Commander Styles

[Col_Swelego]

Since I have been playing BF2 I see 2 commander styles most often.
1. Passive Commander
2. Active Commander

Passive Commander
The person that waits for friendlies to request actions to help the friendlies on the battlefield.
Here the cmdr waits for a squad to call for UAV, arty, supplies, etc.
Here the cmdr seldom gives orders to squads to move out towards enemy positions/flags.
Here the cmdr seldom communicates with squad leaders to inform them on immediate situations.

When OK or Not?
OK to be passive when squads are competent enough to work as a team without commander influence.
OK to be passive when the team is winning.

Not OK if the team is losing.
Not OK if you are a noob commander. Don't wait take the initiative.


Active Commander

By using scan, the commander has enemy detection abilities and this reduces fog of war (FOW). FOW is one main reason for command and control (C2).
Don't keep this information to yourself. The cmdr can use UAV, arty, supplies and even spot enemy positions.
Once the team sees the location of enemy, then allow the team to get there when it can or order the squad to get there.

Recommendation: to limit cmdr battles to one at a time. Order the main force to the major objective, while having another squad do a diversion.
The main force should not be assigned to 2 different battle areas at the same time.

Communication is the second main reason for command, control and communication (C3).
Communicate with the squad leaders and with the team by warning the squads/team to where enemy is moving/not moving (as well as where the enemy is).
This way friendlies can set up ambushes or move to an area with less enemy, if the squad is few in number.

Active commanders often end up with full number of squads (9).

When OK or Not?
Active commanding is OK all the time.
Not OK if most mavericks want to work alone.

Good New Commander
Have a battle plan (eg. what objectives to reach to win the battle.) Don't feel bad if you don't have a battle plan. Let the other's know you are new.
Don't ask squad leaders what they want. They are to follow your battle plan (if you have one).
Commander should be more active, even if the person does not know what to do. Communicate with the squad leaders and they will tell the cmdr what they need.
After that the cmdr will see a pattern and end up doing things alone. The objectives and battle plan will come into focus.

Just try to avoid friendly fire.
Avoid sending supplies too close to enemy lines.
Avoid enemy in the rear or near main HQ.
Scan, scan, and scan some more.
Try to have a squad defend the main HQ and that the squad has one engineer.
Don't send a squad to achieve an objective alone. The main force should be at least 2 squads.
The diversion force can be one squad.

The highest security priority is the rear, so scan for enemy from there to the front lines.
Give supplies to main force positions and rear positions.
Give supplies to an isolated area (eg. away from enemy positions) for diversion force. (This is the RVP, rendez-vous point.)

Give complements to the team for doing a good job.
Don't feel bad about telling the team when they do a bad job. It's your battle plan that needs to be followed.

Maintain squad cohesion, by not giving orders to a squad that is too scattered. Allow the squad to regroup before giving new orders.

So, a good commander does the following:
1. reduces FOW for its team
2. communicates to its team
3. executes a battle plan

Good Advanced Commander
Later I will explain how to become an advanced commander. This involves performing large operations and tactical maneuvers.


Over

[Dick_Justice]

All sounds very theoretical...

[dr_claw]

on a map where you have a bunch of lonewolfs running around, this goes out the window.

but the active commander does pretty much sum up how i play the commander position myself.

[TitanSound]

Yeah and I think active commanders are more effective. They are the all seeing eye and are in the best situation to direct squads.

A good squad leader should follow commands and ask for support when his squad members tell him they need it (UAV/Supplies etc...)

[dr_claw]

Originally Posted by TitanSound

A good squad leader should follow commands and ask for support when his squad members tell him they need it (UAV/Supplies etc...)

yeah, wouldn't that be nice...

[TitanSound]

Come join my squad and it will happen

[dr_claw]

Originally Posted by TitanSound

Come join my squad and it will happen

you probably play on UK/Europe servers tho. I'm all the way in Philadelphia.

i'm not part of any clan and my friends are probably too cool for hardcore online gaming. it's really tough to find a good squad let alone a good squadleader.

so i usually just form my own squad called "teamwork!!". sometimes good teamwork players join and will actually follow orders and *gasp* even talk back! those are the fun rounds.

[Gort]

We're talking pub play, right?? I play CO quite often. In theory, all of that is more or less correct. It's a moot point for clans.

Until such time as every player has a mic and either forms or joins squads, it all goes out the window. Even with squads formed, there has to some sort of dedication to stay grouped as a squad. Often I see 'lonewolf' squad members, ie there is a nucleus of squad members sticking together as a squad while one or two of the same squad are across the map doing their own thing. That isn't true squad play. This seems to be the norm rather than the exception.

