The Recon in your Squad and the Otus Drone

**Lyramion** · 01-21-2007, 02:57 PM

Many people do not know that the function of the OTUS drone is heavily dependant on the members in your squad.

It doesnt matter what class the Squad Leader actually is - all the abilities of the SMs will be transfered to your drone via NetBat. To use the abilities the member also MUST have the advanced NetBat helmet unlocked.

Having in your Squad at least one of the following will let you these features:

Assault - Show up Health Bars of enemy soldiers within scan radius

Engineer - Show up Health Bars of enemy vehicles in scan radius

Support - Show up "Diamonds" in your 1st person view like the PDD-200 Scanner

Recon - Show up the enemy positions on the minimap for the whole squad (!)

So you indeed need at least 1 Recon with his NetBat helmet in your Squad to get the minimap scan feature. If I notice my SL is using the OTUS drone I sometimes join as Recon so we can indeed get a full scan of the area on the minimap instead of just diamonds.

So while the Recon has no obvious gain for the Squad like a Defib, Medihub or Ammohub his abilities coupled with the OTUS Drone can really benefit your Squad in close quater combat maps.

Atomic Dog · 01-21-2007, 03:49 PM

Well...that certainly makes me feel better about unlocking my recon kit first!

**Zoraster** · 01-21-2007, 04:47 PM

nice. i wasn't aware of this. It definitely gives a reason to have a diverse squad when you're using it.

Vendi · 01-21-2007, 05:07 PM

Is there proof or is this conjecture? Is it from your experience, or is it from an official website/actually tested?
It's an interesting idea but seems like a very odd way for EA to design the drone mechanics. I'll be trying it out on the server when I get the time.

**Lyramion** · 01-21-2007, 05:12 PM

Its experience and tests from my 450+hrs of 2142.

Feel free to correct me if you find out otherwise but I know I am 100% right on the Recon part

P.S. I have already been called out as liar telling those things about the OTUS to ppl on Total 2142.

Zoopy · 01-21-2007, 05:55 PM

I believe if anyone spots an enemy using the cammo-rose ("Q"), they show up on the minimap, not just the Recon class spotting them. The actual function of the Recon net-bat helmet is that the diamonds stay up longer.

Now if you had a recon guy tag a bunch of enemies, say around a flag, and have the squad leader run in with the Accipiter attack drone, I think that'd be more useful (altough I never tried)

**Lyramion** · 01-21-2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoopy_T

I believe if anyone spots an enemy using the cammo-rose ("Q"), they show up on the minimap, not just the Recon class spotting them. The actual function of the Recon net-bat helmet is that the diamonds stay up longer.

Yeah they show up on minimap since BF2 - but thats not the point I was trying to make. The OTUS ("UAV Drone") will autospot enemies nearby on the minimap if a Recon with the Helmet is present in Squad

Revark · 01-21-2007, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyramion

Yeah they show up on minimap since BF2 - but thats not the point I was trying to make. The OTUS ("UAV Drone") will autospot enemies nearby on the minimap if a Recon with the Helmet is present in Squad

I must test this tonight. I could have sworn the feature worked when we had all engineers/support the other night.

Zoopy · 01-21-2007, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyramion

Yeah they show up on minimap since BF2 - but thats not the point I was trying to make. The OTUS ("UAV Drone") will autospot enemies nearby on the minimap if a Recon with the Helmet is present in Squad

Oh I see. Sorry, just didn't get that from your original post. I guess that would be handy then. But does the Squad Leader have to be Recon, or can it just be anyone?

**Lyramion** · 01-21-2007, 07:03 PM

Anyone in your Squad with the Helmet unlocked

Revark · 01-21-2007, 07:04 PM

Just tested this with All assault squad members.. They still show up. If I added a recon, they stayed up longer.

*shrug*

Revark · 01-21-2007, 07:13 PM

Verfication here.

http://guides.gamepressure.com/battl...de.asp?ID=1701

This system may be used by single soldiers, by only squads can make use of its full potential. If one Squad Member spots an enemy and the NetBat system marks him automatically with a square, other Squad Members will receive data about the location of spotted enemy, so the entire squad knows where he is.

In order to send information about enemies, a proper helmet should be unlocked first. I must add that each kit has different type of helmet:

1.Recon helmet allows to mark the enemies’ location, even when they hide behind some covers;

2.Assault kit disposes of a helmet, which marks enemy infantry units and additionally identifies their kit;

3.Engineer’s helmet provides information about enemy vehicles – their type and location;

4.Support units, thanks to their helmet, are able to see enemies using the IT-33 Active Camouflage device.

Information about enemy’s location is lost when he gets out of range of the NetBat system’s helmet.

**Lyramion** · 01-21-2007, 07:14 PM

Strange - I was in an all assault/medic squad just yesterday and the drone showed noone on minimap

Revark · 01-21-2007, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyramion

Strange - I was in an all assault/medic squad just yesterday and the drone showed noone on minimap

*shrug* Verified in game. No less then 5 minutes ago.

Recon does add time to minimap Otus drone dots.

Really nice when you have a support guy, even shows cloaked guys on the minimap.

**Lyramion** · 01-21-2007, 10:05 PM

Like earlier I was SL in an all Medic / Support Squad on Gibraltar. I had my drone up at the front flag but nothing showed up - I told the next SM dead to spawn as Recon and all of a sudden I had a lot of red dots pop up.

Is there any factor that has not been tought about yet? Id love to have this cleared up