July 4, 2009: I would like to thank Jlspence for finding an archived version of this guide after some idiot decided to erase this guide and rewrite numerous comments below.
Alright, I notice that many are having difficult using the commander mode and really don't learn anything than pretty much using the Artillery. I hope this manual will help:
Commander's role is to execute assaults, defense, and other actions/recommendations that will make the team better than the other. Usually, a commander who does achieves this role will get more respect from their team and most likely win seeing how the match is won by only 20-50 ticket points by the winner.
How to become a commander:
Once you're in the game press "Enter" unless you're in the spawn screen and click on the "Squad" tab and you should see "Commander" with the option to apply for the commander, mutiny the current commander and be the commander, or resign from being a commander.
Apply for Commander
If you apply yourself, you have to wait a while until the game picks who should be the commander. If it has chosen you, a message should appear on your bottom left screen asking wheter to accept or decline the position of commander.
Press "Page Up" key to accept
Press "Page Down" key to decline.
Mutiny the bastard!
If you pick the option to mutiny the commander, the game will present a vote to the team with the option to:
Vote to kick the current commander
or
Vote to keep the current commander
So, far I have not yet seen a commander actually get kicked, thanks to the fact that this voting system has a very low profile in people's HUD's and the fact that NO ONE CARES ABOUT THEIR TEAM! If one does get booted, then damn, that commander must have done something extremely wrong.
Also, some servers have turned off the mutiny option so if you have a lousy commander with this server-side option on, you're out of luck.
Resignation
Resigning makes you quit being the commander. To resign, click on the very same button that was selected to apply for commander:
or select the option on the bottom right portion of the commander mode:
How the Game picks the commander
The game claims it has chosen the player with the highest rank out of the players who applied. If the two or more candidates have the same rank, I believe the game will choose the player who has the highest global score or has the highest score. I cannot confirm it right now.
Congrats, you're now the commander, now what?
Once you have accepted to become the commander, press the "CAPS LOCK" key to open up your commander controls. You cannot access to this if you are dead.
Commander Mode:
The eye of the commander: Map
This Map is a non-transparent full map showing your squad leaders, friendly teammates, and flags. What many don't realize is that you can actually zoom in and have a bird's eye view of the map real-time showing everything, including the enemies. I could say this is almost like a map hack. To zoom into the map to a certain area, left click that area and then use your scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in or out. Now, if you do not have a scroll wheel, check your control options to see which key is used to zoom. This is damn useful for anyone who has a mic assuming he doesn't babble and actually say useful things. You don't need a special option to do this, you always have this, the only thing is you have to search for enemies or key objects.
Zoomed:
Commander's 5 basic action
There are 5 basic and eye catching options for the commander. They are easy to use and pretty easy to understand. Just click that option and then click one of the map you want that action to be executed except for "Scan" which scans the whole map.
Scan:
Basically this is a one time radar that scans the whole map. The enemies will show up as a red big dot. This option is useful when you use Artillery or want to monitor enemy movements.
This option is disabled if your radar is destroyed:
Scan:
Artillery
Most likely the reason why many want to become a commander, this option makes the 1 or more howitzers launch multiple rounds at a concentrated area that is selected by the commander. The impacts are always random so it might not hit the target you want to such as directly on a flag or an armor. Artillery is very effective against infantry and light armors but never on heavy and medium armors such as the M1A2/T-90 or the LAV-25.
This option is disabled if someone destroys your artillery pieces. However, you can also repair them:
Artillery barrage in Commander's view (You feel like god and pity those who are in your screen of death):
Artillery barrage in-game (Screw duty and loyalty to my unit, i'm getting out of here):
UAV
This option launches an invisible unmanned recon aircraft that constantly scans an area equivilant to a grid size constantly for a long time. Enemies will blink as red targets such as a red dot (infantry) or a red tank (armor). This is very useful when you are monitoring an area to find hidden or camouflaged enemies such as in a flag zone. Another great thing about this UaV is that your teammates will also see the enemy that is detected by the UAV on their radar.
Since 1.20, whenever the commander uses the UAV ability, an actual UAV is deployed above the area of target. The UAV is destructible, bringing the UAV scan to a premature end, but due to constant orbit over the target and small size, it is difficult to destroy without heavy caliber weapons.
