What do marines lack?

[Boersgard]

Quality of life, specific gameplay functions, particular classes; here's a thread for things you think Marines could use to help flesh them out and make them more effective.

I've got a list of things I've drawn up already:

- Staff Officers being able to yell into all squad channels at the same time
- Staff Officers having some in-game method of providing tacmap updates to squads which is competitive with doing the same thing already using an imagehost and announcements channel
- A mobile fob that can help hold a lane by itself (I think the medic APC will be very good for this when finished)
- Alternative to tcomms so marines are not forced to leave a detachment to protect it all the time (command APC may fill this out)
- SL waypoint beacons that update way more often
- A way for staff officers to drop waypoint beacons on the map for squads to move to
- A second-in-command class for squads
- Problem where PFC's are better off as aSL's than medics and engineers because medic/engineer job is taxing enough already without ordering people around, not sure how to solve this
- M56D LoS is too short - it's usually mounted behind cades and you end up with like 3 tiles deep of actual area you can cover. Could use at least another 2-3 tiles of vision
- Motion Detectors available in req

[Blade2000Br]

So you are saying that marines have to be OP?

Also, Second-in-command role exists: itd called Spec.

[coroneljones]

Discipline.

That's what the marines lack the most.

[x31stOverlord]

Brains. Marines lack brains

[BillyBoBBizWorth]

Quality of life, specific gameplay functions, particular classes; here's a thread for things you think Marines could use to help flesh them out and make them more effective.

I've got a list of things I've drawn up already:

- Staff Officers being able to yell into all squad channels at the same time
- Staff Officers having some in-game method of providing tacmap updates to squads which is competitive with doing the same thing already using an imagehost and announcements channel
- A mobile fob that can help hold a lane by itself (I think the medic APC will be very good for this when finished)
- Alternative to tcomms so marines are not forced to leave a detachment to protect it all the time (command APC may fill this out)
- SL waypoint beacons that update way more often
- A way for staff officers to drop waypoint beacons on the map for squads to move to
- A second-in-command class for squads
- Problem where PFC's are better off as aSL's than medics and engineers because medic/engineer job is taxing enough already without ordering people around, not sure how to solve this
- M56D LoS is too short - it's usually mounted behind cades and you end up with like 3 tiles deep of actual area you can cover. Could use at least another 2-3 tiles of vision
- Motion Detectors available in req

Fantastic suggestions, and almost half of them are things ive thought would be fair additions.

1. First suggestion is good as currently all command channel users have to use them separately even when a situation calls for being able to broadcast on all channels.Top observation, a example is when theres only one SO/XO or something alive/low pop gives the same effect.

Example of the round just gone :



Players like Alan and myself have done multi-broadcasting manually like this for long enough that its not a problem, but i could see how a newer player would struggle and may even prevent them from broadcasting at all(silent command).Even being able to do it manually, id rather have a more convenient way of doing it, would be nice.

2. A easier and quick way to transmit map diagrams and such would be awsome

3. Anything that replaces the tank without being too overbearing is welcomed by everyone i think, APC etc.

4. Having permanent planetside comms, or maybe even a backup/blackout channel that could be used, like radio bounced is operational even when proper comms isnt online.Perhaps it only transmits between units on the same Z level and you only get that link with proper comms are online(like how it is now), all possible.

5. Yeah

6. Good idea

7. They just did the rank revamp(their words, not mine) didnt they, seems they have when i check the wiki, check that out.Link up top.

8. I think this was a partial reason or even maybe a more major one as to why they did this rank revamp, as i understand it.

9. I think thats a pretty reasonable suggestion, not asking for much, just a small increase.

10. Yes, yes yes.As it is, not many people currently use them, so even if they were available there, only a smaller amount of more people may use them.I try this experiment everytime im SL.I get a detector for myself as i always use them, and i get a few more and scatter them around and see if anyone takes them/uses them.Some rounds they take them, usually high pop, as you would assume and low to mid pop usually very rarely someone takes them all, as i scatter 2-3.
This 10th suggestion was the main reason i came to reply, but in reality all your suggestions are fairly good ones and could make the game better.

