Yer Mom

This doesn't always apply, of course, but I'd like to mention that people who are driving certain things need to be in certain squads.

When I join a game, the first thing I look for, given the map, is a helo squad. If there isn't a helo squad, then I expect to be flying a helo soon.

Last night I argued with a TG member that people flying the helo should be in the helo squad. The two people who were in the helo were in a 6 man squad.

If the commander sees a 6 man squad, he expects them to be in a blackhawk or on the ground, and I know this from commanding. I don't like to see a squad have a helo in the air, unless it is stolen from a hostile base or it is just absolutely not needed elsewhere.

For instance, last night I commanded on the Zatar Wetlands. Squad 1, who included a few TG members, took the middle hill and took the helo. I didn't mind this because the helo was staying with squad 1 and covering the hill. With that circumstance, the helo can be easily stolen in the confusion of battle. Luckily, squad 1 had a good pilot and was keeping the helo moving and useful for squad 1. I even gave squad 1 orders to send the helo to the airstrip to assist squad 3.

When I see a 6 man squad moving across the map on foot or in APC's and they have 2 people in a helo already at the point, it kinda bothers me.

You have to think from a perspective of other players in this matter, because if you were a part of the 6 man squad, you want to be engaged in battle, not running into an easily undefended base because the helo in your squad has already taken it.

I may be wrong, but that's just the way I see it.

-Mom

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Zigrat

in games where there is no commander or the commander is inept, i think a helo does better as part of a 6 man squad with orders relayed from the squad leader.

now if the commander requests that the attack helo be in its own squad he should definitely get that wish!

Obi

I agree with this unless there is a helo squad with enough members to use the gunship.

P.s Welcome to the TG forums!

StrikeFear

Yeah - good first post, Zigrat. You get +rep!

YerMom - whassup??

I was that helo pilot - on orders from my squad leader (who appears to be blameless, yet shall remained unnamed, unless he chooses to step forward), of course.
I figured we took it cuz we had just secured that hill and the chopper spawned and it needed to be used (no one else was around to use it), we had incoming armor (which we used it to annihilate! ), and it was clearly an "extra".

I remember when the SL told us to go support at the airstrip. I had no idea it was an order from the CO. It's cool to see the chain of command in effect.

After about 2 flights, some other squad started using the helo, and we returned to our ground role.

I dunno. Generally, it's better to have a helo squad, because they can support the whole team better, and have their own VOIP-space.
But I've heard of (and can imagine) squads of 6 having 4 on the ground and 2 in a helo supporting them, and using it to good effect, particularly if the team has air superiority. The trade-off here is that the helo isn't in a good position to help the REST of the team. To counter-balance that, you must expect that squad to REALLY DO A GREAT JOB since they have a dedicated helo. Use them like CRAZY, esp for assaulting.

You mean "6 man squad with 4 members moving across the map on foot", right? Just making sure I understand you.

Of course, like Ob1one said, if there's a helo squad with 4 players, the 2 players waiting should get the seats.
And like Zigrat said, whatever the CO wants, the CO gets.

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Telorn

Ah, yes, Strikefear. I was your gunner. We had a couple runs at it before some other guys in a non-helo squad grabbed it and wasted its resource..I know...because I was the gunner

I remember when the tank rolled up and I was waiting next to the chopper for you to get there. I did all I could think of and hoped in the pilot seat and got the heck out of there! But then when I landed on the carrier for you to spawn there and take over, some twit hopped in the gunner seat. I really wish you could lock vehicles to your squad. Planetside didn't know any better, either, until months later when they invented *gasp* locked vehicles. Is DICE that stupid to not have thought about problems like this?

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Wulfyn

For me it depends on the CO. If he wants all the helo's in a helo squad then so be it. If he wants them supporting the ground troops that is cool also.

I have quite regularly got a 6 man squad with a 4ground/2attackhelo split. I think it can work fantastically, especially on some maps. You get good recon, anti-armour support, and a wonderful distraction to your advance. I have found it very powerful indeed. Doesn't always work, but sometimes it works a treat.

As an example last night I had Cymba in my squad, and when the attack chopper became available he grabbed it, and we got him a gunner. He then spent a decent amount of time with us helping repel a massed APC assault. After a while a helo squad formed, and we decided that he would be better off with them, so he left the squad. Both were fine with me.

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Levi

Although generally any asset should be used by the appropriate squad (if there is one), that's only a convention to help make things easier. It's not a rule because doing that limits the other players ability to fly the helo for a bit, or play in a plane. They're team assets that everyone on the team has a right to, though hopefully they'll be used properly. So-keeping in mind that a "jets" squad doesn't get dibs on the jets or any similiar situation, it's a good idea to let the jets guys fly, and if you want to fly ask to rotate in. However, in a situation where there isn't a helo squad (it's pretty much the only close support asset) and nobody is using the helo, someone, even part of a 6 man squad, should be flying it. In lieu of a commander it's better to be part of a 6 man squad and help your squad mates than be a lone wolf squad with no direction because you can't communicate with the other SLs (which is stupid).

