Who wants to command? Anyone?

[Anderson29]

Originally Posted by nick20404

Face it, once they stuck the commander in the main base in that damn box no one wants to do it anymore. Being commander was actually fun since you could go out and do stuff for your team, now you are just sitting at a computer, I mean who wants to sit at their computer while they sit at their computer?

i do......not
in all seriousness.....i laughed out loud when i read this highlighted statement, then i laughed out loud again when i read the one below it.

[=(DK)=stoffen_tacticalsup]

To far extend I agree the commander aspect needs to be fixed, basically, the commander should be needed, or not needed. I like the lead from the commandpost aspect. It works and sometimes its needed, but with mumble sqls are able to organize between themselves, and actually do much of the commanders work. When I command, I need to be sure that ive got 75% of the sqls doing what I tell them.

I love commanding, just caught myself pressing caps and trying to zoom in while watching the videos, even while just having it going in the background as I type this.

Were commanding comes into its best is really in combination with CAS, due to the laser/marker aspect.

The commander is really nice to have while coordinating CAS missions, mumble cannot due that equally good. BUT that said, CAS is so rare that its an element in 80% of the maps we play the most. Arty/JDAMS etc is not really important either, since its just once every hour. Motars is different though, and is quite fun to have. Generally speaking, I would like more assets to coordinate the use of. Commanding is fun enough though, just a bit "not needed" at times.

[SuperTimo]

why go commander when all you can do is tell some sqds what you want to do then have them ignore you normally, and then call in arty once an hour.

Ive seriously been doing college assignments whilst commanding and found them more fun

[Michael_Denmark]

Yeah, not a popular opinion I am deploying now, but essentially I think the MOD it self has attracted too many non-useful players - cause the MOD Command wise dosent have any real flauds as I see it.

What there should be done is simply to extend to powers of the commanders and at the same time implement a commander-player ranking system based on stuff like example the following:

- Behaviour level (maturity-factor)

- Planning level (a round-start-tool not existing today)

- Execution-level (discipline, determination and creativity-factors)

- Ticket consumption-level (use of tickets compared to plan and method)

- Organisation-level (in terms of organisation compared to the plan and methods)

- Cohesion and coordination-level (in terms of amount of overall cohesion and coordination created on the team throughout the round and also compared against the organisation and the enemy situation - but also in term of how fast the cohesion and coordination has been established on the team by the CO)

- Creativity level (the use of the team and its methods when facing unexpected situations compared up against the plan and the enemy activities throughout the round)


But then again, im not a programmer thus i have no idea how to do what i normally would do my self when trying to mesaure a PR CO.

[Grim1316]

Don't get me wrong, I love the whole tactical side and the planning, You also have to understand that sometimes the commander has to be mobile. A good example is in .75 I would always play commander on Kashan. For the most part I sat safely back at the main keeping things rolling, moving armor, helping jets find targets, and getting pickups moving. If a squad needed to build a FOB I would try to get a squad to take a truck up there. However if I could not, or if enemy AA was keeping the birds away. I would just pack up and drive over the the squad help them build(generally by helping the SL pull cover) and when all was said and done, I would jump back in the truck and head home, or get a chopper in to take me back.

However, since .8 I am forced into a box. For the most part if a squad needs something, I have to rely on another squad to do it for me. This works sometimes, but other times its a waste. This is normally solved by asking the admins to remind them that they have to listen, but sometimes I just don't have a squad that can do it. Either they are busy fighting or they are too far away from the truck that is sitting right next to me. So now my whole team is penalized. Instead they could let me drive the truck up, drop the creates and run back and get in my box.

No the commander probably shouldn't be fighting on the front, but let him take supplies around if the need comes up, if lets the people playing commander feel like they are doing something useful instead of wasting time in a box. This is one of the areas that I feel needs to have some game play brought back in. IMHO the commander should be able to use the map in logistic trucks. I mean most Police Officers have laptops in their Patrol cars, So how hard can it be to hook one up in a truck.

[cyberzomby]

That game with company sergeant and CO as his buddy sounds cool Fuzzhead! need to try and pull that off someday!

I agree with you both that the CO can be fun if you play it like that. I love it as well. But in the recent games I just like being SL more. This weekend though I will try and go commander on a 4km map. When the map loads in I will make a quick plan, try to organise the squads. Will be cool if they all listen. Than the CO position is very very fun!

Personally I would also like to try and be like a SL to the squads. So instead of saying: Squad 1 take this objective, I would say: Squad 1, take an AT, move up to here. When they are there: Secure the area and start moving up west to this location.

Basicly micro-manage the squads more. When I played CO a couple of times I was more like someone who layed down the general plan and let the squads decide how to move and fight to make it happen.

[$kelet0r]

The old command structure of PR in 0.75 and earlier:
6 squadies led by a squad leader
up to 9 squad leaders led by a commander

This worked. It wasn't perfect but it was flexible and allowed for different player styles.
If you wanted to play as a tactician, you could - just stay at base and use the command map 100% of the time
If you wanted to be at the front line but protecting the rear/providing long range fire support, you could - set up a firebase, jump on a 50 cal or an AA gun and command squads simultaneously
If you wanted to be a fighting commander, you could - support the squads in combat and coordinate them like fireteams.
The problem with Fuzzhead's and Michael's vision is to turn to turn PR into something out of a strictly tactical RTS like Sudden Strike - which will not work. At all.

[cyberzomby]

Well I actually had a round of 'cudda where I organised the push from docks to be like an assault that could be done in sudden strike.

Main force trough the center, 2 flanking elements on both flanks. Main force arrived at bridge and opened fire on the enemy, than my 2 flanking squads moved in position across the bridge. Waited for each other and on my command assaulted the bunkers. On that moment my main force assaulted as well.

[[R-DEV]fuzzhead]

The problem with Fuzzhead's and Michael's vision is to turn to turn PR into something out of a strictly tactical RTS like Sudden Strike - which will not work. At all.

On the contrary, it does work, and quite effectively too. There has got to be more people in this community than me, micheal or cyberzomby that has succesfully lead a full team in combined arms situations using tactics as a CO.

During v0.7 and earlier, we often had commanders, its true. But it was prety rare to have a CO actually issuing orders, instead the guy in the spot usually was only helping himself or people immediately around him, and verrry rarely was any kind of plan thought about.

Now in v0.85, we have very few commanders, but the time there IS one in the seat, we know he is there to take command, not putz about...

Now someone makes the suggestion of having the CO map avaliable in a logsitics truck, this is not a terrible suggestion and is a possibility and easy to add. Im not saying its out of the question, but for the most part I think the players mentality regarding the CO position has to change and evolve, otherwise doesnt matter what changes are implemented as it will still be a non-critical position that most players ignore.

[Psykogundam]

i played single player yesterday. the bot commander instantaniously issues the squad leader an attack or defend marker for the most logical position the squad should be in, in relation to how productive their squad can be for the team.

THE SINGLE PLAYER BOT COMMANDER IS 100 TIMES MORE EFFECTIVE THAN HUMAN ONE!