This option is disabled if your enemies destroy a recon hut:
UAV:
UAV scan detecting 2 hostile APCs (scan size looks smaller the larger the map is):
Supply Drop
This option magically makes a supply box appear out of the sky and falls down by parachute. Anyone can use this and it is destructable. You can actually kill infantry if the package lands right on them, but quite rare. This will most likely become useful once people learn how to request ammo! Another great feature: this package also repairs vehicles and commander assets. However, it will not repair "neutral" objects such as bridges.
There are no assets or objects that are responsible for supply crate drops; Commanders will always have this option for the entire round.
Supply crate:
Vehicle Drop
Available to the commander when Patch 1.30 was released, commanders are now able to drop transport vehicles, either DPV/FAV or Humvee/Vodnik/NJ2034 depending on the map:
Strike at Karkand: Heavy transport
Mashtuur: Heavy transport
Operation Cleansweep: Light transport
Wake Island 2007: Light transport
Songhua Stalemate: Light transport
Fushe Pass: Light transport
Dragon Valley: Light transport
Sharqi Peninsula: Heavy transport
Dalian Plant: Light transport
There is an interesting use for this ability exploited by commanders known as "cartillery". Like supply drops, the idea is to drop the vehicle onto an enemy or vehicle to kill the unlucky target. Unlike supply drops, vehicles are more effective as they do not veer off target of the drop and lands faster, at least visually. Due to the nature of freedom offered by Battlefield 2, there are several other uses of vehicle drops than from its true purpose.
Basic Option's Time Chart
Accept Commander: The time it takes for each ability to be available once a member become a commander.
Deployed: The time it takes for each ability to be available once it has been used.
Runs For: The time each ability lasts (i.e, UAV scans the area for 30 seconds until it goes away).
Before impact: Time it takes for the ability to "hit" the target (i.e, it takes 7 seconds for the supply to land on the ground).
This chart is made by Anders who is from a PoE Tournament known as Total-War (www.total-war.com).
Squad info & comments
One of my favorite part about being a commander, ordering a squad to do something...which no one does.
Squad Info
On box on the middle left side shows the Squad info such as how many squads you have, how many members each squad has, and what kits each member of the squads have:
Special Forces: Sword/Sabre
Assault: FAMAS weapon
Medic: Cross
Anti-Tank: Rocket
Enginneer: Wrench
Support: Machine Gun Mounted on Tripod
Sniper: Crosshair
If one of the member has a vehicle icon (Tank, transport, helicopters, etc.) it means that he is in a certain vehicle that relates to the icon.
The green bar indicates the each member's health.
The box to the most right can have 3 icons:
Green Check-Mark- The squad leader has accepted your order
Red X- The squad leader has refused to follow your order
Yellow question mark "?"- The squad leader is requesting order
Squad Comments
Right click the squad info to make comments such as:
Commend (Good Job!)
Rebuke (YOU SUCK AS A SQUAD LEADER!)
Follow Orders!
Artillery incoming
Artillery Availale
Supply Drop Available
UAV Available
Divide Squad (Rare to see any commander to use this command)
Commander & Squad commands
These are the tools to command your squads effectively and quickly. You can bring these commands up on the map by dragging the mouse over the point you are concerned about and right click on it. There are 2 categories of commands:
Squad Commands
These are the squad commands that are brought up:
Move to this position (Yellow Arrow)
Defend this point (Purple Shield)
Attack this Position (Orange Sword)
Repair this object (Red violet wrench)
Destroy this target (Hammer)
Mine this point (Mine)
This will save time from having to type to the squad and you can quickly pinpoint the exact location the action to take place. It also has a better method of gaining attention to the squad leader than just regular text.
Commander's action
Zoom
Spotted
Call in Artillery
Deploy UAV
Drop Supplies
Zoom
Do I have to explain this? It's the same as zooming in and out of the map except you do it differently. The former option makes you left-click on the point and scroll the mouse wheel to zoom (or press a key that's assigned to zoom) while the latter option makes you right click on that point and select "Zoom." I prefer the former option since it's faster.