By the way, ive heard a few marines say they are annoyed with the detectors relentless pinging, so i suggest either lowering the volume on that particular file or perhaps removing it or not making it a global sound.The railscope "click" is now gone the last time i checked as it was also abit annoying as a global sound.

Now, seems like you have a few gitlabs to write up if you want them done..maybe you already have done them and are just that good.

Great post.

[CABAL]

Now, seems like you have a few gitlabs to write up if you don't want them done..maybe you already have done them and are just that good.

Fixed

[BillyBoBBizWorth]

Fixed

Hahha good one, i wish it wasnt the case.Posting them right here should be just as worthy as ones on gitlab if they are serious suggestions as far as im concerned, just like this player/poster has done here.

Maybe he will invest time writing them up and maybe get a 50/50 of the suggestions come through, wouldnt be a bad run if that was the case.

By the way, the answer to the title question is the opposite to what we already have too much of, "memers"..

[Drevenshekel]

Quality of life, specific gameplay functions, particular classes; here's a thread for things you think Marines could use to help flesh them out and make them more effective.

I've got a list of things I've drawn up already:

- Staff Officers being able to yell into all squad channels at the same time
- Staff Officers having some in-game method of providing tacmap updates to squads which is competitive with doing the same thing already using an imagehost and announcements channel
- A mobile fob that can help hold a lane by itself (I think the medic APC will be very good for this when finished)
- Alternative to tcomms so marines are not forced to leave a detachment to protect it all the time (command APC may fill this out)
- SL waypoint beacons that update way more often
- A way for staff officers to drop waypoint beacons on the map for squads to move to
- A second-in-command class for squads
- Problem where PFC's are better off as aSL's than medics and engineers because medic/engineer job is taxing enough already without ordering people around, not sure how to solve this
- M56D LoS is too short - it's usually mounted behind cades and you end up with like 3 tiles deep of actual area you can cover. Could use at least another 2-3 tiles of vision
- Motion Detectors available in req

The spec is meant to be the 2nd in command for the squad, the problem is that so many people just choose spec so they can be an uber unga and don't care about any of the responsibility of being the replacement SL. I've been noticing alot of specs who go completely silent on comms, refuse to stick with the SL and in some cases straight up refuse orders and run off with their own little team to get kills. Maybe a solution to this would be to have a "radioman" type NCO who could be an assisstant and possible heir to the SL, they could receive chatter from other squads or talk to command when the SL is busy barking out orders/leading a charge, they could also be equipped with utility items like motion detectors or a radar scanner thingy.

A mobile fob apc would be a great addition and replacement or supplement for the tank, It'd give marines and xenos a mobile objective and would break up alot of the tiresome back and forth's that we see with over relying on static defenses. Maybe to make it more team oriented the APC's firepower could come from turrets across it that would have to be manually manned by an unga.

[Tetrino]

Marines lack discipline

[CABAL]

Marines lack "cool and fun" stuff. Maybe combat drones/borgs? Something that dead players could take control of. Don't tell me that borg with pistol is OP, or major buff.
Special AI laws could be written to enforce serious Medium Role Play.

Maybe some customisation of armor? Visual and stats. More eye and mask objects to wear.

[Cry of Wolves]

Discipline.

That's what the marines lack the most.

[Gigazer]

Discipline.

That's what the marines lack the most.

Amen

[Cryzone]

balls

[Sakuyoi]

Discipline and Coordination
If marines would probably just not stray out of their squad, or just follow straight orders. They could probably have the upper hand in all games and xenos would be devastated.
Also Resourcefulness. Yesterday i had a heated argument with an engineer in Dchat because he made a really big FOB and spitters just melted it because no one was guarding. It was like 2 stacks worth of metal lost to cover the whole horizontal part outside aerodome. The Tcomms wasnt guarded with barricades because of lack of materials. He made a big wall of cades going through Tcomms. Was easily melted. Then xenos just came from aerodomes and started flanking us. I wounded up dead. The Small FOB we made at LZ1 held better than the tcomms because it had no cades to plug its holes because they wasted resources.
I called him out ICly and in dchat and told me to not disrespect. It wasnt disrespect. It was an opinion.
If you had small manpower dont make a big FOB.
If only we get a proper whitelist to remove baldies.

