Arty too often?

[-=SiN=-Broown]

It is in my opinion that the commander has artillery far to often. Now I believe the simple solution to this is to take it out, but there is no actual objective awarded to this and it can consume valuable time and man power depending on the map. I am not sure if it is the intention of the BF gods that be to insert some sort of special forces teamwork point system for using C4 on enemy assets, but personally I think it would make all the difference in the world.

Also i would like to say that i enjoy using the arty but only because it is so damn easy to use.

That is my 2 pennies:)

[Harmor]

Re: Arty too often?

Well luck has it that in the v1.03 patch SpecOps will get points for destroying enemy assets - you'll be sure to have a couple of SpecOps taking out the artillery for sure.

Here's a good thread to read about "Artillery Sense":

My artillery sense is tingling

http://www.totalbf2.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22660

[-=SiN=-Broown]

Re: Arty too often?

Thanks Mate. I did a search to make sure this wasn't posted but i guess i missed this one. Nice little composition as well

[Talus]

Re: Arty too often?

I agree that commanders have access to arty too often. It's annoying.

It can be a great tool at times...but it really should only be used if a Squad Leader calls it in.

But...that'll all change with v1.03

[[SAJ]Sentinel]

Re: Arty too often?

It is in my opinion that the commander has artillery far to often. Now I believe the simple solution to this is to take it out, but there is no actual objective awarded to this and it can consume valuable time and man power depending on the map. I am not sure if it is the intention of the BF gods that be to insert some sort of special forces teamwork point system for using C4 on enemy assets, but personally I think it would make all the difference in the world.

Also i would like to say that i enjoy using the arty but only because it is so damn easy to use.

That is my 2 pennies:)

When you play for fun (and on unranked servers, for example), there is no URGE to get the points, so people actually go and harras commander assets, so that their TEAM can win - not so that they can get the gold medal or whatever.

I used to (with squad mates) go harras enemy commander and blow his assets up, on ranked servers. Then, if I'd suggest something in team chat, I' d get "oh, it comes from the guy with 3 points" types of responses.

Similar as when you defend tower on Sharqi, and have only few points - but yet everyone think they should make fun of you because they have more (M203, grenade, supply, medic) points.

See, in BF2, 95% of ranked players "judge" others by their score, not by their actions, and that's the main problem.

Gameplay is ok, but gamers are not. So there is no point trying to change the game, when people playing it won't change...

[Harmor]

Re: Arty too often?

See, in BF2, 95% of ranked players "judge" others by their score, not by their actions, and that's the main problem.

Gameplay is ok, but gamers are not. So there is no point trying to change the game, when people playing it won't change...

I agree...we're here to have fun. Personally I have 7 accounts so I don't care about unlocks or points anymore.

[rombaft]

Re: Arty too often?

nowbody wants to be commander, and if you take half of the artilery away, even less people are going to be commander.

and artilery isn't a nuke , hide in tank, apc, building, drive away and there is a 80% chance you survive it, don't see what your problem is

[Berrern]

Re: Arty too often?

At the moment I too think the artillery shells come raining down a bit too often.. But post-patch, when people get points for blowing up the artillery, this should be pretty balanced.

After all, it's supposed to be lethal and very annoying - that's why you can take them out.

[-=SiN=-Broown]

Re: Arty too often?

nowbody wants to be commander, and if you take half of the artilery away, even less people are going to be commander.

and artilery isn't a nuke , hide in tank, apc, building, drive away and there is a 80% chance you survive it, don't see what your problem is

At no point did I say I didn't love the game. I enjoy it very much. I also realize that you can escape artillery. Simplely making a thread about it. I play ranked servers for the challenge. I guess it is up to each player how and what they choose to play.

See I don't mind if I don't get points in a match as long as it was fun. But when you play a game you play to win. :)

[Trooper_811]

Artillery used incorrectly

Actually, I think the problem with artillery is that so few commanders know how to use it effectively. Let's assume that a commander is aware that he/she gets no points whatsoever for killing with artillery (and this is a big assumption because I run into very experienced players who still don't know about the commander scoring system or even which points bring down enemy tickets for that matter). The problem as I see it is that the commander runs a scan and sees a lot of red dots in one area. He/she gets excited and drops the artillery down and watches as his/her name in yellow annouces the kills he/she got on the screen.