Wyzcrak

To be clear:

1. We have no rule stating that those using vehicles must name their squad appropriately (we have an SOP -- see below -- but SOPs aren't rules).

2. We have no rule stating that so-named squads therefore and automatically "own" these assets.

This is a team game for adults. Fortunately, we're all adults on a team ( ). Use your SL to let the CO know what your squad can bring to the table, and what vehicles it needs to do that, if they're in high demand on your team. Your CO will use that as he sees fit, perhaps (and allowably) regardless of your personel needs to fly, roll, float, or whatever.

And read this SOP again:

http://www.tacticalgamer.com/battlefield-2-standard-operating-procedures/57958-sop-squad-locking-naming.html

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CymBa

My view on this is, if there is a helo squad and u want to fly JOIN the Helo squad if there's space. We're all adults here and we should know how to share ( that's why I don't think the helo squad should be locked either) . I have no problem letting other ppl fly/rotating using the helo when they ask.

What I DO have a problem with however is when there's a helo squad and someone takes it for their own use especially when they don't even have a gunner. If u want to fly join the existing helo squad. If there's no space ask them, maybe there's someone who isn't really flying much and they'll make room for u. But if there's a helo squad the commander most likely knows it as such and expects them to be able to use it. So u're robbing the team of that resource cuz when u take it the commander no longer really knows who has it.

Sometimes I do embed with a ground squad and help out since I've noticed that a few times the commander doesn't really make use of us specifically and we're left to our own resources. In cases like that u're kinda outta the loop cuz u're not talking to ANYONE except ur gunner. Embedding with a ground squad allows you to help directly with their situation and can make a BIG difference. They can micromanage you when needed, eg, take out a sniper on a crane or some guys behind a building; the commander doesn't have time for that. But usually as soon as the immediate threat to that squad is over I go and take out any spotted vehicles etc on the map or troop concentrations under the UAV.

Lazybones

If my squad takes a base and there's a helo or aircraft there, I'll poll the squad to see if any of them want to pilot. If none step up, I'll send out a general msg to the commander and team via chat that one is available. But I'm not going to let an asset sit there hoping that somebody will come along and take it, because half the time an enemy will do it for us (just last night on the oil fields map an enemy in a jeep rode into my defense area and stole a Huey right off the strip).

Now, an uncappable home airbase or carrier is a different matter, and I think that those assets should be reserved for the proper squad members. But the front-line tactical assets are constantly disputed, and if you cannot grab them at once (or at least send a message that you're on the way, and we should hold it), then I think it's up for grabs.

Ragged

I've taken a helo before even though I never join a helo squad. It is almost always on a neutral CP where the assets spawn when the flag is capped. A lot of times the thing will just sit there doing nothing, and half the time an enemy will jump into it and hoze you down... so if noone seems to get into it then I will have a squady get it or pilot it myself.

Some of these helo stealing problems could probably be helped if the helo squads would help out in the initial capture and defense of the points that are critical to them. I gladly cede a chopper to a helo squad, but I'm not sure that a helo squad should expect everyone to just babysit a new helo till they come from halfway across a map to snag it.

That said, non-helo folks who blindly take the AH from a UCB or already captured point should be reported to the CO or an admin.

Also, the idea of locked vehicles is something I really wouldn't mind seeing. I liked the way it worked in PS. A lot of times I'll be sitting on the 50 trying to provide some decent Anti-Chopper fire when someone will come up and just start driving the vehicle away. I would understand if it was a squad that needed to get back to the frontline fast, but 9 times out of ten it's just one guy who gets in and speeds off as fast as possible.

I also find it kind of cheezy that an opposite team member can just jump in and use a vehicle from the other team. A hacking module for engineers to "commandeer" vehicles from the other side has crossed my mind more than once... but that is another story.

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perry

That frustrates me too! Especially on Mashtuur where the blackhawk is really overpowering!

What happens when you take a flag that has enemy vehicles on it? Gotta blow em up or wait a couple minutes for em to disappear and respawn? Naa, I like it the way it is. A couple times I've stolen tanks or whatever from an enemy engineer that picked the wrong time to repair his tank.. then promptly killed him with it

StrikeFear

Excellent post, Lazybones.

BTW ... no huey's in the game.

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Obi

Are you alowed to steal vehicles from enemy CP when you are attacking that base and using the stolen vehicle to capture the base? I frequently do this and also see other people doing this as well. I have no problem with it at all. I may have misunderstood a previous post but are you suggesting this behavour should not be allowed?

Zigrat

hey guys, thanks and glad to be here!
RE last post, I think any vehicles at non-UCB are fair game to all.
UCB vehicles are of course a different story