Re: Playing with a Commander

**Fivenine** · 01-21-2009, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by O=T-M-A-N=O

I agree totally. Duplicate communications is somewhat distressing to the commander - makes it less useful to have one. I am a fan of in game comms to the commander, squad comms for the squads and squad leaders in Team speak. I think Team Speak is over used in game anyway and is really best used when there is no commander to coordinate with.

I agree. It also adds more to the realism of the game. Yes, sometimes its much faster to coordinate for example transports between squads on TS, but I think its more fun to do it throught the CO.

**Berlancic** · 01-21-2009, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by =KOF=CR8Z

I've only CO'd a couple of times, but both times it was like herding cats. One SL in particular (his name escapes me) had me muted and did not follow any orders. Very frustrating.

I remember being in one squad, the Squad Leader hated our commander, and constantly said, "He wants us to defend bunkers from the east side" and then he would bad mouth the commander after saying it.

Most of the Squad Members agreed with him, I didn't want to get into a verbal war so I didn't say anything that might really get the SLs attention.

Note: I know the names of both the commander and the squad leader, but I do not wish to reveal them in public.

**Berlancic** · 01-21-2009, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by O=T-M-A-N=O

I agree totally. Duplicate communications is somewhat distressing to the commander - makes it less useful to have one. I am a fan of in game comms to the commander, squad comms for the squads and squad leaders in Team speak. I think Team Speak is over used in game anyway and is really best used when there is no commander to coordinate with.

That's totally right there! Sometimes, the people in Teamspeak are annoying, to much people talking at once, hot mics, all that. I think we were all or will be temporarily like that.

**BigGaayAl** · 01-21-2009, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by Sabre_Tooth_Tigger

Why is co more important next version

Hear you there. Everytime it was said the CO would be more important yet every time it plays out that there are actually less CO's, and you need them less. I expect the TS>CO phenomenon will be even stronger. The devs have miscalculated the CO role 4 versions in a row.

**Spitfire14** · 01-22-2009, 12:10 AM

CO's can be good and bad. If one knows good ways to play certain maps and is constantly updating the map with icons and keeping people informed, hats off.

Other times you have people that will tell the whole team to defend, or have the whole team attack. Ill just start marching off looking back at the flag, or leaving a rally close by because I know it will get capped and well have to go back and get it.

Its hit or miss. If you have a good one, the round can go really well, if not, it can go really bad.

**Startrekern** · 01-22-2009, 12:25 AM

Originally Posted by Katanama

I would like to add something.

- if you have a commander relay everything you can by him instead of teamspeak. If you tell him something he will like you. but if everything goes over TS he will feel redundant.

I have to say to this:

Teamspeak is redundant. It does allow squad leaders to communicate with VoIP. However, that's not how the game is meant to be played. There's -supposed- to be a commander that relays information.

Perhaps if Teamspeak wasn't used there would be more of an incentive for someone to go commander, since they'd actually be needed.

/two cents

- Star

Delta*RandyShugart* · 01-22-2009, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Startrekern

I have to say to this:

Team speak is redundant. It does allow squad leaders to communicate with VoIP. However, that's not how the game is meant to be played. There's -supposed- to be a commander that relays information.

Perhaps if Team speak wasn't used there would be more of an incentive for someone to go commander, since they'd actually be needed.

/two cents

- Star

TG in regards to PR has 4 separate rooms for use.

Star, as a registered member you have the option of using TS, if you use VOIP/ a mic.

Everyone has different preferences but if you feel as a squad member or a SL or as a CO that too much chatter is going back and forth in any of those channels, you can easily say politely that there's too much chatter and i am willing to put my sm membership on the table that the chatter will stop.

1. Project Reality Public - Usually a waiting room/place where people talk about the game while in game, or talk while the next map is loading and also its used for Roll-Calls before internal Scrims, Scrims against other servers, PW night events and as a way to talk about the things i mentioned after a round is over.

2. PR coordination - This Channel is split up into two separate rooms PR Coordination 1 and PR Coordination 2, this is where squad members on each team respectively can give intel to other squad members and sometimes it is frequented by SL's and CO's. However, talking and talking isn't put up with whatsoever and I have witnessed and have asked myself for players to calm the chatter, and it works, if someone continues to disrupt they are usually then kicked from the channel.

3. PR Leadership - This Channel is split into two rooms as well, PR Leadership 1 and 2. This is designated for only Squad Leaders and Commanders, and serves as a way for SL's to talk to one another and if there is a CO who is a registered member of TG and is in this channel for him/her to give updates and orders etc.

4. PR Tactics - I haven't frequented this room, but at times its is a place where players can discuss tactics etc in regards to playing PR at TG.

Several times as CO i have asked squad leaders in the PR Leadership channels to not talk over me, or not ask for pickups/extractions without going through me first, all you have to do is handle your self appropriately and in a mature manner and its amazing how players will only give you the necessary Intel.

Personally I've used TS as CO before these channels were implemented, and i still use it now, to me it is an added bonus and allows me to give intel that i hear to my squad if they are not in TS and also give intel to the CO if he is in TS. Some players like using it, others don't. But it is an additional way to talk to SL's and CO's, especially when members of your squad are talking to you in game.

/ $1 USD

**Fighter** · 01-22-2009, 09:28 PM

They never discuss tactics in PR Tactics Discussion. I tend to think of it as "The PR Office" where the admins drag yu if u get in touble(and they want to talk in private without the other admins in PR Admin Room) or just a room you can have a conversation with someone without USUALLY getting interrupted.

