Some fun with RO in early round : HPR, APR, UML and Full Attach

[Kesserline]

As a RO, you don't have a good pretext to prepare a crate filled with 200 points of building materials, ammo, medical supplies or such. Because you do not know that the operation will be huge mess and probably FUBAR.

What you can do though, is equip some of the marines, or most of your marines with more good shits, because you're a generous lad.

Please, note after many tests and uses directly over many rounds, HPR, APR and UML methods can only be set on med/high and high-pop early rounds.

HPR (Heavy Pulse Rifle) loadouts :
HPR + Its spare mag = 60 points = 54 Points Net Value (PNV)
Regular Big Ammo box (if needed = 16 points = 14pnv
RDS/BC/FG = Arounds 20 pnv (for the most efficient buying process)

HPR loadout per user is : 88 points.

Note that HPR is awesome for defense purpose. It really shines for autonomous trooper that needs to get a flank secured.
Huge autonomy if coupled with a big ammo box, large autonomy without big ammo box and can be coupled with a secondary weapon easily (Revolver/M39/M37 shotgun).


APR (Awesome Pulse Rifle) loadouts :
Pulse Rifle = Free.
Big AP ammo box = 24 pnv.
3 AP mags = 12 pnv
RDS/BC/FG = Around 20 pnv
QF/EB = around 16 to 18 pnv

APR with AP costs between 52 to 56 points net value. (Not including big pouch or webbing, which sometimes you have to add, basically, count around 10 pnv for both, raising the APR cost around 65 pnv).

APR is good for offense purpose, it assumes a logistic aspect to deal for the user, at every second. Huge downside is the room taken either on the belt or on the exosuit slot. It implies that the user must have a large mag pouch, or a webbing to carry its mag. Or, the user must not use a secondary weapon for it.

The APR user can reload mags on the field for its teammate, making himself either a good supportive role for its squad/fireteam, either a very strong marine, which will have to struggle juggling between his weapons on the battlefield (reducing his QoL and responsiveness on certain situations).

APR needs time to be set, especially as you, RO, have to juggle between attachments, ammo, big ammo boxes, and the weapon itself.


UML (Ultimate Marinator Loadout) :

B12 armor set : 24 pnv
Swat Mask : 11 pnv
Webbing : 11 pnv
BC/RDS/FG : 20 pnv
Big AP ammo box : 24 pnv
4 AP mags : 16 pnv
Additionnal Extended Mag or Incendiary Mag (cost unable to foresee)
Gyro stabilizer (for emergency buckshotty) : 4,8 pnv
Large mag pouch or General large pouch : around 4 pnv

Free stuff in the UML, but it requires time and manpower to gather them :
1 Stack of splint : Free
2 Tricordazine injectors : Free
First aid pouch : Free
Medhud : Free

UML cost is around 114,8 points.

The UML is not at all efficient because it requires a shitload of time to set, and you have to find the best of the best of the best of the candidates. But damn, it's so much fun to see marines becoming basically Spec Ops with the badass swat mask.
The UML is so costy, that you can be lucky if you manage to set 3 operators during an entire round, without slowing your logistics.

But damn, it's fun ! Tacticoolness over 9000 !

______________

Full Attach

Basically, using 200 points or more in buying more webbings, more QF, BFA, BC, AP mags and Big (AP) ammo boxes.

Great in quantity, but poor on quality as you do not select the users. You can waste many points on boots that are not worthy of the Cargonian's gifts.

Of course, you have to set the HPR, APR, UML, Free attach with the intent of not slowing the logistics smoothness.


_____________

You will say : what's the fucking point all that ? They'll die anyway !

The fact is, it's fun to see the pleasure of those lads having more good stuff and them enjoying themselves before getting stomped. Those lads weren't lucky because of Spec/SG/SL RNJesus denial. They are PFCs, and you are able to give them that little luck that missed them when they wake up.


_____________

Have a good day Cargonia, and when in doubt ? Stamp those papers. Stamp everything. Stamp your CTs.