Also I have to say that if you do not have a mouse with a scroll wheel, buy it damnit! It'll make the game and internet browsing more enjoyable than having to use "drag here, click here, pull down here" method.
Spotted
The other three commands (Artillery, UAV, Supply Drop) are the same options as the 4 basic options I told you. The only difference is how you order these actions. The former option makes you click and drag the "crosshair" of the action over the map. The latter option makes you right-click over the point and select the action.
Squad Leader's Request
Squad leaders can request commanders to take certain actions to help and aid the squad in their mission or goal. They can request:
Orders
Artillery
UAV
Supplies
Orders- When they want orders, an exclamation mark "!" will come up in the squad info of the squad requesting the order. If this happens, it's common sense to give an order to the squad than just doing nothing as if the squads got a dead commander pigging for points.
Artillery, UAV, and Supplies- When a squad leader requests any one of these, a yellow icon will show up that corresponds to the action in need:
Gun surrounded by circle: Artillery is requested
5 pointed object: UAV is requested
Parachute: Supply is requested
To accept the request, right-click the map and two choices, Accept and Decline, will appear. It's highly recommended that you accept requests as it helps your team hence more score for you (explained later). If the action is available, and you accept the request, the action will take place where it was requested. However, when the action is not yet available for use and you accept the request, the squad leader will get an excuse of why his request cannot be accepted.
If there are two or more requests from squad leaders at the same time and you only want to accept certain requests such as only UAV and Supplies, right-click and accept over or near the request icons you choose to do. This should only accept the requests you choose to do without accepting another request you choose not to do (i.e. accepting to start an artillery barrage with 5 of your men in the area).
Finding a specific unit or kit to do a job
In the bottom of the Commander screen, you'll notice several icons of weapon kits (and types of armors. This toolbar is used to find infantry with a certain kit or in a certain vehicle by hiding other teammates of the map that does not fit the requirements. Say you need to find the closest medic for a certain squad, punch in the medic icon:
Remember that this feature also applies to vehicles too. However, I believe you can easily find which vehicle you want than trying to find an infantry with a certain kit. Also, you can punch in more icons than one. So if you want to find two or more infantry with certain kits that are different from each other at the same time, just punch in their icons and they'll be the only infantry to show up on the map. This toolbar is an excellent way to find the right man for the job in short time in searching and execution.
Unfortunately, you cannot communicate to these selected players via VOIP unless they are a squad leader.
Voice over IP
Battlefield 2 has a built in communication via microphone system in which commanders can communicate with squad leaders, and squad leader can communicate with his squad. Lonewolfs cannot use this feature.
As a commander, communication is crucial as you have a clear bird's eye view of the map. Therefore, relaying real-time messages is a great aid to your squad and team.
Icons that indicate your mic is "live"
Squad Leader to Squad member or vice versa
Commander to Squad Leader or vice versa
*The number keys are what many call "hotkeys" or "bind keys." For these number keys, you select the squad that corresponds with the number you pressed (Key 3 = Squad 3).
The communication line is: Commander <-> Squad Leader <-> Squad Members
There is no method to communicate via voice to squad members directly from the commander.
Commander Points and Commander Bonus
How Commander Points work
The formula for commander points is:
Total score earned points by the team / # of players = Commander score.
Back in the days when BF2 players were still trying to figure out the forumula, many believed it was the average score per player in the team, even the crappy BF2 manual stated this theory. However, many pointed out several flaws in this theory, either by testing it or giving a counter scenario such as: "Why won't commander's score drop if the average score of each player decreases?"
The word that was missing in the theory that the commander score is based on the average score per player was EARN. This word drastically changes how the commander earns its points and explains various causes that lead to commanders getting points.
Therefore:
Commander score formula: Total score points earned by team / # of players alive in the team.
When the average points earned by player goes up, the commander's score also increases. What's so unique about this formula compared to others is that commanders are immune to point reduction if their team's average score decreases due to TKs or other similar acts. Also, it safegaurds commanders from losing commander points or being delayed from earning their commander points if one or few of their teammates, especially players that gained high # of points, leaves the server hence dropping the average points per player.
This formula also explains why commanders get points if a player kills a spotted enemy either by commander's spot command or UAV, why commanders earn points if their teammates captures the flag, and other events that are based from conicidence in relation to this formula.
