Commander Role - Roleplayer, Strategist or XO with a gun?

[Vampmare]

Looking at the applications for CO and how the different COs play. It seems there's a lot of different views on what the CO should be and what impact he should have on the round.

Is the Commander someone who should focus on roleplay? or on new strategies/known for wild strategies? or is he just a proven XO with a fancy gun?

I'm a little biased, but I lean towards the CO being almost purely a roleplay role. Going full strategist role as CO, just makes your XO obsolete and then you might as well go XO.

[solidfury7]

It all depends on how you feel.

I generally get my XO to focus on the ground operation while I focus on shipside situations, only stepping in if the XO is making questionable calls or I disagree with his orders.

Well, unless I'm in StratMasta9000 mode.

[ThesoldierLLJK]

I like to come up with the overall strategy and let the XO run the show if they know what they're doing so I can handle the Roleplay aspect
Otherwise you're just a overglorified baby sitter/smartgunner who yells at everyone using the annoucement console.

[Asmodius]

big baby with a big stick, most of them. i like tex though, tex fights with me in briefing for morale.

[Renomaki]

I honestly prefer to play the commander as a, well, commander: heading the CiC, keeping an eye on the map and keeping in touch with my squads as closely as I can, Fus-Ro-dahing orders and updates every chance I get. If I have an XO, I normally just have them tend to the needs of the ship and deal with any shit that comes up while I focus on leading (since nothing is more annoying than being dragged away from the CiC during an intense moment to deal with a whiny marine in the brig).

Of course, such a playstyle is not very fun in the long run. In fact, it can it quite DULL... Here you are, sitting your butt in the CiC leading the entire operation while everyone else is down planetside fighting and experiencing the glory of battle against a powerful foe. While not everyone minds working shipside, most players HATE missing out on the action and being forced to do a mundane (and often thankless) job for up to 2-3 hours.

So, like many others, a lot of commanders try to get planetside as soon as they can, smartgun in hand (because why not, smartguns are powerful support weapons and it would be a waste NOT to bring it) to join in on the fun, often leaving their XO with their dirty laundry. Seriously, it is so common to see that it kinda baffles me, considering the idea of a commander is to lead an operation as a COMMANDER, not just be a glorified 5th smartgunner. And I do mean that last bit, because a lot of the times you see commanders just charging in headfirst guns blazing and screaming at the top of their lungs instead of, you know, staying back and using leadership tools (such as binoculars) to, well, lead their troops and keep them all organized and all that.

Many of these COs claim that being planetside and fighting alongside their marines is to "boost their morale" but in reality, lets face it... They only do this because they wanna have fun, and I can't blame them for that. There is a reason I don't go CO too often, after all...

[BillyBoBBizWorth]

It all depends on how you feel.

Sure does, and ive seen people here claiming "your character is not you!", well in this way it is among others, if your in a arsehole kind of mood, your character will be a arsehole, almost guaranteed everytime.

Also with the subjective rule set or "Youve been rule 0'd", the commander can be whatever the fuck you want it to be, just as long as your actions amuse the admins, you will be seemingly fine, but as soon as you bore them, rule 0 doesn't apply to you anymore.

Yes, the commander is just a application jerkoff version of the XO, with few specialized guns and IC power to murder anyone as rewards for entertaining them.

Alot of rounds the commander is ultimately useless, the round would end with almost the exact same results whether a CO wakes up from cyro or not, except when they incite a mutiny from poor form.

Another observation ive made is that the commanders that stay topside, weirdly are more prone to "winning" a round than one that deploys, even though you would think them deploying would be more "inspirational", it doesnt usually result in a win.They usually get killed "unga" charging...useless.

Even though i dont class myself as a RP'er, i think a balance between a commander being involved and curious about the missions status and topside matters(topside matters being where most of this "RP" is done you could argue).That seems to be the kind of commander i like.

If i had to make a choice between a left wing RP'er and a right wing war strategist, id prefer the right wing war strategist every single time.This simple choice has a greater chance of ensuring your survival.

[DriedMilk]

just shoot anyone that disagrees

[Frans_Feiffer]

just shoot anyone that disagrees

[ThesoldierLLJK]

just shoot anyone that disagrees

Your BE to Win ratio shows this philosophy

[Build_R_]

I prefer commanders that act as roleplayers and let XOs take the lead (if they can). That is, as long as they're contributing to the round instead of just 'unga dunga you're doing it wrong time for BE' sort of RP and generally detracting from things.

PS: Groundside command staff never helps, change my mind.

[ThesoldierLLJK]

PS: Groundside command staff never helps, change my mind.

The ones who don’t use orders, I believe if the CO uses hold! It will lower or block a queen screech

[Bancrose]

Commander is whatever you want to make it. Roleplay as a retard? Go ahead.

Roleplay as a 1500's Monarchist man? Go for it.

Just don't ban shotguns, or try and limit the gameplay options for marines and everything else is pretty much free game man. But do know you'll be watched more than the other plays so maintaining any form of roleplay is good.

Also don't be afraid to leave your XO to do the job and go Roleplay, but don't take that as an excuse to go off and do fuck all. The XO's are looking for experience, give them the opportunity to take the lead. Those are the players who seek the CO Whitelist, so you might as well let em have a shot at it.