[DeusMortis]

The Marinator sounds like some kind of Terminator Marine Master Chief load out.

[LocalizedDownpour]

When I play RO I am stingy when it comes to ordering more attachments then the round start. I'd rather keep building materials stocked, as a good fortress makes or breaks rounds, normal pulse ammo, and occasionally spec ammo...Though it's rare I get asked for rockets...which is a shame because they're cheap, it's mostly scout ammo and only at round start.

I get asked for Sentries alot which I always deny...I can never justify it in my head. Other then that I buy alot of grenades when I can, as a offensive stocked with grenades is better then any one kitted rifle.

I see these APR kits alot on the forums and I just shake my head as very rarely do these rifles stay in the marines hand you give it to. If I gave a rifle to a known robust player, and say...they get screeched then that's points wasted...or they get pounced and get shot 15 times by over zealous marines, or capture at worst it's points wasted. A box of grenades to me goes much MUCH further, or AP/Incin ammo.

[Kesserline]

As I said, I can make those projects, without hurting the logictics smoothness. FOB doesn't need more than 200 metal + 30 plasteel at the beginning. You can send more metal after on a second wave at +20 to +30 minutes after the first shipment.

Robust players can make more kills and such, and yeah, they'll probably die. But the probability that they'll waste their resources is lower.

But, still, as I said, the most important thing is to give a smile to those players. You can feel their over confidence when they leave Req's doors with their awesome shits, ready to pew pew in every direction.

PS : If a rifle doesn't stay in the hands of the marine I gave it to, at least, it stays in a marine's hands and not melted.

I can say you that those loadouts are not needed, a good player can make kills. But having a robust loadout, give them enough confidence to give the best of themselves, and they can do even better.

[LocalizedDownpour]

I also don't like playing favorites, it doesn't look good at all.

I know Kesserline is a good marine, he's robust and always gets 5 kills minimum. I know I can probably double that if I as the RO kit him right the fuck out with ammo and attachments for his rifle. But, he somehow got rolled as a PFC. Do I give him the APR? Or maybe the UML because I know he'll get work done with it. Or do I treat him the same as all the other PFCs in my line? What if booty mccrew cut comes in on his first ever CM round? Do I tell him no because I don't know his skill? From an RP standpoint treating two PFCs different rubs me wrong, and you wouldn't see it in a military unit.

I might be willing to give the APR to all the SLs...and that's 200ish points. I could never justify to myself making a UML because it's the same reason I don't buy sentries.

Of course our styles of RO are very different, and that's not a bad thing. My only real complaint on it is it favors a short of meta-knowledge about knowing a certain marine is very robust, as opposed to a middle line player and that just rubs me wrong.

[Omicega]

More and more ROs are picking up on this HPR thing and fucking it up wholesale. Medics not deploying until 13:00 because they're waiting for their HPR (medics even getting an HPR is dumb), blowing the whole budget on the things so specs run out of ammo and engies run out of metal/plasteel, and God knows what else.

Their availability has made shitty ROs even shittier, and good ones not much better because of the problems outlined above. Metal or plasteel crates are rarely wasted, but every HPR given out to a bad or unlucky marine is points pissed away.

[LocalizedDownpour]

More and more ROs are picking up on this HPR thing and fucking it up wholesale. Medics not deploying until 13:00 because they're waiting for their HPR (medics even getting an HPR is dumb), blowing the whole budget on the things so specs run out of ammo and engies run out of metal/plasteel, and God knows what else.

Their availability has made shitty ROs even shittier, and good ones not much better because of the problems outlined above. Metal or plasteel crates are rarely wasted, but every HPR given out to a bad or unlucky marine is points pissed away.

It's rare I buy an HPR. Rare occasions being for the RPG spec IF they ask for it as the higher drum size makes it easier to juggle the weapons on the front. Other then that at 60 points it's more or less a waste.

[Kesserline]

My rules is : Only PFC get HPR/APR/UML (very very rare exceptions).

