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Thread: Tactics
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Old 2003-06-25, 11:18 AM   [Ignore Me] #14
Agathon
Sergeant
 
Okay, you asked for it (part I)


Hello,

Most tactics are specific to the situation at hand. There are few tactics that can be listed for people to use in every situation. Most things are common sense, but in combat (and apparently games as well) people seem to ignore common sense. Any decent plan will likely not be openly given out to people either. I will however list some general tactics for combat which apply to this game.

For example, I have seen the diversionary tactic of an AMS used often against the NC. The poster above is correct that people run after it like idiots. If the objective is to take the base, ignore the darn AMS and get to the CC. Just be aware that an extra AMS is out there, and send some aircraft to look for it perhaps. Often the reaction to an AMS is way overboard though, and people need to stick to their mission first.

Another problem I often see with NC is that when taking a base our enemy will use a tower as a distraction to take back a hacked CC room. They will take a tower back from us, and then for some reason the majority of the NC force will up and leave the base for the tower. While they are trying to get a little experience, they lose out on a lot of experience. People need to stay focused on the base hacks first above towers, but I often see people distracted by towers. Leave the tower alone if trying to retake it means you lose the hack. If you want to deploy more forces to take the tower, wait until the hack completes. 5k of experience is worth much more than some individual kills. Besides, if the enemy take the base, you'll never last long in the tower alone once they do.

A less common tactic I have seen used lately is for the TR to send in an empty Galaxy over a base's center. People drop their posts, the CC included it seems, and go hog wild rushing the roof. They don't even have to drop anything out of the Gal, but people will go freaking out trying to find people. While the Gal either flys in or hovers over the center, a large TR force charges into the courtyard from an entrance way on foot instead. People get slaughtered in the mean time. Be aware that a gal can be just as good of a diversion as an AMS in other words.

When taking a tower, do not ant line it. What do I mean by an ant line? When you die, form up with your squad damn it. People who run off on their own drive me crazy. You will die so much faster as an individual in this game than when you are surrounded by your squad. People have a purpose, and they cannot function as individual gods. It takes team work to be really successful. As you go charging up to the action, bring a few friends right next to you. As you approach the base of the tower, don't charge in one after the other. Send in people from both sides of the bottom floor at once, and send in heavy weapons people first. Lighten up the enemy with grenades before you break through the door even if you can get people to stop for a second (yeah, right). What ever you do, don't charge into a barrage of pounders in singles or doubles. You won't do jack.

If a hall, stairwell, or tower is blocked off well by enemy, go around them already, sheesh! Haven't people heard of flanking? I get frustrated with troopers because they all ant line into the front door of places. Well, what about the back door? Is it just because you don't know where it is? The TR use the back door well. Why don't the NC? We seem to charge right in the front more often than not. As I have seen it at least, about 80% of attacking forces ant line right in the main gates of a base. Things would be a heck of a lot easier if folks went in groups of squad size bunched together at least, and then at best they went together like that through the back perhaps.

Mix your direction of attack. Don't attack from the front all of the time. This means the highest casualties for your side, and it allows the enemy to concentrate all, or most, of their defenses to one area. Instead, send an attack wave from both the north and south gate at once. Even if this means flanking around to the other non-tower or non-ams side, do it and see the results. Don't go where the enemy most expects you basically. If a tower has three pounders locked down in between the second and third levels, drop one or two squads on the roof as needed to sandwich them together. A locked down TR max is an easy target if you come up behind him.

If you are a max, don't go charging into battle unsupported by infantry. Max's are like tanks, and they die quickly in the open and when alone. I often see max's charge into battle alone, and I bet they wonder why they die so quickly. Keep yourself around engineers and supporting infantry/vehicle fire, and you will be much more effective, get more kills, and survive a lot longer between spawns. Most importantly as a max, when you are defending a place with an engineer or two repairing you, DO NOT MOVE. I have tried to repair a strafing and dodging max too many times now, and if you are moving I don't even bother now. I just back up and let you die. Just think of it as a TR max being locked down. As an NC max defending, you should not move. This allows the engineers to repair you. If you have to move, move up, stop, move up, stop. Don't act like an infantry guy and weave and dodge constantly. Make a point to stop in places where the people behind you will be protected as well aspossible from splash damage also.

Vehicles are the same. Don't charge into battle alone and expect to live long. Tanks should stick with infantry to be most effective. Think of a tank as a roving artillery piece in regards to other infantry and stationary targets. If you engage enemy vehicles, how much easier will it be to defeat them if you also have infantry with you for support? Both the tank and the soldier on foot benefit greatly by sticking together. Never... NEVER have I see this done before on Emerald. NC has the most powerful tank, but it is never used to support infantry as it should be used. The tactic is as old as the tank itself, and tanks should be in an advanced column abreast with infantry immediately behind AND between them. This is the best way to use them while on the move against mixed enemy forces while in the open.

A sitting vehicle is a pill box. Just think of Iraq when you consider this point. Iraqis follow old Soviet order of battle, and they think a tank in a stationary position is the best option. Well, is it any wonder our tanks have such an easy time destroying them?! They are easy targets for both our tanks AND infantry when not on the move. If you are in a vehicle, always continue to move. If you are sitting still, you are an easy target. Patrol the edge of the SOI if you want, but dont just sit in place. The only time you should stop is to allow for firing a weapon if desired. Move, fire, and move again if you must to improve your accuracy with the weapons onboard. Never sit still though. I wouldn't even recommend it after the hack is on and you are squating the base. A patrolling tank on a road is much more effective than one sitting at the entrance. Besides, while you are patrolling, you are collecting intel for your squad at least AND searching for AMS's at the same time.

More basic infantry tactics could take hours of discussion, but let me say a few things about them as well. First off, always fire when crouched in the game if possible. It greatly increases your accuracy. Also never spray and pray if you can help it. Fire the weapon in short bursts. Act just like a tank as explained above. Move to cover, fire, move to the next cover. While you are moving, others should be stopped and firing. The process is repeated over and over as you assault to your objective. If you are reloading, make a macro to let your squad know it. You buddy expects you to be right behind him, so don't get held up reloading or something without him being aware of it. He'll run up alone without you and die easily if he doesn't know. When he is running he also expects you to be firing. This is why letting him know when you are reloading is important. If you are reloading, your buddy should not be moving!

Infantry need to be mixed with maxes and tanks if possible, and they need to continue to move at all times in most cases while on the advance. Only armor and vehicle repairs, revives, and heals should be reasons to stop entirely. Strafing and jumping around as infantry is perfectly fine as long as you control your firing and avoid shooting other people. Remember to stop for a second to fire though to be most accurate with any weapon you have equipped.

(continued in part II)
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