Axe the commander

[Jimmbo]

I was playing last night on a full server, but no one wanted to go commander, on out side or there's. The game was awesome, you don't get artillary following you around the map, or players knowing you exact hiding positions as they come shooting round the corners cos a UAV is on your head. All in all it made it a far better game. I know the role of commander adds "another dimension" to the game and is all very useful, but I'd love there to be one map where the commander doesnt have any tools. Be interested to know if I'm alone on this one..

[Onrust]

Re: Axe the commander

We do training matches on 16 player maps, no commander & no vehicles, very cool.

But i don't have a problem with both of them.

[Auto-ER-]

Re: Axe the commander

Play more Iron Gator, commander assets (they don't even have arty) are completely useless.

[Jimmbo]

Re: Axe the commander

Play more Iron Gator, commander assets (they don't even have arty) are completely useless.

Ah yes, I would do if I didnt have so many problems with that map. Capturing both helo's gives you the game, the MEC helo can be shot from its helipad, I can't seem to enter the USS Essex goalkeeper, limited entrance to the carrier problems, etc. I hate that map and we've taken it out of our map selection on the clan server.

[TheSquelcher]

Re: Axe the commander

yeah the commander is annoying with arty. I think DICE should give the commander a limit on how many he can use per round. Also maybe give him other stratigical resources that aid his team rather than harm the other. i don't think commander should be axed, just changed slightly

[vbl]

Re: Axe the commander

Commander role is totally "broken" as it functions now. Too high level, too RTS-like.

They missed out on some great opportunities by doing it the way they did.

[Digital-Boy]

Re: Axe the commander

The commander role is an interesting idea, but without organized squads, the commander is just a player who uses the assets. Pretty boring if you ask me.

[Jlspence]

Re: Axe the commander

I know the role of commander adds "another dimension" to the game and is all very useful, but I'd love there to be one map where the commander doesnt have any tools. Be interested to know if I'm alone on this one..

When I'm playing a close-quarters map like Karkand or Warlord and I'm getting arty'd every few minutes I'm very sympathetic to what you're saying Jimbo.

However, I also play the commander role a good bit and enjoy that part of the game. It really is almost useless though from a game play perspective unless you play on a server that has squad play and uses VOIP (which I do). When you have squads following the CO's orders, those squads can be directed or act on their own to take out the CO's assets. Without this kind of tactical and strategic play, I would have gotten bored with BF2 a long time ago.

As someone else said, Iron Gator might as well be without commanders. With all the cappable flags on a multi-level ship that is relatively small, the satellite and UAV don't do much good for either side.

[wattsfox43]

Re: Axe the commander

see...

i had a problem last night where i was on a server with no commander.. playing in ghost town. we had a great team.. but unorganized... also.. no uav.. i never could tell when enemy was coming.. and from where.. it was like counterstrike with vehicles.

to me.. a good commander can make the game for you.. someone who is really hands on and communicates well.. not just an arty monkey.. but someone who really keys into the commander role as your source of supplies and information...

besides.. if you hate the enemy commander so much.. just be spec ops and take away all his toys. it is never hard to do. just sit back and each time he drops a supply crate... that gives you more C4!

[QuakerOatz]

Re: Axe the commander

I agree, get rid of the commander, for one single reason...it actually destroys teamplay. Let me explain:

BF2 was meant for teamplay, specifically for 6 man squads to move as a group supporting each other. A stream of team players moving as a unit, staggered, point man up front, falling back and switching...awesome stuff.

Now you're the opposing commander, watching using scan/UAV and of all the targets on the map, 15 lone wolfs and our 6 man unit. Guess where the arty goes? Boom unit dies. This is a constant battle. WHen you finally get some teamwork going, boom, you'r'e punished for sticking together. The very position (commander) that is supposed to unite the game is the very reason for people not sticking together in squads.

Aside from ruining teamplay, its a boring position, proven by the fact that many, many maps go by without a commander. Very few people want to play it.

The solution, at the very least is to get rid of artillery! It's ruining teamplay!!!