As for me, I do not need anything. I role with a QF, EB and 2 AP mags. If QF EB are not available ? RDS, FG. If they are not necessary ? I'll just vanilla and loot directly groundside if I got an opportunity and do my job while waiting for one.

HPR are meh. Their ammo conservation is good with the 300 bullets mags, but they should make higher damage to give them a clear advantage over M41 puse rifles.

_____________________________

As RP stand of point, you can chose between 2 standard marines. For several reasons :

- The same reason that they have right to chose their shits to ask from Req (in the limitations of stocks and 2 attachments per PFC or whatever)
- The same reason that allows you to recognize another marine between rounds by pretending that you are making bond from other previous ops
- The same reason that you can order HPR. If you can order a specific weapon, you can issue it to a specific unit. According to your own criterias.

Based on those 3 reasons, you have that margin of freedom to do things. You, as RO, are not limited to only order crates and send them. You can influence things from the Holy Cargonia by giving the good shits, at the good time, at the good place, at the good people.

Just like a good PFC making a good use of his gear, a RO can make a good use of his resources.

And, as I said before, FOB do not need more than 200 metal + 30 plasteel at early round. If they need more ? It's because they are wasting by covering wrong access, making layers of defenses unusable and unmannable. Good engies make metal and plasteel worth their weight in gold.

[LocalizedDownpour]

-snip-

I just used you as an example as far as who gets what, I don't actually mean you but no other marines came to mine.

My argument against APRs is that too often I see this gear getting lost and to me it's a waste, but I'll cede the point that in the right hands, the perfect tool can be devestating to the enemy, and those rare times I see these weapons carry the day it's a damn good sight. I honestly feel both our methods of running cargo are viable...I focus more on spec ammo and explosives like mines...which I feel are underrated and under used...and you focus more on the weapon attachments.

I think we can both agree in the fact that 'good' Cargonia trumps a 'good' command team. As long as the points are flowing and not being wasted there are few wrong ways to run cargo.

[Kesserline]

True !

[JennerH]

As RO/CT I always slide in 5 or 6 spare loaded vanilla pulse rifles on the first supply drop incase a marine loses a weapon. They're easy access and there's like 1000 of them on the ship so why not

[N8-Toe]

As RO/CT I always slide in 5 or 6 spare loaded vanilla pulse rifles on the first supply drop incase a marine loses a weapon. They're easy access and there's like 1000 of them on the ship so why not

Honestly this is a great idea I don't see as much as I should. every so often I have to give people my gun as a medic as they loose them in the mix.

[Arbs]

I'll say that the UML thing -is- actually worth it.

The thing is it costs about 120 points. A marine worth a sentry.

Give that loadout to one of the robustos and just watch them robust the hive. Not only do you get more ammo and perhaps firepower due to increased damage and AP penetration, but you also have a smart operator behind these gears.

Everytime I've assigned it to good players, their kills range from 5-10 kills per round. And I've yet to see one of them die.

[antonkr]

I might try it out as it seems like I overspend points on 250-500 metal as RO regularly. But with that said I doubt the overall function of investing so many points into a single element that can fail. I would prefer to keep the specs and smarties in tip top shape for ammo, some good defenses for the fob (except the turrets ofc) and AP mags and ammo boxes for everyone. The only time Id buy the HPR is if the squad spec is ded and they want some extra firepower to compensate.

[Ttly]

Rather than webbing for UML, have them get a brown webbing on the ground so they can stick all the tricords and tramas they have.

[zoboomafoo]

Somebody have me almost exactly the marinator loadout once. Killed a few ancients with it, was promptly FF'd with grenades after being screeched. FML

[Kesserline]

New tactic for APRs :

Bed Battle-buddies
- Issue them in pairs. 2 M41 fully modded, 4 AP mags for each user. Only 1 user in the pair has a AP Big Ammo box.
- Make them work together and refill their ammo together.

