I thought that I would lay out some of my thoughts and guidelines that I use commanding in
BF2142. My philosophy is a laissez-faire attitude. Let the squad leaders lead.
The Way of the Commander
Commanding is less about giving orders and more guiding and supporting. On
TG servers the chain of command is respected and obeyed. Try not to give stupid, useless, and/or pointless that may not be obeyed. A PAC Infantry squad Attacking/Defending Monorail on Belgrade should not be ordered to retake Pond.
When gifted with experienced squad leaders, for example: Zhohar, who knows the map, tactics and the strategy they want, let them. Support them with intelligence, supplies and the occasional commander’s intent. Assigning objectives by the point and click method will disrupt their tasking of waypoints – talk to them. Those squads (non-
TG) asking for new orders are in need of guidance. Check squad objectives and update them as needed. If a squad is near an object that they were not assigned, briefly assign that that point and when taken reassign to their original or new objective.
Know what commanders business is and what is squad business; asking two rump squads to merge is commanders business, asking a squad to go all engineers and lay mines is squad business. The commander can ask for mines, not detail squad kits and items or order all squads to have only four members.
Verbally communicate with your squads. Nothing is worse than the non-talking commander. Keep all communication short and to the point. Another communicating is praise, praise and a kick in the Gluteus Maxus is better than a kick. “Keep up the revives”, “The enemy is bleeding”, “Good work squad one”, and “Good game” are all examples of praise. Don’t yell at your squad leaders; try using “Please would you…”
The Commander’s Intent – verbal commands assigning assets, objectives, and goals. Examples of commander’s intent – who gets the ground and air vehicles, who defends the Titan, who attacks what – example: “Please retake Monorail”. A word about “
the commander’s intent”, less is better. Detailed plans disintegrate in the chaos of battle.
KISS: Keep it Simple Stupid. Keep track of the bleed and number of tickets. Know when to advance to remove the bleed and when to defend and let the bleed work for you. Let the squads know the status of the bleed.
Report all violators (either team) of server rules in Team speak or Chat. Yes it does distract from commanding but it’s necessary to fair play and it’s required by
TG rules.
The Art of the Commander
The commander has a wide range of supporting tools at their disposal. The most important is VERBAL COMMUNICATION. Communicating intelligence, objectives’, changing events and the commanders’ intent is the key to victory.
SAT-TRACK: should be either running or waiting to recharge. Always run the sat-track. I give a verbal report as it spots and click significant contacts. At full zoom, individual enemy contacts can be clicked. Take care not to over click.
UAV best used at critical conflict or objective areas. Deploy after a sat-track scan. Verbally announce its deployment to prevent friendly destruction. Like the Sat-Track: it should be either running or waiting to recharge. Try not to duplicate the IDS/PDS areas.
EMP STRIKE: is not just for vehicles. Yes, it’s needed to kill walkers, tanks, and APC, but a well timed EMP strike on an infantry held flag will disrupt the enemy with out killing your troops. On
TG servers, many commanders prep an orbital strike with an EMP strike. It’s a great tactic but predictable. Try to be more unpredictable. Coordinate with squad leaders to EMP lock vehicles for destruction.
ORBITAL STRIKE: the most feared of the commander’s tools. The only tool that racks up kills for the commander. Try not to add your own troops to the total (all orbital strikes are Danger Close). As previously stated in the forums, odds are high that the number of kill from an orbital strike will be less than six and more like zero to three. Call placement of the Orbital Strike to warn your squad leaders. Coordinate with squad leaders to EMP lock vehicles for Orbital Strikes.
While the orbital strike is great at killing enemy vehicles and good to poor at killing the enemy troops, it can be used to halt or stall enemy advances. If dropped in front of enemy, few squads will advance through it. The Assault Medics will survive but the Recons, Engineers and Supports generally don’t. Add an EMP strike on the remaining enemy for good measure.
Hunting Wabbits: on maps where EU has no UCB and a walker or gunship, take it out with an orbital strike first thing (only if this does not violate server rules). EU without a walker on Camp Gibraltar is hurting. Another serious consideration often overlooked is the enemy commander. When the enemy does not have an UCB/Unlock and you have no higher priority target for the Orbital, hit them with it. While spotting contacts with sat-track scan, look for lone non-moving target on or off rear flags. A forward EU commander is sometimes overlooked. More than once on several maps while commanding, the enemy has taken the flag and left me alone till Erok came and knifed me. Detail a squad to send a team to investigate lone contacts and kill them.
Baiting Walkers (and other armored vehicles): Drop a box in front of the walker; nobody questions the supply box dropped in front of the walker, they will move to it to resupply and repair. EMP and Orbital them for their foolishness.
Another target for an orbital strike is snipers. While down the priority list, if nothing better, make their day. Look for Sat-Track lone dots and zoom in. A sniper on a high perch with no overhead cover and shooting at my troops…BOOM.
SUPPLY BOX: should be prioritized by mission needs. Keeping the walker and vehicles up has a higher need that repairing the orbital strike asset. Resupplying squads in defense such as Engineers (or an Asset squad in the enemy UCB) should also have a higher need.
ASSETS: if repairs are needed, call for one or two engineers from one squad. Rump squads of four or less are best used for asset defense or repair. Those waiting for vehicle respawn can also repair/defend. Ensure the other squads stay on mission.
Against a determined Heavy Asset Squad such as what Erok runs, there is little defense. Their objective is not just to kill assets but to distract and draw firepower away from the battle. Remember the commander can still zoom and spot. Remember on the
TG server it’s illegal to orbital strike the enemy UCB but not your own. Big surprise on the Recon(s) about to blow the orbital strike asset when it rains down upon them.