On another note, commmanders, aside from the arty, can play a vital role in resupplying friendly squads and scouting enemy movements. But when used too much, hearing "Enemy sighted" "Enemy sighted" "Enemy sighted" "Enemy sighted" "Enemy sighted" 1000 times in a round is incredibly annoying. I don't think DICE really thought through the commander role, but rather included it as a marketing feature, because despite it's annoying reality, the commander mode "sounds" very cool..... until you play the game.

[WarGimp]

Re: Axe the commander

I'm a fan of the command role and what it adds to the game (not saying it's perfect, but I like what's there).

However, I would like ta see a few maps where the assets are more limited. I'd even like to see some imbalance in those assets. Like a map where "rebels" get no scan or UAV, but the USMC get's no supply or artillery.

Like all things, it's cooler when ya mix it up a bit.

[alkajazz]

Re: Axe the commander

No Commander In Sf! Arg

[Jimmbo]

Re: Axe the commander

"Now you're the opposing commander, watching using scan/UAV and of all the targets on the map, 15 lone wolfs and our 6 man unit. Guess where the arty goes? Boom unit dies. This is a constant battle. WHen you finally get some teamwork going, boom, you'r'e punished for sticking together."-QuakerOatz

Exactly, perhaps my thread wasn't properly set out. The main problem I have is with artillary for the same reason as Quaker lists. All my teammates will often be going for the same flag (most notable on karkland) and I make the effort to get to a backflag only to be blown up, one of me, whereas hundreds of my teammates in a tight area, yet I'm the one who cops it.

I'm not *actually* saying axe the role, just merely take away some of the resources for some of the maps. I quite like the idea of wargimps suggestion, but I very much doubt ea will be bothered to do that.

In reply to wattfox, I play the game differently each time, trying different vehicles, flags, squads, it's what makes it fun. Taking out the commander's tools is a fulltime job considering he'll never stop putting crates on them to repair, and you can't loiter in the enemy base without looking like a baseraper. Thus it would actually stop me playing the game. I do destroy the tools from time to time, but it isnt a practical way of enhancing my game.

[Sir. Shpox]

Re: Axe the commander

The commander role is an interesting idea, but without organized squads, the commander is just a player who uses the assets. Pretty boring if you ask me.

Yep but it gets you your badges and easy points.

I got vet spec ops and anti tank plus couple of gold stars playing commander 6 rounds in a row on Kharkand. People IMO only use the commander position to either get badges or points. This way you can get heaps of points and have no deaths. Commander is far too easy to play but there seems to be so many bad commanders out there. Especially those that play at the same time

[Jlspence]

Re: Axe the commander

Now you're the opposing commander, watching using scan/UAV and of all the targets on the map, 15 lone wolfs and our 6 man unit. Guess where the arty goes? Boom unit dies.

The key is to separate and not be so obvious about your intentions. If the CO see's your squad moving in a tight group on a beeline towards a flag well sure they're going to put an arty strike in there to greet you. That's being a good CO. Try to make it less obvious where you're going. Spread the squad out into groups of two and approach the target from different directions. This requires coordination but that's why it's important to have and use a microphone. Even if you are arty'd you won't lose the whole squad. When you're capping a flag don't everyone run and lay down by the flag. Move around. Assume an arty strike is coming and spread out.

Aside from ruining teamplay, its a boring position, proven by the fact that many, many maps go by without a commander. Very few people want to play it.

It can be boring when your team is winning overwhelmingly but otherwise it's anything but boring. I think many people shy away from the position not because it's boring but because they're intimidated by it. On most public servers, regardless of how well the CO is doing, they'll likely see a kick vote against them. If you're a regular team player, you can suck and no one really cares or pays attention to your ID at the bottom of the screen. When you're CO and you suck EVERYONE notices.

On another note, commmanders, aside from the arty, can play a vital role in resupplying friendly squads and scouting enemy movements. But when used too much, hearing "Enemy sighted" "Enemy sighted" "Enemy sighted" "Enemy sighted" "Enemy sighted" 1000 times in a round is incredibly annoying.

Amen on that one brother. I admit I went overboard on this early on. Now I only spot enemy targets that are very close to team mates (not on UAV). It does no one any good to spot enemy across the map.