In addition, it encourages the commander to keep supporting their team to earn more points via UAV, Spots, and Supplies. Furthermore, since commanders do not get any score points from artillery kills, commanders must carefully decide whether to use artillery against its foes that could be dealt with by friendlies. After all, friendlies get score points for killing hostiles (1 kill = 2 score points), but commanders do not (CMDR achieving 1 Kill/Assist/Capture = 0 points) in ANY WAY.
Do you see the irony? Killing enemies or capturing flags alone as commander will make you steal points from your teammates and therefore, by the formula, you will also be robbed of potential commander points.
Example of the formula in the works: In the first half of the match, your team consists of 20 players who earn a total of 400 points. However, due to Teamkills and other related incidents, your team has an overall total score of 325. In the 2nd half, 10 players from your team disconnects the server and thus you have a total of 10 players in your team. They earn a total of 300 points but due to TKs and other related incidents, your team has an overall total score of 250.
So with the given information, what's the total possible score a commander would get before the 2x bonus? Lets see:
1st half: 400 points earned / 20 players = 20 points per players
= 20+ for commander
2nd half: 300 points earned / 10 players = 30 points earned per player
= 30+ for commander
The total score a commander could have before 2x bonus is 50.
Commander Bonus
As you know, only Commanders get 2x bonus if his team wins. However, it's not actually a 2x bonus but it's good enough to describe it generally. In truth, the game doesn't actually double your score, but actually adds the commander points you earned to your total score. The significant effect of this rule is
-Even if somehow, such as teamkill, you lose points, the bonus will still account for that point
-No one can double their points simply by becoming the commander just before the round ends.
So let's say you had the total of 50 commander points and overall of 50 points. You score 2 teamkills, giving -8 to your overall score to 42. The round ends with your team winning the round. Instead of 42 x 2 = 84, you actually get 92 points. Why? Because the game actually adds your overall score to the commander points you earned, so it's actually 42 + 50 = 92.
Conclusion, the formula is: Total Score + Commander Points Earned, not Total Score x 2.
Finally, players who rack up a lot of points by kills, teamwork points, and flag captures and quickly be commander before the round ends do not double his score because he had no commander points to be added to his total score at all.
-Bird Killer
Alright, I notice that many are having difficult using the commander mode and really don't learn anything than pretty much using the Artillery. I hope this manual will help:
Commander's role is to execute assaults, defense, and other actions/recommendations that will make the team better than the other. Usually, a commander who does achieves this role will get more respect from their team and most likely win seeing how the match is won by only 20-50 ticket points by the winner.
How to become a commander:
Once you're in the game press "Enter" unless you're in the spawn screen and click on the "Squad" tab and you should see "Commander" with the option to apply for the commander, mutiny the current commander and be the commander, or resign from being a commander.
Apply for Commander
If you apply yourself, you have to wait a while until the game picks who should be the commander. If it has chosen you, a message should appear on your bottom left screen asking wheter to accept or decline the position of commander.
Press "Page Up" key to accept
Press "Page Down" key to decline.
Mutiny the bastard!
If you pick the option to mutiny the commander, the game will present a vote to the team with the option to:
Vote to kick the current commander
or
Vote to keep the current commander
So, far I have not yet seen a commander actually get kicked, thanks to the fact that this voting system has a very low profile in people's HUD's and the fact that NO ONE CARES ABOUT THEIR TEAM! If one does get booted, then damn, that commander must have done something extremely wrong.
Also, some servers have turned off the mutiny option so if you have a lousy commander with this server-side option on, you're out of luck.
Resignation
Resigning makes you quit being the commander. To resign, click on the very same button that was selected to apply for commander:
or select the option on the bottom right portion of the commander mode:
How the Game picks the commander
The game claims it has chosen the player with the highest rank out of the players who applied. If the two or more candidates have the same rank, I believe the game will choose the player who has the highest global score or has the highest score. I cannot confirm it right now.
Congrats, you're now the commander, now what?
Once you have accepted to become the commander, press the "CAPS LOCK" key to open up your commander controls. You cannot access to this if you are dead.