[dasWurmtMich]

balls

[xXen0zS1ay3rXx]

Marines need to realize that THEY are the zerg, and a rush of screaming ungas with the buckshot shotties charging the hive will always be very devastating.

[Snypehunter007]

In regards to the topic title, RP.

[Boersgard]

Marines need to realize that THEY are the zerg, and a rush of screaming ungas with the buckshot shotties charging the hive will always be very devastating.

Biggest balance/design choice I disagree with in CM to be honest. That and all these weird ass looking alien classes - Xenos feel less like xenos and more like tyranids

[Pulse Demon]

Biggest balance/design choice I disagree with in CM to be honest. That and all these weird ass looking alien classes - Xenos feel less like xenos and more like tyranids

Only ravager fits into that description imo.

[Madventurer]

Engineer equipment choice that lets them drive around a small recon drone?

Just having that scouting utility would be quite useful, a choice between more supplies or that thing, and leave the user vulnerable while used.
Should be fairly small and fast to avoid getting instakilled by xenos, but still easily destroyable if caught.

Also makes engi more interesting and probably more played.

[Build_R_]

Vehicles are nice but would be complicated and take a loooong time to make I would think.
Marines need something to encourage discipline and loyalty to command while not going overboard like BEing anyone who doesn't follow orders.

[LightBeast]

Got some great suggestions in here.
My own priority one that I think would be fairly easy is to expand the list of audible emotes for squad leaders/ASL's to include simple audio commands like "attack/charge, fall back, hold position" and other simple ones people can think of. This would probably work wonders as it's so difficult to try and type and read in the damn chat during combat and can often get marines killed. Communication is such a problem in this mode but I'm not sure how to fix it since it's basically the SS13 engine itself that's the biggest issue.

Would be best to separate local chat and maybe have it in a different spot than radio/command chat, but it feels like this would require a redesign of the entire UI so I don't know.

The spec is meant to be the 2nd in command for the squad, the problem is that so many people just choose spec so they can be an uber unga and don't care about any of the responsibility of being the replacement SL. I've been noticing alot of specs who go completely silent on comms, refuse to stick with the SL and in some cases straight up refuse orders and run off with their own little team to get kills. Maybe a solution to this would be to have a "radioman" type NCO who could be an assisstant and possible heir to the SL, they could receive chatter from other squads or talk to command when the SL is busy barking out orders/leading a charge, they could also be equipped with utility items like motion detectors or a radar scanner thingy.

A mobile fob apc would be a great addition and replacement or supplement for the tank, It'd give marines and xenos a mobile objective and would break up alot of the tiresome back and forth's that we see with over relying on static defenses. Maybe to make it more team oriented the APC's firepower could come from turrets across it that would have to be manually manned by an unga.

This is so true. I think a possible solution is to make sniper it's own special whitelisted class within each squad. Not sure about the other weapons but it seems like the RPG and grenade launcher could be part of an Anti-Tank sort of section like they have in real life infantry platoons. Second in command should be a lance corporal that acts as an ASL and has access to certain SL equipment/abilities in case of field promotion.

Biggest balance/design choice I disagree with in CM to be honest. That and all these weird ass looking alien classes - Xenos feel less like xenos and more like tyranids

I've mentioned this before myself and seen a lot of others mention it, but the reality I learned was that there are always less xeno players than marine just because of the nature of the classes and game type. To compensate, xenos get special types and are able to take on many marines. I agree it feels backwards and is often hilarious to see a literal swarm of bald marine rushing a brave defensive line of tactical aliens, but I don't see any solution other than swarms of bot aliens or some huge incentive to play xeno (or maybe make it mandatory somehow?)

[Maxim Inc]

The will to realize that there lives mean nothing.

[sw4gbag]

I've been in multiple realism units in arma 2 and 3, and tactics are a vital part for winning against other teams and even some AI, what command lacks is tactics, a handful have a basic understanding of tactics, but others are obvlious to tactics and let marines get cut off and surrounded in the easiest circumstances, which queens exploit a lot on LV-624 in hydro and solaris

SL's lack fearlessness as many other marines and I do
If marines could be border-line suicidal, there would be much more marine majors

[Daturix]

teamwork and intelligence.