[Build_R_]

The ones who don’t use orders, I believe if the CO uses hold! It will lower or block a queen screech

I have yet to see that in action so I'll take your word for it. They'd still probably be more useful on the ship I think.

[DefinitelyAlone0309]

Hold Order doesn't effect stun duration or radius. It just reduces the damage and the pain you'll receive during the screech duration, so maybe you'll get to stand up and fight a little less fucked.

[Frans_Feiffer]

Your BE to Win ratio shows this philosophy

Everytime I see you and Bennel on the same post, it’s almost
Always you roasting Bennel good. But you do have a valid point there my guy.

[Dirt]

Groundside command staff never helps, change my mind.

In my experience heading groundside can help in certain circumstances.

On a prison station round the fighting got thick and the marines were clumped up, lost many SLs and SPECs, and the XO - who was leading the operation - couldn't get them to move, so I headed down, grabbed a megaphone, ran up to the blob and started barking orders for people to grab bodies and move to the Canteen, ended up falling back all the way to the FOB, called in CAS and OB after recovering the tank and repairing it, and then pushed back out and won the round.

I relied on the tomes of marine leading 101 and just started shouting and yelling at everyone to follow the man wearing the cool uniform back to the base, and they followed in a flock.

However, I don't feel that going planetside is helpful in MOST circumstances, but there are those which it can help.

[DriedMilk]

The ones who don’t use orders, I believe if the CO uses hold! It will lower or block a queen screech

I go groundside as CO due to an RP reason or when a clutch to the battle is actually needed.

They DO help, via orders and knowledge in both engineering and medical.

The only problem with it is the constant meta targeting that you have to deal with, but you should be fine if you're on the backline of the push and you run the fuck away from Queen's screech.

Your BE to Win ratio shows this philosophy

good

[Vampmare]

Hold Order doesn't effect stun duration or radius. It just reduces the damage and the pain you'll receive during the screech duration, so maybe you'll get to stand up and fight a little less fucked.

Hold Order actually reduces stun time/knockback time, but any order deployed while you are knocked down won't work until you get up. If you're just out of screech range, run in and use Hold to get everyone up.

That said, going planetside as a Commander doesn't really do much for the round when you're going the 5th smartgunner and get metatargeted for days. I myself tend to go only on short deployment trips where I stay in back and boost morale with a megaphone/issue orders.

It seems so far that generally the people who are whitelisted or play command sway towards the roleplaying. Those who do not play command sway towards any CO that gets them a win.

[Sir Lordington]

I've addressed this in the town halls already but my view is essentially this.

What it should be: Roleplay role, opening up more options for marines.

What it is 9 times out of 10: XO with a big gun and a license to kill.

[Drownie]

My experience wih Commanders:
They sit in a chair, make the XO do everything and then leave in the end to BE some people.

[Dirt]

My experience wih Commanders:
They sit in a chair, make the XO do everything and then leave in the end to BE some people.

I always thought that letting the XO lead the operation was more of a courtesy to the XO, as if the CO takes the XO's role he either turns into a really niche middleman of SO managers or an SO himself if the CIC is full, which kinda' sucks.

[Arbs]

No Im not entitled to let the XO lead the operation. Fuck that.

Even when you join in as a CO the description states that leading the operation and marines is your main concern. It also states that the CO is a high roleplay role. Meaning that you have to deliver interesting interactions to others while at it but that’s about it. Your primary focus has to be winning your mission.

Personally, whenever I join as a CO it is my one and only goal to make sure the operation is sucessful and led properly. I will keep trying to fix things until I’m either dead or we’ve literaly ran out of options. Accepting failure is the last thing I’d do.

If the XO is good they will read your mind. They will know what to do and how to get in tune with you. And thats when I will pass down more responsibility to you. Otherwise if you’re just going to set me back, you’re obviously no good to neither me or the mission.

You will see me constantly making laps around all overwatch consoles with all squad channels open to get a good grip on whats going on with each squad. I have to see everything before I send in another announcement. And it is the very same thing I expect from my XO and notheing less. I have the same consideration for the XO as I do for myself. You have to be good.

If You want me to rely on you, you need to prove that you’re capable or competent enough for me to trust you to handle tasks and responsibility. Thats where the “roleplay” part comes in.

And “roleplay” obviously means fitting your role. And this is what your role is about; Getting things done. High Roleplay expectation doesnt mean dedicating to a random chit chat with someone somewhere. It simply means displaying your very best in everything you do to set an example for other aspiring XO/COs to follow.

tl;dr The CO has to be competent.

[Brotemis]

The dude who forces you into their bathroom to shave and get your hair cut, then puts your hat into the trash because you wore it backwards.

[Arbs]

The dude who forces you into their bathroom to shave and get your hair cut, then puts your hat into the trash because you wore it backwards.

Haha thats was freaking great. Gianni 10/10 best XO to have.

[GoliathTheDespoiler]

My preference for playing CO is to interact with the crew and offer interesting and unique RP scenarios.

Of course the rounds are repetitive as fuck so the most you can really do is just chat with the MPs for being dumb.

Commander is boring unless there is an event, basically.