How much a CO player are you?

[Michael_Denmark]

Attention Commanders!

Per week or per month, how often compared to other in game functions, do you play commander in public games?

And why?

By michaeldenmark at 2008-03-30

Haven't played CO in public games for some time now, so using a battle picture taken from the Project Reality Tournament, Campaign 6,
where my team back then, CATA 2nd Army, defended successfully against furious attacks from NATO 2nd Army.

AS CO player, you most probably already know that the Bi Ming map is no CO beginner map when the odds are even. The map has though become much more comprehensible after the daylight version was implemented. The night version is in my opinion still a good challenge for used to the function CO players.

Since I haven't had time to play public jazz for a while, I am not sure how many public CO players actually like to command on this map?

[Rudd]

infreqeuently, it depends on how good the teams are and the map. So I'd say once every two weeks.
I enjoy commanding on a round of Assault on Mestia so I happily command there, because the strategy is simple and the need for communication between assault and fire support sections is immense

[Michael_Denmark]

Agree on the teams, and do you mean like jumping into the function in the middle of a round when there is no commander or is it like you spot out from the start of a round if a team is good or bad?

Just making sure I understand you correct; its the very map type it self too, that is the other determining factor for you deciding to play the CO function?


If yes, what is it Mestia has that other maps dosent have -CO wise?

[Harrod200]

I play about 5-10% as CO. Normally if all is going well I'll CO for 2-3 rounds then take one off to get some killing done and let someone else have a go.

Maps I HATE Commanding on;
Bi Ming (Hate this map in general)
OGT (Don't really like this map in general either)
Vanilla maps (all but Zatar, which is good)

I like commanding all other maps, with a decent team.

Mestia is just a more interesting map to command. A good commander and obedient squads can win that map even more than any other. If you're playing against a well organised Militia team and commander, you've already lost. 32 Militia all dug in at East tower, with bunker and defences? Impenetrable.

[Rudd]

Agree on the teams, and do you mean like jumping into the function in the middle of a round when there is no commander or is it like you spot out from the start of a round if a team is good or bad?

Just making sure I understand you correct; its the very map type it self too, that is the other determining factor for you deciding to play the CO function?


If yes, what is it Mestia has that other maps dosent have -CO wise?

Jumping in to the CO chair in the middle can be harder/easier depending on the teams but more importantly if there was a **** commander before you (evey1 will be pissed off with you b4 u start...)

Mestia is good because all you have to do is ensure theres a couple of bunkers and a useable FB, while keeping a squad on each flag and the rest attacking. But I'd go commander on any map, because it never hurts. I only resign if I'm not doing any good, all the squad leaders aren't speaking English (my schoolboy German only goes so far) or no1 is following orders or passing along intel.

What I really really really hate is when the squads are arranged in a way that makes asset control difficult on maps like Kashan. A squad need a helo ride to US outpost? I'd love to mate, but the squad that has the chopper pilot in it isn't responding. what I like is when the helo boys are in one squad, the jets are in another and have sorted out a system amongst themselves for conveying my orders/information. (e.g. a officer is SL for the jets so he can lase and pass on my orders)

[cyberzomby]

Im not CO that often. Due to the reasons stated above. I honestly dont like the CO function that much becuase usualy theres only 2 or 3 squads listening.

I love the communications and bunker placing part of it though. When theres no CO I volunteer for it almost regularly but than someone else already takes it.

[Phoenix.86]

Not very often, it's usually way to frustrating on public servers where players sometimes even refuse to build a bunker/firbase at an absolutely essential positon. Not talking about attacking and defending here... Although it can be fun when you got some good squads that communicate and listen to you from time to time .

[Tartantyco]

-Usually a few times a week, but I do have some spans where I play as CO constantly.

[Michael_Denmark]

I play about 5-10% as CO. Normally if all is going well I'll CO for 2-3 rounds then take one off to get some killing done and let someone else have a go.

Maps I HATE Commanding on;
Bi Ming (Hate this map in general)
OGT (Don't really like this map in general either)
Vanilla maps (all but Zatar, which is good)

I like commanding all other maps, with a decent team.

Mestia is just a more interesting map to command. A good commander and obedient squads can win that map even more than any other. If you're playing against a well organised Militia team and commander, you've already lost. 32 Militia all dug in at East tower, with bunker and defences? Impenetrable.

Besides Vanilla jazz, sounds like its the jungle maps that you don't like to command on? Why? I mean, both maps offers the possibility for the use of strong defensive and offensive operations.