Commander Mode:
The eye of the commander: Map
This Map is a non-transparent full map showing your squad leaders, friendly teammates, and flags. What many don't realize is that you can actually zoom in and have a bird's eye view of the map real-time showing everything, including the enemies. I could say this is almost like a map hack. To zoom into the map to a certain area, left click that area and then use your scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in or out. Now, if you do not have a scroll wheel, check your control options to see which key is used to zoom. This is damn useful for anyone who has a mic assuming he doesn't babble and actually say useful things. You don't need a special option to do this, you always have this, the only thing is you have to search for enemies or key objects.
Zoomed:
Commander's 5 basic action
There are 5 basic and eye catching options for the commander. They are easy to use and pretty easy to understand. Just click that option and then click one of the map you want that action to be executed except for "Scan" which scans the whole map.
Scan:
Basically this is a one time radar that scans the whole map. The enemies will show up as a red big dot. This option is useful when you use Artillery or want to monitor enemy movements.
This option is disabled if your radar is destroyed:
Scan:
Artillery
Most likely the reason why many want to become a commander, this option makes the 1 or more howitzers launch multiple rounds at a concentrated area that is selected by the commander. The impacts are always random so it might not hit the target you want to such as directly on a flag or an armor. Artillery is very effective against infantry and light armors but never on heavy and medium armors such as the M1A2/T-90 or the LAV-25.
Originally posted by 1.03/1.10 Patch change
Artillery barrage in Commander's view (You feel like god and pity those who are in your screen of death):
Artillery barrage in-game (Screw duty and loyalty to my unit, i'm getting out of here):
UAV
This option launches an invisible unmanned recon aircraft that constantly scans an area equivilant to a grid size constantly for a long time. Enemies will blink as red targets such as a red dot (infantry) or a red tank (armor). This is very useful when you are monitoring an area to find hidden or camouflaged enemies such as in a flag zone. Another great thing about this UaV is that your teammates will also see the enemy that is detected by the UAV on their radar.
Since 1.20, whenever the commander uses the UAV ability, an actual UAV is deployed above the area of target. The UAV is destructible, bringing the UAV scan to a premature end, but due to constant orbit over the target and small size, it is difficult to destroy without heavy caliber weapons.
Originally posted by Jlspence
UAV:
UAV scan detecting 2 hostile APCs (scan size looks smaller the larger the map is):
Supply Drop
This option magically makes a supply box appear out of the sky and falls down by parachute. Anyone can use this and it is destructable. You can actually kill infantry if the package lands right on them, but quite rare. This will most likely become useful once people learn how to request ammo! Another great feature: this package also repairs vehicles and commander assets. However, it will not repair "neutral" objects such as bridges.
There are no assets or objects that are responsible for supply crate drops; Commanders will always have this option for the entire round.
Supply crate:
Vehicle Drop
Available to the commander when Patch 1.30 was released, commanders are now able to drop transport vehicles, either DPV/FAV or Humvee/Vodnik/NJ2034 depending on the map:
Strike at Karkand: Heavy transport
Mashtuur: Heavy transport
Operation Cleansweep: Light transport
Wake Island 2007: Light transport
Songhua Stalemate: Light transport
Fushe Pass: Light transport
Dragon Valley: Light transport
Sharqi Peninsula: Heavy transport
Dalian Plant: Light transport
There is an interesting use for this ability exploited by commanders known as "cartillery". Like supply drops, the idea is to drop the vehicle onto an enemy or vehicle to kill the unlucky target. Unlike supply drops, vehicles are more effective as they do not veer off target of the drop and lands faster, at least visually. Due to the nature of freedom offered by Battlefield 2, there are several other uses of vehicle drops than from its true purpose.
Basic Option's Time Chart
Accept Commander: The time it takes for each ability to be available once a member become a commander.
Deployed: The time it takes for each ability to be available once it has been used.
Runs For: The time each ability lasts (i.e, UAV scans the area for 30 seconds until it goes away).
Before impact: Time it takes for the ability to "hit" the target (i.e, it takes 7 seconds for the supply to land on the ground).
This chart is made by Anders who is from a PoE Tournament known as Total-War (www.total-war.com).
Squad info & comments
One of my favorite part about being a commander, ordering a squad to do something...which no one does.