This has done very little to help the team. I'm not sure what the motivatoin is for this type of artillery use. Probably a lot of it can be attributed to commanders who think they are getting points for these attacks. But assuming not, I guess it is just the thrill of seeing the kills get stacked up on the screen.

Sometimes when my squad is defending a base we will get artillery dropped on us and we will assume that a squad must be coming in to attack now that the enemy commander has softened up the target. So we respawn ready for the attack and.....nothing. Again, a case of red dot syndrome.

I must admit that I think that the artillery is available too often. The artillery takes one minute to become available again after a strike is initiated but it starts to regenerate after the strike is called not after the strike is over. Assuming a 30 minute game, the commanders have access to the artillery 30times in a game. Add the threat of friendly artillery and you have artillery potentially dropping 60 times in a 30 minute game.

I think the preoccupation with artillery stems from the fact that artillery is the salient (superficially obvious) part of being a commander. It has the most direct effect on the battlefield. But I think the commander's role is one of leadership not bombing. I would say that one in a hundred commanders actually use the VOIP to direct their team and I really wonder about some commanders who ask my squad to attack a base that is a mile away and will probably change hands twice before we can even get there.

In short, the commander's role should be one of indirect influence on the battlefield. This is certainly possible because all a commander has to do is start communicating with the squads more effectively and stop looking for places to drop artillery over and over. But to some the artillery is like a piece of candy that they can't resist. They are thinking like a squad member with a grenade launcher and not enough like a leader. Like the commanders who are running around like infantry instead of minding the commander's assets.....but that is for another thread...

cwv_8t88

[-=SiN=-Broown]

Re: Arty too often?

I would first like to say "Well Said"...
I agree with everything you have said. Commanders need to use there scan to inform there team (by right-clicking and selecting "spotted") not to find where they need to drop arty. Squad Leaders need to request arty (before the take what they think is a unmanned flag or manned flag for that matter).

But like you have said this is for another thread:)

[Berrern]

Re: Arty too often?

cwv_88, I can relate to your story. There are loads and loads of outright stupid commanders out there, but also squad leaders.

Lately, when commanding (I haven't done it much since I was a noob), I've started telling the squad leaders which are in a feasible position that the artillery (or UAV, or supplies) are ready. There's a voice command for this, so the squad leader can hear it.

However, after about 3 maps as Commander (5 rounds), I've only experienced ONE guy reacting on this message. That's unbelievable! His squad is strolling towards a flag to attack, and I offer them both artillery, UAV and support - but he completely ignores me and runs in blind. It's so stupid that it's almost funny.

I've stopped playing Commander again, because only 1 out of 20 squad leaders wants to co-operate with you.

The problem here is that when a squad leader leaves the game, a member of his squad is made the new leader - often without even knowing it. This results in a squad completely lacking in teamwork.

[PLA-SN!P3R]

Re: Arty too often?

I, being a common commander think that artillery is quite balanced. We're so busy giving orders, UAV scans, and supply drops that we hardly have much time to go around killing people so arty is our only way to get kills! If a commander only uses his position to use artillery and get lots of kills, MUTINY HIS ASS! Patch 1.03 will change a lot of the artillery whoring though...but it might turn out that commanders will just die because they won't ever have anything to use except for their supply drops.

[Berrern]

Re: Arty too often?

it might turn out that commanders will just die because they won't ever have anything to use except for their supply drops.

I fear this too, but hopefully with 1.3 giving points for destroying assets, people will be better at protecting and repairing them aswell. At least I hope.

[Trooper_811]

Re: Arty too often?

Actually, this is exactly why I wrote a book about the commander role in BF2. Sorry, I'm not trying to plug the book but for those who don't know what I am talking about, see this thread

http://www.totalbf2.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26600

I personally love the commander role because it is a chance to have an indirect influence on the game. This is leadership of a virtual team. I find that the more I play the commander role, the less and less I use the artillery. I find that there are much more powerful ways to help the team. I use artillery with a purpose beyond just racking up points that don't even increase my points anyway. If others did this as well, I think the artillery would be less of an annoyance and more of a strategic medium.

cwv_8t88