Combat Engineer Detail

[AnUnnamedPlayer]

Summary (a quick, 2-3 sentence summary): Instead of having the combat engineers being attached to each of the squads, make them their own element, so that they can be dispatched as needed. Currently, it seems that unless you are really needed, the engineers are just going to be told to go set up a FOB since that's where they are most useful.

Benefits (How this will benefit the server and game as a whole): It would be much easier for the engineers to manage their materials and gear at round start, easier for engineers to work together and comply to orders(instead of different engineers doing different jobs when they should be helping each other)

Details (Description of how you think this would work, the benefits, etc): Engineers having their own encryption key is just the start of this, being all on the same channel but forced to take orders from different squad leaders makes any kind of cohesion difficult. Being all together makes it much easier to either build a FOB, or get geared, and from their an (Engineer Leader?) could then dispatch them to the different squads as needed, if for instance we wanted to have a forward base beyond the usual FOB.

Implementation (Optional, if you have an idea how to implement it): This would be pretty difficult to implement considering to make it as efficient as possible would require the engineers to have their own prep room, which leads to another seating area in briefing. Other than that the rest would be able to implemented naturally in IC.


Edit: I can vouch that the actual USMC has an MOS(job) specific for combat engineers and that they are regularly attached to infantry units instead of being fully integrated.

[LordeKilly]

+1. It's cool to have a squad and all, but combat engies work better together honestly and majority sit in the FOB, and a few that want to go out can get attached to a squad.. This same thing could also work for medics, as marines use navy medics.

[forwardslashN]

+1
This is a really solid idea. Unlike medics, engies are function mostly in the FOB or during hive assaults (some times). It would be cool to have an engie corps, and all of that makes a lot of sense.

[SpanishBirdman]

+1

Frontline engineers can be valuable in an assault, and I don't think that they should be removed from squads altogether. However, one way I see this working is if there is an option on the bridge to "Form Engineering Corps". This would be a toggle that switches the colour of all engineer armour from their squad colour to green. Engineer headsets would also have :e built in from the locker, so that they can work as an effective squad when needed. Once the corps has been formed, command can get them to do things independently without squad leaders getting pissy.

[Reimer]

+1

The engineers usually gravitate towards one another and in the best of cases often collaborate and pool their resources to good effect, despite what the orders of their respective squads may be. I think it would streamline Marine operations greatly to have a separate Combat Engineer element that can be tasked to do things that the Marines normally don't want to do, like defend the FOB, which now frees up 3 full Marine squads to patrol or attack, instead of tying the rest of the squad down to the objective of the one or two Engineers within.

[Edgelord]

I play combat engineer 90% of the time, and I think this is a fantastic idea. Also this sounds like a great way to bro out with other engineers.

+1

[LordLoko]

+1

Engineers usualy don't tag along with their squad, staying at the FOB. When they do, they are like a standart with less ammo, they don't usually work in opening doors or whatever.

Engi as part of a squad is from Nostromo times when we had locked doors everywhere, it was hard to move inside without having a engineer to hack in the doors.

[Zilenan91]

Implementing this could be rather awkward, who would be their superiors? BOs? The CE? Their own separate Engineering Leader? Would they just use Engineering comms or would they not be able to respond to squad comms? This whole thing seems really awkward to set up, and I don't think would have a whole lot of benefit for what we'd get out of it.

I guess Engineers attached to squads could have more relevance if the colony was dense with more buildings. They would actually move with their squads breaking open wall-safes for evidence to what happened, opening doors, deconning walls, and checking for xeno hives in auxillary generator/housing units instead of sitting around in the FoB.

[Sikillgard]

+1 for reasons above.

As a bonus, you could make it a ad-hoc group form-able by command.

[Jeser]

Well, that's actually, a really good idea if you think about it. I like it.