Yes 32 Millitia at East Tower is probably if not impenetrable, then as close to that as possible.

[Scot]

Whenever I want to really... but I much prefer being in the thick of it

[Michael_Denmark]

Right, so in a week period - how much would you say you decide to play CO?

[Sturnn]

I don't like going as commander..because i don't like taking responsibility all the time..im okay as SL but taking the role as commander is just too much responsibility...besides being SL all you've got to do is follow orders =]

If i do end up as CO..then i always use real life tactics or defensive tactics to win battles...but sometimes squads don't listen to me >.>

[Scot]

In a week about once max, normally just be a soldier.

[Zeppelin35]

I rarely play as the commander. There just isn't really much to do for me because most of the time the squads do really report anything in.

[Michael_Denmark]

In a week about once max, normally just be a soldier.

Ok, not much though.

[Michael_Denmark]

I rarely play as the commander. There just isn't really much to do for me because most of the time the squads do really report anything in.

My non-native skills pound me here; "...Do really report anything in", does that mean they don't report or they do report?

[Michael_Denmark]

Jumping in to the CO chair in the middle can be harder/easier depending on the teams but more importantly if there was a **** commander before you (evey1 will be pissed off with you b4 u start...)

Mestia is good because all you have to do is ensure theres a couple of bunkers and a useable FB, while keeping a squad on each flag and the rest attacking. But I'd go commander on any map, because it never hurts. I only resign if I'm not doing any good, all the squad leaders aren't speaking English (my schoolboy German only goes so far) or no1 is following orders or passing along intel.

What I really really really hate is when the squads are arranged in a way that makes asset control difficult on maps like Kashan. A squad need a helo ride to US outpost? I'd love to mate, but the squad that has the chopper pilot in it isn't responding. what I like is when the helo boys are in one squad, the jets are in another and have sorted out a system amongst themselves for conveying my orders/information. (e.g. a officer is SL for the jets so he can lase and pass on my orders)

The Jumping CO

True that the challenge can be fluid when jumping into position during a round. And yes reverting the low morale on a weak team when its loosing and just having experienced a bad previous commander jazzing everything up, is indeed a challenge.

In a specific period I tried playing CO only as the jumping into command on loosing weak teams. Was actually fun trying out.

Recommend the very same in like 10-20 rounds; Jumping into the CO on loosing weak teams, trying to revert the situation. Good challenge.

I never really won those Jumping CO battles on loosing weak teams, but did manage to revert the fighting spirit (morale if you will) and also managed to bring back some coordination on the team-sized level. Learned something about about how to view a team and how to try keep on adapting to a lost battle situation.



Really really really hate

Your triple hate to the organisational angle when in regards to asset-control just gave me an idea.

So,

What if at round start the CO to some degree could arrange the organisation of the team, like in example as listed below.

Logistic Squad

Infantry Squad 1
Infantry Squad 2
Infantry Squad 3

Armour Squad 1
Armour Squad 3
Armour Squad 3

Air Squad 1
Air Squad 2


Thus in such a set-up the specific kits could only be used by the players if they are in a related squad?

Huge change to the existing system, agreed, and more forcing alike than most already implemented in the game, but still a possibility to counter the Kashan problem you address.

The CO player would from start get the option to decide from different organisational graphical overlays based on the - at up to round start - present amount of infantry/armour/air players that the sever somehow already had recognized.



Langue problems

Yes the language is without any doubt the greatest challenge of them all in this game. Not only to non-native English like you and me, although we do have the greater challenge, but also to the natives them self s, since they are forced to translate those English alike sounds coming from us non-native into something they can actually understand and response too.

[Michael_Denmark]

I play about 5-10% as CO. Normally if all is going well I'll CO for 2-3 rounds then take one off to get some killing done and let someone else have a go.

Maps I HATE Commanding on;
Bi Ming (Hate this map in general)
OGT (Don't really like this map in general either)
Vanilla maps (all but Zatar, which is good)

I like commanding all other maps, with a decent team.

Mestia is just a more interesting map to command. A good commander and obedient squads can win that map even more than any other. If you're playing against a well organised Militia team and commander, you've already lost. 32 Militia all dug in at East tower, with bunker and defences? Impenetrable.

Yes, the power of defensive concentration if no death from above. After the DEV TEAM removed the arty CO players could actually attempt beginning play team-sized rounds instead of the squad sized rounds CO players more or less was forced to play back then.

You a defensive type of CO?

[Michael_Denmark]

-Usually a few times a week, but I do have some spans where I play as CO constantly.

Spans?