giant red Artillary mark on their minimaps mean they should get there ASAP. Another thing to keep in mind is from the time you place Artillary to the time that it actually hits the target is about 10 seconds of delay. So you need to account for the time lapse when placing Artillary on moving enemies. If you see 4 or more enemies converging on a Flag place the Artillary on the Flag so about the time they cap the Flag they are getting blown to pieces. It takes some pratice and trial and error but in short order and some forethought you can help your team. Also think about where you are placing Artillary, if a Flag is in doors such as the Warehouse on Karkand it doesn't make sense to use Artillary.
UAV is the most powerful Commander tool in my opinion because it tells everyone on your team not only where the enemy is, but the direction he is facing. This is very important when capping Flags or in fierce battles with many enemies. If there is only 1 or 2 enemies you can Spot them but for more than that you should put up a UAV to help your team the most. If Scan is available I Scan before placing UAV and here's why. If a squad leader calls for UAV because he is capping a Flag and you do a Scan and don't see anyone why waste your UAV where there are no enemies? Give the UAV to the people who need it most. Placement is also important for UAV because there is no good reason to place the UAV so half of it's path is Out of Bounds. With pratice you get a feel for the circumference of the UAV so you can place it better to make the most of it's data. Also take into consideration whether or not you have team mates in position to use the UAV. I haven't found a good reason to use UAV someplace that I don't have infantry, armor, or helicopters to use it. Don't use it for jets because they can't use it to best advantage. UNLESS you have very good pilots, then they may be able to use it. But I would still use it for ground troops and attack helicopters over anyone else.
Supplies, or crates, give troops healing, ammo, and repair damage. It's a more powerful tool then some may think. If an enemy blows up one of your Commander tools you can repair it simply by dropping a Supply crate nearby. Supply crates are also extremely useful for your armor because it will repair them when they take damage. Many times having a supply crate is the difference in winning and losing a in a tank vs. tank battle, and also is life saving when your armor is surrounded by infantry anti-tankers. So keep an eye on your armor and give him some help even if he doesn't call for it.
Vehical Drop is just what it says, you can drop light vehicals for infantry. It helps them move around faster and is pretty good in taking out infantry and helicopters.
A few other things to consider is the time it takes for each of these tools to recharge so you can use them again. UAV is usable about 5 seconds after it runs out of fuel. So you can keep UAV up for most of the round which another reason it's so powerful. Scan takes about 25 seconds so you can use it often, I almost always Scan before placing Artillary and UAV. Artillary, Supply, and Vehical Drop take close to a full minute before you can use them again so you should make a good decision on when and where to use them. Except for Vehical Drop because not many people call for it so I give it to anyone that calls for it imediately.
Another common mistake is the "use it if you have it" theory. Many Commanders place Artillary just because it's available and that's just plain stupid. Since it takes Artillary almost a full minute to recharge you should think before you act. Often times I'll have Artillary available but I don't use it because when I do a Scan to find someplace to use Artillary I don't find any mouth watering targets. I look for a few enemies close together so I can do the most damage or where my team needs it. The main rule for Artillary is, DON'T PLACE ARTILLARY ON THE LONE SNIPER! Unless the Sniper is wreaking major havoc, and 99% don't, use it someplace else. I also don't give a Sniper on my team Supplies when he sits in the same spot watching Flag after Flag get capped all around him. Save Supplies for those that need it and/or those that are helping the team.
Since I have VOIP enabled I use VOIP for almost all of my interaction with my team since it's faster and more specific than using in-game commands or typing. Just remember that only the Squad Leaders hear what your saying.
One feature that isn't often used is the ZOOM button. To use this feature you have to right click on the spot you want to look at then click ZOOM which is the first choice on the menu. This allows you a birds eye view of the battlefield where you can see people, armor, even claymores. I've saved a few lives by zooming in and letting my squads know about claymores on flags. Zoom also allows you to find and point out enemies that are in hard to find spots for infantry like bushes, rooftops, and the like. Zoom is a great way to accurately place Artillary and especailly Supplies. In the Supply section I told you that you can fix destroyed Commander tools with a Supply crate. To do this simply zoom in on your destroyed tool and click on the object you want to fix. Remember that Supply crates drift a little and over time you'll get a feel for how far it will drift for accurate placement.
Something I've left out so far is the Fighting Commander, this is when you are the Commander but still do some fighting to help your team. I wouldn't suggest trying this until your comfortable with all the Commander duties and think you can manage the battlefield. This technique is both difficult and demanding and your time management skills need to be applied. I've told you how long it takes for the different Commander tools to recharge and that is vital knowledge for the Fighting Commander. You need to move, find an out of the way spot, go to Commander mode, perform your Commander duties, then go about your fighting again. So timing your moves is a nessasary function, place Artillary, UAV, and Supplies quickly so you can get back to fighting. VOIP is a great tool for the Fighting Commander because he can talk to his Squads while he is fighting and not have to spend all of his time in Commander mode. So you are aware, the Fighting Commander is a bannable offense on nearly all servers. This is because most people who are Commanding and fighting are doing it for extra points or because they want the UAV on them at all times. Don't be that asshole. If no one on your team is doing anything then you can help yourself out all you want. But if you have some squads getting the job done and your working solo just use Scan to check your position while capping flags. Flying a jet and being the Commander is almost a garuanteed ban on every server, it can be done but it's extremely hard. Now being in the gunner's chair of the attack helicopter or in the laser guided missle seat of a bomber are good ways to enhance your Fighting Commander prowess. Being able to talk to the pilot is essential is those situations. Simply tell your pilot your going into Commander mode and when you get out of Commander mode so he isn't trying to line you up when your doing Commander duties. I'm hoping either Andy or Toby will shed some more light on the subject of the Fighting Commander as they are better than me and most others at Fighting Commanding.
There's plenty of small things I've left out that you will pick up over time. But what I have given you is the whole picture with some insights that veteran Commanders utilize. Hopefully you can understand and remember enough of this to try being a Commander and not hear me or someone other sailor yelling and cussing you. Practice makes you better gentleman so if you don't try it you won't reap the rewards of service to your team. Good luck and Godspeed.
First Lieutenant LA_MERC_eX1|es_ch1|d