**Herlin** · 01-23-2009, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by Fighter

They never discuss tactics in PR Tactics Discussion. I tend to think of it as "The PR Office" where the admins drag yu if u get in touble(and they want to talk in private without the other admins in PR Admin Room) or just a room you can have a conversation with someone without USUALLY getting interrupted.

Sounds like you've been in that situation? :P

**Bullseye2550** · 01-25-2009, 11:08 AM

my 2 cents:

step up as co, the players who goes co constantly are not more than i have fingers.

in .85 it is harder to play as co. I dont know every strategic plan on the new maps, not played alot, but on the most maps: organized quick attack with building fb wins the map.

Almost there is no designated Transport/Crate squad, so it was almost very unorganiced to build fb...
apc are mostly used as light tank, not as transport (like EJOD, Stryker are rushing, the rest of the team is left at main).

when i am commander i try to learn the squad setups, so i can talk with name to the sql, so he knows i am talking only to him.

TS is an asset, a big asset when it needs to be quick between sqlers or to warn. but try to give the commander more intel, sometimes i sit 5 min in the cp, no one talks, so i think everything is ok and then its not. if you have troubles tell it to the co. (never blame the co for the markers if he is setting them min by min) (Qwai needs exact positions for tanks, TOW, ...)

also read the yellow text messages, i dont want to talk to all squads, i really dont need the v button when i am co.

Sometimes it is hard for me (not english speaking player) to understand some things (slang, brommel, ..) try to talk in "normal" english.

the other things are written in another thread.

so happy killing, cu on the battlefield

**Slayer816** · 02-01-2009, 02:33 AM

Dealing with in-game communications, as a CO you have more options than just all squads or a single squad.

-Multiple Squad Talk. Hold CTRL and select 2 or more squads and with B key you can talk to only those SLs. Useful when 2 squads are near a cache for example...and 3 squads are elsewhare.

-Team Chat. For that "everyone needs to know" info.

An organized squad cannot possibly do their job if the CO is spamming the V key, but I think this scares COs away from using some of the other options. The main thing is that you have to ask yourself what needs to be shared with a single squad or 2/3 squads...and what needs to be heard by all. It is hard to juggle all of this information in real time, but if done correctly it can be a tremendous help.

**AFsoccer** · 02-01-2009, 04:07 AM

Originally Posted by Slayer816

Dealing with in-game communications, as a CO you have more options than just all squads or a single squad.

-Multiple Squad Talk. Hold CTRL and select 2 or more squads and with V key you can talk to only those SLs. Useful when 2 squads are near a cache for example...and 3 squads are elsewhare.

-Team Chat. For that "everyone needs to know" info.

An organized squad cannot possibly do their job if the CO is spamming the B key, but I think this scares COs away from using some of the other options. The main thing is that you have to ask yourself what needs to be shared with a single squad or 2/3 squads...and what needs to be heard by all. It is hard to juggle all of this information in real time, but if done correctly it can be a tremendous help.

Slayer, I'm not sure if you changed your default keys but the information above has the V and B key backwards.

V = Talk to all squad leaders
B = Talk only to the squad leader(s) selected

Just wanted to clarify that before someone got confused.

**Slayer816** · 02-01-2009, 10:26 AM

Thx for noticing..im used to BF2142 which has them swapped by default.

Fixed

**fuzzhead** · 02-01-2009, 04:24 PM

When I CO, I frequently do what slayer says, select the 2 squads that are relevant to talk to.

For example, Sq1 Infantry needs a pickup, Squad 3 is a transport helicopter squad.

I will select both of them, and say "squad1 where do you need to go?" then say "roger that squad1, squad 3 will pick you up in H3k5"

This cuts down the need to repeat yourself, as the relevant parties were just told where they need to go. Along with doing this you can also put move marker for both those squads in identical place, so they both now know EXACTLY where the LZ is.

This same principle can be applied to just about everything, from calling in CAS, supplies, APCs, fire support, spotting tanks, etc etc

Trust me, when your CO and you got 7 squads all communicating, it can be extremely hectic and you need to be as fast as possible to sort thru the contact reports and requests and get them sorted in short order... very challenging but fun

**Bisclaveret** · 02-01-2009, 04:26 PM

Thanks for posting those.

One of the problems, and one of the major reasons why I hardly if ever command, is because at least in the version I bought, the manual was extremely thin, and there was no listing of commands, what the commander's buttons were, etc.
I had no idea how to talk to individual squads, order individual squads around, etc. And everyone would get mad at me for not talking to them individually,etc.

One other reason is because while i have a good mind for tactics, I freeze up a lot when things don't go to plan. I can't think on my feet very well, or have a good knowledge of responses to actions taking place (hence why i suck at RTS, but am pretty good at turn-based/hex-grid) Thats also why i don't SL much. I don't want to inconvenience my squad or team by giving unwanted orders that just get them killed needlessly. People who've played with me on ARMA can see that, as we take 30-40 minutes, draw huge diagrams of movements and markers on the tactical map, detail where everyones going to go, only to have it fall apart in 5 minutes by a random AI and have me curled up and rocking.

Strangely enough, whenever i'm forced to SL, we usually used to get near top squad, by virtue of the other people in the squad, though.

As for teamspeak... I haven't found it very useful for PR. I cant' tell where I am in teamspeak when playing, I can't switch channels without tabbing out of the game, TSO is very tricky to get working right (settings in one game will work, while not work in another) It's just a big hassle. The only thing i've found it good for was reporting problem players to admins.

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