Why here of all places?

[Azmodan412]

A metric ton of rounds, nay all rounds I've seen on LV-624, marines always made an FOB in Nexus. The Nexus /always/ gets overrun and marines lose horribly. Its just... impractical from a strategic standpoint. I may need to outline the pros and cons of the Nexus as an FOB location.

Pros:

• Right next to LZ 1
  Has all the space you can ask for
  Has booze.

Cons:

• Allows Xenos to capitalize on a complete and utter marine defeat by invading the Sully soon after.
  All the space you can ask for goes unused, giving xenos hiding spots to plant weeds and inexorably push forward and drive the marines out.
  Marines get plastered whenever there's booze around reducing the effective fighting force.
  There is at least five or six additional entry points along with the four cardinal points.
  Just... too much shit in the way of turrets, adding on to hiding spots.

I am open to suggestions where a marine could set up a FoB, such as the IA domes, or robotics, something close to the POD which means the Queen has to trek a longer distance to call the shuttle down and up, buying docs valuable time.

[Karmac]

Whatever you do don't use Robotics or LZ2, they're a bigger time sink to get operational than Nexus, and IA should be more of a 'last stand' area than an FOB, plus it's basically a smaller Nexus.

Engineering/T-Comms is still viable, just impossible to get supply lines going to it, Hydro is the dumps, and that one area that reminds me of super old Ice Colony T-Comms in the north-east jungle just below the hives is probably metarushing. Medical is probably not so good.

And just so you know, the challenges that Nexus brings to the table are half the fun. Working out what you need to have done before the xenos show up and actually fitting it into a schedule is half the battle.

[Karmac]

Sidenote: The fact that Nexus is the last line of defence before xenos hit the sully is why it is usually such a critical location in the minds of whoevers choosing the FOB's location.

Extra Sidenote: You may have forgotten that xenos don't NEED to attack our FOB, they can just choose to go up to the Sulaco and assault the marines up there if it's an easier/more strategically sound option.

[TheMaskedMan2]

Sidenote: The fact that Nexus is the last line of defence before xenos hit the sully is why it is usually such a critical location in the minds of whoevers choosing the FOB's location.

Extra Sidenote: You may have forgotten that xenos don't NEED to attack our FOB, they can just choose to go up to the Sulaco and assault the marines up there if it's an easier/more strategically sound option.

When I go Queen and marines leave the pod behind (Which they usually do) I like to just take it up. Skip the FOB entirely.

Though on topic with your analysis.

Ehh, I mean can you think of a better spot? I sure can't, the Rasp is too valuable to leave undefended. Also LZ2 just doesn't really have any good spots nearby.

[Karmac]

I mean FOB wise yes there are better spots, strategically thinking about gameplay mechanics and win/lose circumstances though? Leave the pod up, setup in Nexus and hope the marines on offense don't lose out to the Xenomorph threat.

[Azmodan412]

I'd always swear to the effectiveness of TComms FoBs purely because they are a pain in the ass to breach.

[TheMaskedMan2]

I'd always swear to the effectiveness of TComms FoBs purely because they are a pain in the ass to breach.

What is the point of it though if its a trek from BOTH lz's and it leaves the Rasp wide open to hijacking? The Xenos just won't bother.

[Swagile]

Tcomms FOB would only work if Xenos could not take the Rasp up and down if 75% of the marines are still on the planet.

But currently, if Pod or Rasp is down / undefended, your looking at a Sulaco invasion.

[Azmodan412]

As it stands though, xenos tend to want to wipe out all marine resistance on the planet before moving on.

[TheMaskedMan2]

As it stands though, xenos tend to want to wipe out all marine resistance on the planet before moving on.

They do that because marines are almost always at Nexus which is right next to the LZ.

[Karmac]

Simply the best feeling.

[Katsukai]

I did some experiments on FOB defenses in Nexus and LZ-1, the most successful defenses I had was to fill vacant rooms and surround LV-1 with electric grilles. Only way xenos to counter this is to spit acid or melt them, I tested as Elite Ravager you cannot melee destroy electric grilles either, so they work as R-walls, except being very weak to spits and FF. An easy setup with 2 engineers, 1 to focus wiring LZ-1 and setting up the grilles other engineer doing the classic square barricade on nexus and put 1-2 sentries on the main hallways usually north and south.

Corridors that don't have sentries defending, you can fill it with E-grilles also chapel, cargo office, kitchen and the security post needs to be filled with electric grilles to stop flanks. Also added bonus on grilles if they break and has remains of it, you can just fix it with just 1 metal rod so you do not need extra resources to maintain defenses like regular walls that break and result on loss of metal.

I already saw few rounds where people adopted by idea of surrounding LZ1 with electric grilles.

[Joe4444]

...if only the pod landed right next to Tcomms...oh wait, it did at one point then they changed it for god knows what.

[driecg36]

I did some experiments on FOB defenses in Nexus and LZ-1, the most successful defenses I had was to fill vacant rooms and surround LV-1 with electric grilles. Only way xenos to counter this is to spit acid or melt them, I tested as Elite Ravager you cannot melee destroy electric grilles either, so they work as R-walls, except being very weak to spits and FF. An easy setup with 2 engineers, 1 to focus wiring LZ-1 and setting up the grilles other engineer doing the classic square barricade on nexus and put 1-2 sentries on the main hallways usually north and south.

Corridors that don't have sentries defending, you can fill it with E-grilles also chapel, cargo office, kitchen and the security post needs to be filled with electric grilles to stop flanks. Also added bonus on grilles if they break and has remains of it, you can just fix it with just 1 metal rod so you do not need extra resources to maintain defenses like regular walls that break and result on loss of metal.

I already saw few rounds where people adopted by idea of surrounding LZ1 with electric grilles.

