Donagel

Playing Basrah as the UK without a commander is the biggest cluster**** I have ever witnessed in BF2(yes even in vanilla)

Last night, we had squads (and solo pubbies) running all over the map searching for the ammo dumps. Several times we would clear out some building and leave, only to look back and see another squad pull up and repeat our actions. It was quite commical.

Perhaps even more commical is the fact that it didn't occur to me what was going on until I reflected on the experience. Next time I promise I'll be commander. Even my limited skills would be a benefit...

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"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard." - H. L. Mencken

Betterdeadthanred

Yes I noticed that too. I tried to drag my squad away from the attack markers to do something else as the ENTIRE team was clustering around one attack marker. No tactics whatsoever, just meat rushing each marker.

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TheMunster

Yeah I agree completey, had a few games like this.

And like you say Don, the commander dosen't even have to be awesome, just someone who can take care of the larger tactical picture so the SL's can concentrate on thier job which is tatics on the squad scale. What I mean is the commander worries about the city, and the SL's worry about the block/street

Having said that though, I've also had a few games without a commander where the SL's have formed a kind of comittee, with all of us figuring out the best way etc seeing which squads where equiped with what. I only wish we could have bigger squads

A 6 man assault and a 6 man fireteam would be awesome if they could share the in-game voip and squad markers etc

imnotacanadian

I believe I was playing in that round....but on the insurgent side. It was wonderfull to take out a loaded landrover with an RPG,only to see another one come rolling right behind you,sharing the same fate.

lightzout

Yeah I may have been one of the worst commanders ever when I started taking the slot as a desperate attempt to help right a sinking ship. But much to my surprise the SLs on TG were very considerate after I explained that I had to learn on the fly. I mean they are glad to have CO but when you're already down morale can be low so I was careful to ask what they wanted from me.

Not having UberZoom on the map anymore will dramatically change the role of the commander from immobile sentient to active participant in executing a plan of attack or defense. I love the new construction options and there are some dedicated shovelers who always try to jump in when called. There is still a lot of work to be done by keeping an eye on the map but now more than ever listening to requests for help or asking what each squad may be engaging and relaying pertinent info to other outfits is critical.

The best Squadleaders are the ones who read whats goin and give me the lowdown in short succinct terms to relay who is doing what, where and why, etc. Once everyone knows they have a certain job to do its pretty cool to see how big a difference it can make. Catching your opponents off-guard and causing a last minute upset seems much harder these days on any map but overall the balance on AlBasrah has gotten much better over the last few months.


I dont know where "realism" meets the game here but I wish commanders had a few more custom PR markers to place on the map but everyone knows what the boat in the woods is right?