Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

[JUDGE_RELIC]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

Birdkiller, if you dont mind please come over to my website and add your cmdr tutorial, simply adding it will not give you the justice you deserve for this tutorials creation.

www.judgecentral.com

JUDGE RELIC

[JUDGE_RELIC]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

Birdkiller, if you dont mind please come over to my website and add your cmdr tutorial, simply adding it will not give you the justice you deserve for this tutorials creation.

www.judgecentral.com

JUDGE RELIC

[imported_Psycho]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

I have 10 hours as a commander and 100 overall and i didn't know about all the stuff, like that if you click the buttons at the bottom it will select the kits and how to send the extra messages like your a great squad.

It would be good if you added about how the commander gets points.

[imported_Psycho]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

I have 10 hours as a commander and 100 overall and i didn't know about all the stuff, like that if you click the buttons at the bottom it will select the kits and how to send the extra messages like your a great squad.

It would be good if you added about how the commander gets points.

[Sub_Saint]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

BASIC TIP:

Awards and Commanders.

Interested in Awards...read on. Not interested...disregard.

With the exception of the G/S/B Award for high score...awards (badges/medals/ribbons) can be difficult for the Commander to achieve. Even moreso with the artillery rule change (which I'm a huge fan of). Here is a simple little tip to help that I wouldn't think would need mentioning but since I see so many Commanders laying in the weeds in a secure place...maybe it does.

Several of the badges have what I consider unrealistic time expectations...30 hours on a TOW seems a bit extreme. 50 hours in a transport vehicle...sheesh...does Dice realize that the average single player quest type game usually takes gamers 12-15 hours of game play to complete...but yet they expect us to sit in a vehicle for 3 to 4 times that...and in many cases more...

I've learned to live with it...heh heh...cause I love the game so much...but I definitely watch my activity now when I play...here's what I mean.

Commander's Job...manage teams...win the battle. Generally accepted and expected for the Commander to hole up somewhere safe. Most do. But I say...if you're Commander...pay close attention to:

1) Classes. If you plan to get the badges for all the classes...mix up the time you spend in each class...since as Commander it doesn't really matter what class you are. Also, if you play Commander - use the capabilities of the of the class to score some easy points - without impacting your ability to command. In the long run, it will help you work to certain awards.

-Medic or Support...throw ammo/med bags everywhere you go. I always enjoy when I spawn at a base and litter the area with bags and run off to hide in a safe place...minutes later you get the heal/ammo assist point...in the long run...these add up.
-Spec Ops...use C4 to protect your ASSets. There are some hungry Spec Ops out there who love nothing more than blowing up your gear. Give them a taste of their own medicine and plant C4 far enough away you don't damage your stuff but close enough when they sneek in you can blast them. Zooming in the command map will show you right where they are.
-Engineer...see above...only now you get to fix it yourself.

2) Vehicles. If you're just sitting at base...sit in a vehicle, helo, tank...etc etc. Just give it up when a team member comes along and wants it. For most vehicles or helos...I sit in the gunner chair, that way it is available if someone comes up and I have the command map up. Manning vehicles in your own bases also prevents the baddies from hijacking them.

3) Stationary Weapons. Man an AT or AA and do your commander job from there. You'd be surprised how many kills you can get and how many defend points you can get by just manning the guns.

4) Misc. If you're going to hoof it across the map...ride in a vehicle. If you're waiting for a vehicle to spawn...man a gun or sit in a jeep. If you stumble upon a sniper perched on a hill and you can chuck a grenade on him or knife him in the back...knife him...because expert badge parameters requires a whole lotta knifings...so you need to take them when you can get them.

Just about everything you do in the game is tracked...and a lot of these are tied to the awards. That's why I always chuckle at those lone wolfs who have hours and hours of time logged on...yeah...try and get that distinguished service medal as a lone wolf...

Doing these few simple things will help meet the time requirement for a lot of the awards. Then, once you have the required time...you can be a squad member/leader and go out and work on getting the necessary kills/support points for the remaining requirements.

*Disclaimer* I know there are still going to be people who say this is a bad thing...that you're not earning the points and blah blah blah...whatevah...enjoy scooting around in a jeep for days to meet the time...

Oh yeah...final word...if you want any shot at getting the War College Ribbon...you need to seriously fight to win every single battle...take it from me...overcoming from a .7 W/L record is very difficult...(I'm currently at a 1.2 - which means realistically I might be better off starting over or win the next 300+ matches). Don't take losses lightly. It'll haunt you down the road when you decide you want that ribbon.

[BirdKiller]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

And i thought this thread was dead <_<;

Also, I have added in a major update to the commander guide. This addition talks about How commanders get their points and how the commander bonus works. I can safely say that most people who already know how to use commanders will be surprised.