I've seen engies do this, and it seems pretty effective. Grilles are cheap as hell, fast to build, and it's gonna stop any pesky flankers like runners and hunters trying to kill the wounded on the rasp. On the other hand, its pretty easy for a marine to shock themselves on it. Also, wiring can be kind of a pain sometimes.

[LordLoko]

That's something I NEVER liked about LZ-624. Something I tought first when the map was included.

Why? Well, in the Nostromo times, you had a lot of variety in where the FOB would be placed. So it could be in arrivals, or maybe in engineering, or maybe in the bridge, or even in the brig, I've seen once in the bar...

Meanwhile LZ-624 has a meta that limits the FOB to the Nexus, sometimes to the Tcomm/engineering (until the change of the LZ2), now a FOB located right near the LZ is the norm: officially supported by the devs and always a concern when developing new maps.

[Swagile]

That's something I NEVER liked about LZ-624. Something I tought first when the map was included.

Why? Well, in the Nostromo times, you had a lot of variety in where the FOB would be placed. So it could be in arrivals, or maybe in engineering, or maybe in the bridge, or even in the brig, I've seen once in the bar...

Meanwhile LZ-624 has a meta that limits the FOB to the Nexus, sometimes to the Tcomm/engineering (until the change of the LZ2), now a FOB located right near the LZ is the norm: officially supported by the devs and always a concern when developing new maps.

This meta is also prevalent in Ice Colony; all the Plastisteel is at LZ1 and it has lots of indestructible ice walls around it hence not basing there would be crazy. Plus its LZ1; if aliens get LZ1 your finished as Sulaco gets invaded.

So now its the same boring ass meta of building up LZ1. Even if you build a REALLY GOOD FOB anywhere else, no one will use it because if you lose LZ1 you lose the game, hence people will abandon your FOB the moment they see "LZ1 UNDER ATTACK!" in radio.

[Roadkill195]

This is my new go to FOB the red is the fire lanes pretty obvious I have all flanking entrances to the north and north west secured seems to be working well the past few weeks and requires much less material than the cancerous LZ1 wall Additionally the east windows of rasp have walls over them and east doors welded creating an airtight area from west of rasp to nexus entrance.

[Katsukai]

This is my new go to FOB the red is the fire lanes pretty obvious I have all flanking entrances to the north and north west secured seems to be working well the past few weeks and requires much less material than the cancerous LZ1 wall Additionally the east windows of rasp have walls over them and east doors welded creating an airtight area from west of rasp to nexus entrance.

Problem is, they will flank using cargo dome and those girders protecting Rasp can be destroyed by ravagers or elite hunters. Also those walls and girders will be destroyed from sentry fire due xenos using them as cover to waste sentry ammo.

[Roadkill195]

The Xenos tend to stick to the corners of the girders hence the firing lanes but you do get the odd fucker who trys to cheese the turret that you have to deal with, And yeah Ravs and the like end up breaking the rasp girders late game but the whole idea of this FOB is to be able to effectively secure the LZ and prevent hunters tearing up the back field, I've try'd many iterations of LZ1 FOB's and so far I am experiencing the most success with this one as on top of sealing the rasp area on landing the turret can generally cover the whole area with minimal need for babysitting. Not to mention most if this can be accomplished by a lone engineer with a marine for cover with only the materials they drop with. Of course open to suggestions though to improve it

[Katsukai]

The Xenos tend to stick to the corners of the girders hence the firing lanes but you do get the odd fucker who trys to cheese the turret that you have to deal with, And yeah Ravs and the like end up breaking the rasp girders late game but the whole idea of this FOB is to be able to effectively secure the LZ and prevent hunters tearing up the back field, I've try'd many iterations of LZ1 FOB's and so far I am experiencing the most success with this one as on top of sealing the rasp area on landing the turret can generally cover the whole area with minimal need for babysitting. Not to mention most if this can be accomplished by a lone engineer with a marine for cover with only the materials they drop with. Of course open to suggestions though to improve it

It really depends, 45 minutes of Fog is enough time for xenos to have mature ravagers and elite hunters, those defenses would last mostly during the time fog is there but once fog is gone those defenses at best could deal with runners and hunters only.

Positive thing about your defenses, they do not take much time to built if you cut reinforced tables, since they take some time to weld into place and you really don't need anyone covering you if you setup the sentry first. So you will have more time to help other engineers with their defenses once you are done with yours.

[Swagile]

Any defence that requires only the materials you drop with can be circumvented by a smart xenomorph easy peasy.

Never trust in any defence made with on-drop materials.

Why? Because the moment that Rasp lifts off, your barricades can be destroyed by one runner who knows what he's doing.

[McRipfist]

I didn't bother to read anything in this thread so it might have already been said, but the game is designed so that you will most likely use the Nexus as your main FOB. It's got some distance from the LZ, it's defend-able, but not a bunker, and it's got a lot of room for the Engineer with a cunning mind.

Ideally you shouldn't be in a situation wherein you're hiding in it anyways and if that does happen it's suppose to be a Rorke's drift-esque defense or the Alamo: Space Edition. The FOB is where you keep your supplies, a triage, CasEvac and stage assaults. It's not suppose to be Fort Knox.

[Karmac]

It's not suppose to be Fort Knox.

this guy

[NoahKirchner]

You've got to realize that the rasp being right next to the Nexus is the most important part of a Nexus FOB. It's the smallest possible supply route, meaning that you don't need to spread thin to ensure that marines/doctors/supplies can get from LZ1 to your FOB, because the LZ /IS/ your FOB. It's effectively immune to being cut off unless you really fuck up and lose LZ1.

[McRipfist]

this guy

I mean for your average Engineer it's almoat impossible. But there are some exceptions.