Squad Info
On box on the middle left side shows the Squad info such as how many squads you have, how many members each squad has, and what kits each member of the squads have:
Special Forces: Sword/Sabre
Assault: FAMAS weapon
Medic: Cross
Anti-Tank: Rocket
Enginneer: Wrench
Support: Machine Gun Mounted on Tripod
Sniper: Crosshair
If one of the member has a vehicle icon (Tank, transport, helicopters, etc.) it means that he is in a certain vehicle that relates to the icon.
The green bar indicates the each member's health.
The box to the most right can have 3 icons:
Green Check-Mark- The squad leader has accepted your order
Red X- The squad leader has refused to follow your order
Yellow question mark "?"- The squad leader is requesting order
Originally posted by Konquerer
Originally posted by Bloodening
Right click the squad info to make comments such as:
Commend (Good Job!)
Rebuke (YOU SUCK AS A SQUAD LEADER!)
Follow Orders!
Artillery incoming
Artillery Availale
Supply Drop Available
UAV Available
Divide Squad (Rare to see any commander to use this command)
Commander & Squad commands
These are the tools to command your squads effectively and quickly. You can bring these commands up on the map by dragging the mouse over the point you are concerned about and right click on it. There are 2 categories of commands:
Squad Commands
These are the squad commands that are brought up:
Move to this position (Yellow Arrow)
Defend this point (Purple Shield)
Attack this Position (Orange Sword)
Repair this object (Red violet wrench)
Destroy this target (Hammer)
Mine this point (Mine)
This will save time from having to type to the squad and you can quickly pinpoint the exact location the action to take place. It also has a better method of gaining attention to the squad leader than just regular text.
Commander's action
Zoom
Spotted
Call in Artillery
Deploy UAV
Drop Supplies
Zoom
Do I have to explain this? It's the same as zooming in and out of the map except you do it differently. The former option makes you left-click on the point and scroll the mouse wheel to zoom (or press a key that's assigned to zoom) while the latter option makes you right click on that point and select "Zoom." I prefer the former option since it's faster.
Also I have to say that if you do not have a mouse with a scroll wheel, buy it damnit! It'll make the game and internet browsing more enjoyable than having to use "drag here, click here, pull down here" method.
Spotted
Originally posted by Konquerer
Originally posted by Jlspence
Squad Leader's Request
Squad leaders can request commanders to take certain actions to help and aid the squad in their mission or goal. They can request:
Orders
Artillery
UAV
Supplies
Orders- When they want orders, an exclamation mark "!" will come up in the squad info of the squad requesting the order. If this happens, it's common sense to give an order to the squad than just doing nothing as if the squads got a dead commander pigging for points.
Artillery, UAV, and Supplies- When a squad leader requests any one of these, a yellow icon will show up that corresponds to the action in need:
Gun surrounded by circle: Artillery is requested
5 pointed object: UAV is requested
Parachute: Supply is requested
To accept the request, right-click the map and two choices, Accept and Decline, will appear. It's highly recommended that you accept requests as it helps your team hence more score for you (explained later). If the action is available, and you accept the request, the action will take place where it was requested. However, when the action is not yet available for use and you accept the request, the squad leader will get an excuse of why his request cannot be accepted.
If there are two or more requests from squad leaders at the same time and you only want to accept certain requests such as only UAV and Supplies, right-click and accept over or near the request icons you choose to do. This should only accept the requests you choose to do without accepting another request you choose not to do (i.e. accepting to start an artillery barrage with 5 of your men in the area).
Finding a specific unit or kit to do a job
In the bottom of the Commander screen, you'll notice several icons of weapon kits (and types of armors. This toolbar is used to find infantry with a certain kit or in a certain vehicle by hiding other teammates of the map that does not fit the requirements. Say you need to find the closest medic for a certain squad, punch in the medic icon:
Remember that this feature also applies to vehicles too. However, I believe you can easily find which vehicle you want than trying to find an infantry with a certain kit. Also, you can punch in more icons than one. So if you want to find two or more infantry with certain kits that are different from each other at the same time, just punch in their icons and they'll be the only infantry to show up on the map. This toolbar is an excellent way to find the right man for the job in short time in searching and execution.