Benefits :
- Lowers the overall cost of the APR project by 24*(X/2) (X being the number of APRs you prepared).
- Enhances teamplay and cohesion, making two buddies a reliable pillar among the PFCs

[JennerH]

New tactic for APRs :

Bed Battle-buddies
- Issue them in pairs. 2 M41 fully modded, 4 AP mags for each user. Only 1 user in the pair has a AP Big Ammo box.
- Make them work together and refill their ammo together.

Benefits :
- Lowers the overall cost of the APR project by 24*(X/2) (X being the number of APRs you prepared).
- Enhances teamplay and cohesion, making two buddies a reliable pillar among the PFCs

Battlebuddy gets dragged away.

Would you be more devastated over the loss of a friend or the loss of the only AP ammo box?

[Kesserline]

As the APR users are all decent to very good marines :
- It kills me more to know that a good marine died.
- AP boxes can be reordered.

The APR is the gud shit. The AP box is the superior firepower without logistic bullshit, it's just that.

[Stripetail]

So, I'm just going to say this because the RO in me is burning up inside reading this.

Don't waste your points on a snowflake gun like that. you're shitting away points that could be used in more valuable ways. You're also shitting away attachments on a gimmick. There's no reason that an HPR should be leaving the ship at round start ever, if it's specially requested by a SL then MAYBE depending on points they can get one, and a few attachments.

I'm seeing more and more shitty RO's stockpiling valuable attachments to load onto a gun that gets shipped down, dropped and covered in acid, fought over and even HYPER killing other marines. (See burst fire HPR into marine back as medic.)

Save you fucking points for more long term utility items like ammo or building supplies. If you've given out all of the requested BC's to LCPLS and Sgt/SSGT's only to find you have some to spare. GIVE THEM TO MARINES. Don't pigeonhole them for your own asinine creations in an attempt to be the cool guy or girl momentarily for that one mother fucker who picks up your "Unique" loadout. If there's one thing that burns my ass it's seeing RO's spend money on shit like this and avoiding items like Claymores which prevent T1's and T2's from freely harassing your troops without repercussion. For nearly the same quoted price of the HPR loadout you could get 3 full crates of claymores. That's 24 additional little bastards you can place to stun wandering hunters and protect fall back positions.

Here's some I never see any other RO's doing: When the B18 spec comes to you and asks for an explosive pouch, throw all your spare M15 frags in it. They can use these in their GL and it will surprise the fuck out of any alien on the receiving end of it.

Do NOT give a PO a .45 pistol, save it for the troops that will actually be on the fucking ground. Same thing goes for a Lt. Kick their ass out of requisitions if they're there to get snowflake shit.

After the first drop always send down machetes with each crate as they're going to grow more and more useful.

If the line at Req has stalled and less marines are there begin loading the most valuable attachments into bags and drop them with ammo requests.

The only times you should be wasting points on vanity projects like this are when the shuttle has been hijacked or you have so many god damned points you're drowning in them and nobody is making requests. Even in that case you should probably be dropping additional supplies via the Alamo so that when the bitching starts you can tell them to hoof it to LZ1.

I'm seeing more and more RO's sitting on the old standard of not giving out unique equipment or attachments to PFC's and it's got to change, with the new update we have far more of these items than we've ever had before, yet some people are more stingy than ever. You don't have to hoard shit until the dropship crashes into Req if you've supplied the forces with enough shit to beat the fucking aliens back from ever hitting your ship.

It's honestly gotten ridiculous, I'm sick of seeing the RO's offices filled with armor and kitted out guns when there hasn't even been a runner on the Almayer. Walking around with BC's BFA's and QF's in your large pouch is almost as bad, but at least it's being hidden at that point.


-rant over.

[Aestel]

You will say : what's the fucking point all that ? They'll die anyway !

I don't understand RO's with that mindset, every alien that the marine takes with them is one less that is riding the shuttle.

[Kesserline]

snip

Bruh. The main purpose of this is not to be the best and efficient way to win. It's a good and cost-effective way to have fun and to give fun.