[qDan]

My wet dreams becoming real! Totally for because its really really sad when everybody threaten lightly armed engis like another hurr-durr rush marine thus sending people with bags full of metal,cells and just 3-4 clips and 1 or even no sidearms into caves leaving fobs unsecured and turrets barely installed. Also engiteam will be able to seize Vindicator and secure comms and genroom everytime now while assault teams will move on Rasputin and pew-pew everything on sight as usual.+1

[Jeser]

So, I was thinking about this idea and here are my thoughts.

Well, back on Nostrome every squad needed his own engineer, because simple sweeping of a station required opening multiple airlocks and repairing stuff here and there.

On open planet map we don't have this problem, situation, actually is controversial — almost all engineers stays at two locations: Nexus and Engineering+Telecomms domes and don't sweep colony with their squads. Therefore, engineering squad is really more efficient and logical thing.

But, think about changing setting. On Daedalus, it is vital to have engineer for quick sealing/unsealing airlock, or making defense as marines slowly gaining ground. And, as some people said, more maps are coming, and situation on them can be alike Daedalus.

In conclusion: it's really arguable idea, it's okay on colony map, though it will be really bad on others.

[Edgelord]

So, I was thinking about this idea and here are my thoughts.

Well, back on Nostrome every squad needed his own engineer, because simple sweeping of a station required opening multiple airlocks and repairing stuff here and there.

On open planet map we don't have this problem, situation, actually is controversial — almost all engineers stays at two locations: Nexus and Engineering+Telecomms domes and don't sweep colony with their squads. Therefore, engineering squad is really more efficient and logical thing.

But, think about changing setting. On Daedalus, it is vital to have engineer for quick sealing/unsealing airlock, or making defense as marines slowly gaining ground. And, as some people said, more maps are coming, and situation on them can be alike Daedalus.

In conclusion: it's really arguable idea, it's okay on colony map, though it will be really bad on others.

But isn't the implication that they can be attached to other squads? How about this, they are renamed from Squad Engineers and are designated Combat Technician and come equipped with a Technician's headset. This headset, much like the command headset, would have access to engineering plus all of the squad channels. That way when they are attached to a squad they can switch their headsets to the appropriate channel. In addition, I think these guys should report directly to the Chief Engineer, giving him a new set of responsibilities (let's face it, CE is generally one of those SSD jobs).

[Jeser]

► Show Spoiler

But isn't the implication that they can be attached to other squads? How about this, they are renamed from Squad Engineers and are designated Combat Technician and come equipped with a Technician's headset. This headset, much like the command headset, would have access to engineering plus all of the squad channels. That way when they are attached to a squad they can switch their headsets to the appropriate channel. In addition, I think these guys should report directly to the Chief Engineer, giving him a new set of responsibilities (let's face it, CE is generally one of those SSD jobs).

Yeah, giving them headsets was my idea of how to balance this out. I prefer "Field engineer" or "Field technician".

[Edgelord]

I say combat technician because Hudson's role in the film Aliens is canonically referred to as such. He was the de facto combat engineer of the squad.

[Snypehunter007]

BUMP

For a good idea.

[RoswellRay]

Why is this not a thing!!?

[NoahKirchner]

plus uno

[YungCuz]

+1 add pls.

[Eenkogneeto]

I see no real drawback to this, It enables me to play how I do without SLs getting pissy Im not off in bumfuck nowhere wasting resources on a position that'll be overrun in minutes.

► Show Spoiler

Fill your backpack with table parts ,run forward and place em all and flip it. Top tier assault strats.

[Helgraf]

+1 I think this would actually be useful.

[Bigchilly]

+1 The way squads are currently isn't really all that efficient, this is one way to start making them more efficient without huge changes.

[Polkjm]

+1 This just sounds logical.

[SecretStamos (Joshuu)]

Actually a pretty solid idea. +1 from me

[Dingle]

Hot damn this sounds like it'd be great fun.

The FOBs are always a lot better with combined engie efforts and way more fun to attack/defend with for both sides IMO.

+1