How To: Be a good CO

[MASMC]

Hello, all you CO players that have been called 'crap' or a 'bad CO' or even heard 'this CO sucks' while playing. I'm here to tell you what to do and what NOT to do as a CO, based on my experience.

I am Mike Smith, and have been CO many times. I have tried many different things, and once even forgot about RP all together! That was fun, by the way...

Here is the guide!
DO:

• Never forget to RP
• Always ask to scout out first, and ask a team to set up a FOB at a certain location. Common locations listed below the DON'Ts.
• WAIT for at least 5 minutes before asking if everyone is at briefing. It takes some time for everyone to get weapons and attachments.
• Have a fallback plan in case the aliens invade. Some good plans are below the FOB locations.
• Use only technical terms, such as actual location names, or the planet's actual name.
• Enable ALL squad speakers. You don't want to miss out on that JUICY gossip (by that I mean GORY DEATHS)!

DON'T:

• Say 'Go kill everything on the planet, guys.'
• Keep saying over the intercom after you get to briefing room 'guys, hurry, guys. Hey guys. Guys. Hey. Hey. Listen. Hey. Hey. Hey. Listen.'
  Off Topic

  (Zelda reference, anyone?!)
• Tell your bridge officers and/or the XO exactly what to do. (Unless you want them to hate you...)

FOB Locations:

• Secure Storage
• Center of the Nexus
• Medbay

Fallback Plans:

• When the inevitable 'alien on Sulaco' message comes, have your BOs go get some weapons, and call the MP to the Bridge. Send a few MP down to the alien breach, if you want to. Though the RO probably has already killed it, so... I mean... eh.
• Lock yourself in your bathroom with reinforced walls blocking the entrances, and multiple extra layers of reinforced walls. MAKE SURE TO GRAB YOUR DIAMONDS!
• Send the BOs after the aliens.
• Kill yourself very slowly and painfully.

Try not to use that last plan... or the second one... the first will probably get you banned.

[Sargeantmuffinman]

The only defend able place is the Nexus and the other two are just outposts in my opinion.

[Dyne]

Too game-based, more general issues wont hurt.
Like fukken delegate and patch organizational holes, etc.

Also telling subordinates exactly what to do is often necessary, so dont be so critical of it, dear.
Hate has nothing to do with efficiency, its not a popularity contest.

All that criticism apart, thank you for taking time to write it.

[Seehund]

Tell your bridge officers and/or the XO exactly what to do. (Unless you want them to hate you...)

That's why you're the commander, son. They may hate you for it, they may talk behind your back for it, but it's your job, and it has to be done. You are there to coordinate them, to tell them what to do. Giving them freedom is important, but they also have to have some long and short-term goals.

Back on the Sulaco, they called you Commander. But when it's all said and done, you'll be a hero.