Unfortunately, you cannot communicate to these selected players via VOIP unless they are a squad leader.
Voice over IP
Battlefield 2 has a built in communication via microphone system in which commanders can communicate with squad leaders, and squad leader can communicate with his squad. Lonewolfs cannot use this feature.
As a commander, communication is crucial as you have a clear bird's eye view of the map. Therefore, relaying real-time messages is a great aid to your squad and team.
Icons that indicate your mic is "live"
Squad Leader to Squad member or vice versa
Commander to Squad Leader or vice versa
Originally posted by jlspence
Originally posted by shafik
The communication line is: Commander <-> Squad Leader <-> Squad Members
There is no method to communicate via voice to squad members directly from the commander.
Commander Points and Commander Bonus
How Commander Points work
The formula for commander points is:
Total score earned points by the team / # of players = Commander score.
Back in the days when BF2 players were still trying to figure out the forumula, many believed it was the average score per player in the team, even the crappy BF2 manual stated this theory. However, many pointed out several flaws in this theory, either by testing it or giving a counter scenario such as: "Why won't commander's score drop if the average score of each player decreases?"
The word that was missing in the theory that the commander score is based on the average score per player was EARN. This word drastically changes how the commander earns its points and explains various causes that lead to commanders getting points.
Originally posted by =MNKY=Frosty
Commander score formula: Total score points earned by team / # of players alive in the team.
When the average points earned by player goes up, the commander's score also increases. What's so unique about this formula compared to others is that commanders are immune to point reduction if their team's average score decreases due to TKs or other similar acts. Also, it safegaurds commanders from losing commander points or being delayed from earning their commander points if one or few of their teammates, especially players that gained high # of points, leaves the server hence dropping the average points per player.
This formula also explains why commanders get points if a player kills a spotted enemy either by commander's spot command or UAV, why commanders earn points if their teammates captures the flag, and other events that are based from conicidence in relation to this formula.
In addition, it encourages the commander to keep supporting their team to earn more points via UAV, Spots, and Supplies. Furthermore, since commanders do not get any score points from artillery kills, commanders must carefully decide whether to use artillery against its foes that could be dealt with by friendlies. After all, friendlies get score points for killing hostiles (1 kill = 2 score points), but commanders do not (CMDR achieving 1 Kill/Assist/Capture = 0 points) in ANY WAY.
Do you see the irony? Killing enemies or capturing flags alone as commander will make you steal points from your teammates and therefore, by the formula, you will also be robbed of potential commander points.
Example of the formula in the works: In the first half of the match, your team consists of 20 players who earn a total of 400 points. However, due to Teamkills and other related incidents, your team has an overall total score of 325. In the 2nd half, 10 players from your team disconnects the server and thus you have a total of 10 players in your team. They earn a total of 300 points but due to TKs and other related incidents, your team has an overall total score of 250.
So with the given information, what's the total possible score a commander would get before the 2x bonus? Lets see:
1st half: 400 points earned / 20 players = 20 points per players
= 20+ for commander
2nd half: 300 points earned / 10 players = 30 points earned per player
= 30+ for commander
The total score a commander could have before 2x bonus is 50.
Commander Bonus
As you know, only Commanders get 2x bonus if his team wins. However, it's not actually a 2x bonus but it's good enough to describe it generally. In truth, the game doesn't actually double your score, but actually adds the commander points you earned to your total score. The significant effect of this rule is
-Even if somehow, such as teamkill, you lose points, the bonus will still account for that point
-No one can double their points simply by becoming the commander just before the round ends.
So let's say you had the total of 50 commander points and overall of 50 points. You score 2 teamkills, giving -8 to your overall score to 42. The round ends with your team winning the round. Instead of 42 x 2 = 84, you actually get 92 points. Why? Because the game actually adds your overall score to the commander points you earned, so it's actually 42 + 50 = 92.
Conclusion, the formula is: Total Score + Commander Points Earned, not Total Score x 2.
Finally, players who rack up a lot of points by kills, teamwork points, and flag captures and quickly be commander before the round ends do not double his score because he had no commander points to be added to his total score at all.
No closing remarks due to character limit
-Bird Killer
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