For those who are too lazy, here is the update:

October 25, 2005: Commander Points and Commander Bonus

COMMANDER'S POINTS

The forumula for commander points is:

Total score earned 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.

Again, I shall remind you:
Commander score formula: Total points earned by team / # of players in the team.

You see, 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 points or being delayed from earning their 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 and why commanders earn points if their teammates captures the flag.

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 points from artillery, they steal kill points (1 Kill = 2 points) from thier teammates and thus commanders must carefully decide whether to use artillery against its foes that could be dealt with by friendlies. After all, friendlies get points for killing, but you do not (CMDR achieving 1 Kill/Assist/Capture = 0 points).

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 forumula 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.

[BirdKiller]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

Now that I see it, it seems my commander guide has doubled in text in the course of 4 month, quite impressive for me.

If I see that there are no errors in facts, spelling, and grammar, I'm going to finish this version of the guide as Final.

[SuperScythe]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

Awesome stuff!!!

The commander point system was really bothering me. I have checked hundreds of threads looking for a final solution. Thanks for the info.
Did you calculate that yourself of get it from any offical source?

[Jlspence]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

The guide states:

"To talk to a squad leader, click on his squad in the commander mode screen and hold "B" to enable microphone."

I click "V" for the command channel to talk to my squad leaders. I suppose that Dice set up "B" to work as well but I've never tried it.

[Jlspence]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

The "Finding a specific unit or kit to do a job" section still doesn't make sense to me. Why would EA/Dice put into the Commander screen the ability to find specific kits or vehicles when there is no apparent corresponding ability to communicate with those specific kits or vehicles? Why bother?

[BirdKiller]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

Awesome stuff!!!

The commander point system was really bothering me. I have checked hundreds of threads looking for a final solution. Thanks for the info.
Did you calculate that yourself of get it from any offical source?

The backbone of the formula of the commander score comes from few users who believed in that commander's score is the average of the team's score but modified the rule a bit. I believed in their theory and further expanded it.

The formula of the commander bonus however, is created by myself after simple observations (WTF!? how'd I get that score!? ) and basic math.

The guide states:

"To talk to a squad leader, click on his squad in the commander mode screen and hold "B" to enable microphone."

I click "V" for the command channel to talk to my squad leaders. I suppose that Dice set up "B" to work as well but I've never tried it.

Thanks for the error, I forgot that I have my own custom set up from the default including the VOIP.

[Teastick]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (FINAL; Revised October 27)

Awesome tip

[IPlayBF2]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

*claps* NICE w00t

[Jlspence]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

The "Finding a specific unit or kit to do a job" section still doesn't make sense to me. Why would EA/Dice put into the Commander screen the ability to find specific kits or vehicles when there is no apparent corresponding ability to communicate with those specific kits or vehicles? Why bother?

Replying to my own post here.

The only way the ability to screen out everyone else except a particular kit (say you're looking for an engineer to repair your arty or UAV) can be helpful is if you first scan the squad listing and squads that have engineers in them (usually not many), click on those squads to highlight them and then click on the engineer kit button to only show engineers on your Command screen. The dots will appear white as they been highlighted and you can see which one is closer to the asset by unclicking each of the squads in turn. When you see which engineer is closest you can command that SL to repair the asset.

A much easier and more practical way is just to broadcast on the VOIP Command Channel (V) to all SL you need "X asset" repaired or need "Y enemy asset" destroyed.

[Wilkystyle]

Re: Guide to the Commander Mode (Basic)

Awesome guide! I am pretty familiar with the commander mode, but i wasn't sure how the VOIP worked with squad members.. I'd try to talk to them in-game, but i never could figure out if commander could talk to squad leaders cause they'd never respond. Guess it was just bad squad leaders..

Anyways, I didn't have time to read all the pages following the first few, so i don't know if this has already been mentioned:

SUPPLY DROP
While it is VERY rare that you will be able to land a supply drop on regular infantry and kill them, there is one scenario where it becomes INCREDIBLY useful.

When there is an enemy sniper picking off your team, and you know which direction the shots are coming from, but nobody can seem to pinpoint him, simply get behind cover, and go to your command map. Either do a Scan/UAV or zoom to the real-time overhead view and locate him. Once you know where he is, right-click directly on top of him (make sure you're fully zoomed in), and choose "Supply Drop". If you right-clicked directly on top of him, and he isn't underneath an obstacle, the supply drop will crush him when it lands.

This is an effective way to get a sniper who stays in the same spot when he is sniping, and it doesn't require any other soldiers or resources. Plus you can do it from out of his sight.