VEHICLES: the commander is the final authority on vehicles’ ownership and objectives. On vehicle light maps, the vehicles add decidedly to victory. Make sure when a vehicle is up, it’s utilized, especially on non-UCB maps. Having personnel detailed from the vehicle assigned squad waiting is good; having the whole squad waiting is bad.
The Cloak of the Commander
The three basic setups are UCB, non-UCB and Titan. Find positions with overhead cover and/or are defensible for both UCB and non-UCB. Enemy commanders may still orbital you in the UCB. Report them and drive on. If you have a UCB or Titan, stay in the UCB or on the Titan. The only fighting commander is the non-UCB (mostly EU) commander running away. If you can be a fighting commander and still command, more power to you. Remember, firing out of the UCB makes you a legitimate target.
Commander’s Kits and Items:
Support: I find support with Shotgun, IDS and Sentry works best. The IDS and Sentry both have autonomous operation. Place the IDS near your assets (not on or next to). Place the sentry to create crossfire (it may pickoff the lone infiltrator). In the UCB: keep the support hub in your hands, (makes you a non-target), in a non-UCB: your primary weapon.
Recon: Lambert or sniper rifle with RDX and APM. This kit is more useful in non-UCB. Place the RDX in and around the flag and the APM in random places.
Assault/Medic: Useful on non-UCB maps. May need to heal and run and gun for your life.
Engineer: Avoid except for Titan. Repairing your assets makes you a sanctioned target in the UCB and repairing can detract from commanding. The commander has
minions to do repairs. Request an engineer or two (max) to repair assets. On the Titan I take the SAAW, PDS and Bait. Slap the PDS to the rear wall over the gun control panels. The bait is used for motion mines over the hanger bay. For best use you should be outside the force shield but be careful not to fall off the titan (oops). Use the SAAW to harass the enemy aircraft – lockup gunships tend to rabbit.
The Ragnarök of the Commander
TITANS: The goal is to destroy the enemy Titan either by blowing it up or shooting it down.
Titan movement: Offensive positions - advance to first silo from side within short to long gun range. Advance to cover other silos depends on map. Defensive Positions – find impassible terrain/water to prevent APC access. Unless movement is locked do not stay parked over rear base – bad angle for guns and the APC are below. Try not to move towards enemy titan but do not retreat if the enemy titan aggressively moves towards you. Do retreat from pod launcher range. Remember the server lag is terrible when the titans are close together.
Titan Defense: Assign early
one squad to defend the titan. A squad of four to six assigned to console corridor one or two is best. From personal experience; two supports and two to four assault/medics works. Call them back to the titan at 25% of shields. Sadly the best disciplined squads to perform this action are also the best at taking silos. A six man squad can reassign one or more to help with silo attacks (during lull in attacks) using pod launchers and respawn on their squad leader in titan as needed. Gunships can defend the titan from air transports and scrub off poding enemy troops.
Titan Attack: Assign early
one squad to attack enemy titan. Again, alas this may be one of your best squads for taking silos. Their primary mission is to distract and pull enemy personnel from the ground to defend their titan. They may succeed in overwhelming the defenders and blowing up the titan. If the titan is well defended pull the squad off early and take silos. Gunships can suppress enemy guns and aircraft.
The commander: As above, use the engineer kit – SAAW, PDS, and Bait. Repairing is good (and safe). Place PDS on rear hanger wall or early in game on air asset. Bait to remove MM on top of hanger shield. Use the SAAW to harass the enemy gunships. Ask for a supply hub as needed from waiting squads.
Titan Guns: While commanding I typically man the forward AA gun or ground gun, commander’s assets can spot incoming APC, Gunships and Transports. Air crews waiting for their vehicles and the part of the defense squad can help man/repair the guns. Firing the guns should not be a full time job. Ground guns can still kill gunships and air transports.
Ground Assets: Since the Main Base is a non-UCB expect periodic asset attacks. If there are friendly in the main base, they can assist in repair or the commander can drop a supply crate on the asset. Remember the UAV can be placed over either titan to aid attacks/defense. It’s great at spotting the red dots. Considering the titan map sizes, it’s hard for commanders to best utilize assets without squad leaders input. If you need, ask.
Silo Assaults: Are the key to wining the game, both in taking down the enemy titan shields and possibly shooting it down. Must hold at least three all game. The silo closest to the titan (under gun coverage) should stay taken. If the enemy attack your titan (shields down) with all or most if their team, grab the silos (except for the defensive squad). Use the “T” key to determine silo priority. Maximize squads and personnel taking silos. A perfectly defended titan can still be shot down. Make sure only the defensive and offensive squads are fighting on each titan. Remember to pull the attacking squad if the titan defensives are too tough and/or reduce the defensive squad if the enemy is not assaulting your titan.
The Wants of the Commander
Pet peeves:
Random gunfire near the commander, tossing grenades, and/or (un)friendly teamkills. Random gunfire distracts and causes a check to see if the enemy is going for my assets. Tossing grenades – EMP, Frag, and Smoke on or near the commander while waiting for vehicle spawn. Then the knife and revive plus killing my IDS and sentry – great for pregame, not so good during.
Depending on the map as a squad leader, I’m all for the occasional sniper or two but all sniper squads are useless (no vehicle 16-Verdun). They can’t or won’t take flags, rarely obey orders, and make good targets for enemy orbital artillery strikes with out revives. Several six man sniper squads and half your team can be useless snipers.
Squad Leaders calling for orbital strikes; their target may not be high on my target list. More the once one squad has called a strike on another squad. Who gets the blame?
RULES AND SOP's