The lone wolf types are the biggest problem in the game. No means of communication either to or from the CO or squad, other than to type and you know damn well the lone wolves aren't going to type let alone read. Or to use the crappy radio commands. I'll give a supply drop to a squad leader's request or need (because as CO, I'm usually watching the action) long before I give a drop to some bozo that is 'out of ammunition'. It's the lone wolves for the most part, that ignore the arty symbol on the mini map and rush in to get blown away (and then punish the CO for TKing).

It's too bad that the game can't distinquish whether a player has a mic or not. Wouldn't it be nice if only players with mics could be CO or squad leaders. It would be even nicer if everyone had a mic. I haven't had any issues with voip spam or even overly offensive users. When I am squad leader, as someone joins my squad, I always ask "do you have a mic". Most of the time, I don't get repsonse which leaves me to believe that they don't have a mic. Alot of times I get "ya I have a mic, this is the first time I have ever heard anyone using it".

I have little patience for the CO that sits off in a bunker somewhere and does nothing other than issue commands. I understand the extra work load that a CO has but that doesn't preclude them from doing something extra to help the team. When I'm CO, I love to scan for the enemy CO that is hunkered down somewhere. They're soo busy 'commanding' that I can usually find them and stab them in the face, if my arty doesn't take them out first.

[Col_Swelego]

I don't believe a squad leader (SL) should be passive. If the SL wants members to do their own thing, then the SL should not kick them.

But, if you want to be an active SL and take charge, eg create squad cohesion, then use kick and get other serious players to join your squad.

So don't blame the players, blame yourself SLs.

Don't make lonewolf squad members be the rule, but the exception.
(I hate when ppl make it easy or give some lame excuse to play alone.)

I apologize for my comments, but this pisses me off. If you want to be alone, then don't join a squad or leave it.


On the other hand, a SL can use members as feelers or recon away from the squad. This is a legitimate tactic, as long as SL has comm with these members. A silent SL is no better than playing alone with.

If you don't like the SL, then join another squad or better yet make your own squad and show the others how is it done. Don't be afraid to take charge.

Over

[mezz]

One thing I dislike is when you try to make your own squad but the max amount of squads has already been achieved. Then you start squad hopping and half the squads have leaders that never spawn. The one that is working is full and the rest generally are lone wolves pretending to be a squad.

[fbg]

I have a question about the scan a commander uses. When you click on each of the enemy positions with "enemy spotted" does this show up on the selected squads radar? and for how long?

Also would you consider that there would ever be a case of over use.

[Col_Swelego]

As commander, I use enemy spotted often. I guess it works since I see my team moving in that direction and annilating the enemy at where I spotted.

Does not seem to stay so long.

Unfortunately, not so many other commanders use it so often. So I don't know what it looks like on the map next to me as non-commander.

Yes, it is very usefull and not need UAV (if it is down).

Over

[Col_Swelego]

In order to be a leader, requires the ability to exercise your mind and not just use reflexes.
So, before deciding to become a squad leader or commander, ask yourself this simple question:

Am I a brain-less person, that only wants to have fun and not have to think when I play?

If you answer yes to the question, then avoid the role.

You are not only sparing yourself of losing extra energy, but preventing be called every name under the sun.


Over

[heffiom]

how do u get points as a commander. sometimes i play commander the whole round and i do nothing but try and lead my team 2 victory as a good commander should. at the end of the rund i have 10 pts and 0 tk. Then other times i forget im commander and i just go about my business regulary. i get like 3 tks and i end up with a core of like 35? what up with tht?

[Eclipso]

Teamwork is a must and makes the game that much more enjoyable. Sadly I am only able to experience this "magical beast" a few times a night as most players would rather do their own thing, it is most frustrating when playing as CO and the whole team is just going solo and were getting stomped when I know we can pull this out and beat the other guys.

[heffiom]

well commander does wonders for my k/d ration but it kills my teamwork pounts on accout of i keep artying my own team on accident

[Eclipso]

Yea, man, gotta love those tards who punish for the things that are really their faults. I cant stand getting punished for BS. You have radar use it, dont run over mines, run into an arty zone, or jump out in front of a moving vehicle and then punish when they get turned into roadkill.

[Col_Swelego]

It seems that the more points your team wins by the more points the commander gets. If your team wins, then the points are doubled.

This encourages commanders to use a battle plan (BP) for a decisive victory more than a minor or major victory.
(I say if you win by 300 points or more opfor team is a bunch of noobs. If you win by 400 or more, then your team are regulars. If win by 500 or more than your team are veterans. 600 = elite status. Then you can send in the B-team. This is on servers with start points more than 1000 of course. )

Also,

If you use arty a lot, then you can get a large number of kill points.
Don't know about supply drops.

By using UAV you reduce enemy kills since our forces and can see them.

Over