And I can counter-argue most of your shits bro. Claymores are useless if you don't ensure the kill after the claymore explodes. FOBs do not need X thousands of metal because the 18 layers are unmannable and won't be used.

Most APRs are issued at 1218 every round, the rest is shipped for the most responsive squads or issued to late waking marines. They do not take dust, most of the time.

I prefer APRs to HPRs, as they are more easily replacable, costs less, and you can give fun to even more players.

I give marines everything, except BC. The spare BC after SG and Spec go to APR project, which goes to marines.

___________________________

About the momentarily "cool guy" feeling, I like being nice, I like being cool, it's a videogame, and it's who I am. I give things to people, if it's not my time, nor my efforts, it's those gudshits.

This post is to explain a way to have fun and give fun, it's not a "How to increase winrate for marines 101".

It has results, it's not useless, but yet, it's not the best way to win a round, but who cares ? Round will restart in about 180 minutes, and at least, you gave some smiling to one of this peasant PFCs !

[Stripetail]

snip

I'm not talking about most efficient way to win, I'm talking about giving the marines more out of their round. Claymores are a deterrent, and in spite of what you think they actually cause aliens a lot of hardship. It forces them to take new paths or pull a spitter to trigger their detonation, combined with a push they destroy flanking aliens because they have to either trip them or find new paths to their target. They also act as early warning devices and can even hard crit xenos if they panic into them after taking damage. They're massively effective against runners in particular.

What I'm trying to say, is give marines what they ask for, and don't set up a bunch of fancy guns for them. The reason we have the requisitions line is for marines to request the attachments they prefer or feel they need, the Pulse Rifle with attachments you've got set up doesn't bother me in the slightest, it's the HPR that bugs me. It's massively expensive and offers too little for its cost with the added annoyance of having to trust who you give it to to use it and not lose it.

I can both agree and disagree with what you're saying. It's nice to give others toys and let them try these fancy things out, I guess my own thinking is of giving the marines more defensive positions so they have safe retreat lines and paths in the hopes their rounds last longer and are more fulfilling. I've never made it quiet that I purposely suffer as an RO to make sure the marines have everything they need, even if it cuts away from some shiny things they may want.

The final bit of what I was stating is not to you in particular, but to other RO's. I've just seen too many pocketing attachments, throwing HPR's into the RO office lockere, and generally refusing special attachments such as BC's to PFC's after an hour into the round has passed when that restriction should be lifted. I apologize if it sounded like I was lambasting you for that, as in my eyes you're one of the decent RO's.

[Weaselburg]

Bruh. The main purpose of this is not to be the best and efficient way to win. It's a good and cost-effective way to have fun and to give fun.

And I can counter-argue most of your shits bro. Claymores are useless if you don't ensure the kill after the claymore explodes. FOBs do not need X thousands of metal because the 18 layers are unmannable and won't be used.

Most APRs are issued at 1218 every round, the rest is shipped for the most responsive squads or issued to late waking marines. They do not take dust, most of the time.

I prefer APRs to HPRs, as they are more easily replacable, costs less, and you can give fun to even more players.

I give marines everything, except BC. The spare BC after SG and Spec go to APR project, which goes to marines.

___________________________

About the momentarily "cool guy" feeling, I like being nice, I like being cool, it's a videogame, and it's who I am. I give things to people, if it's not my time, nor my efforts, it's those gudshits.

This post is to explain a way to have fun and give fun, it's not a "How to increase winrate for marines 101".

It has results, it's not useless, but yet, it's not the best way to win a round, but who cares ? Round will restart in about 180 minutes, and at least, you gave some smiling to one of this peasant PFCs !

Claymores will scare the hive, especialy if well hidden. The Ayy(If it survives) Will say there are mines there and they will avoid the area, and as the mines are hidden, they can't stomp them. But it is perferable to have them die to one instead of warning the hive for more kills, but hey, even the "bad" part of it has some good.